It is all adding up!

This year has been extremely busy with trips to the hospital! I had knee surgery last summer and thought "hey, we can pay this out and no big deal." Well, December comes up and I have a huge infection on my face and had to spend the night in the hospital. Turns out I have nasty fever blisters! Guthri to the ER for a medication reaction. Garrett to the ER with a broken toe. Then Garrett has trouble with his hand turning purple. A trip to the Norhtwest Texas ER and two specialist, one CT scan, one heart sonogram, and two dopplers gave us NO answers. Lonnie hurts his shoulder so there is an MRI. Phew!!!!!

We always take the gamble of the high deductible insurance and this year we LOST BIG TIME! When Lonnie had his MRI he was under the impression that we had met our family deductible (you would think, wouldn't you!) Anyway, got a letter today that we hadn't and there goes another $1,000! The trip to NWTX cost us $1,838 because they were "out of network". We have just chalked up an enormous amount of medical debt.

I know all the rules, pay ever cent you can to reduce the debt, make an agreement with the hospital for a lower amount in cash, pay the lowest off first, etc..... Right now it is just overwhelming! I love our hospital and think they are the best so I feel more obligated to them than the others but I can't stand to only pay $10 a month to the others. Ugh!!!!!

I am just depressed about it and I feel like it is taking over my every thought, my every move. School is coming up and we all need clothes, shoes, supplies. Show season starts in September and Garrett needs money for pigs. It is all mounting up!

Now, I had someone say "Garrett doesn't have to have those pigs. It isn't a necessity." Really? Does their son have to have football? Does their daughter have to play volleyball? I can promise if you put pen and paper to it, we come out way cheaper!!! Just a little side line....

Just needed to vent a little. I know it will all work out and there are solutions, I just need to take the time to sort through it all. Thanks for listening!

Ring...Ring....

Lonnie's phone rings off the wall all day long. He uses about a thousand minutes a month on his cell phone. When the phone rings at home, it is for him. (except when MY mom calls) Now, I admit I am not very nice when his phone rings here at home and he is taking care of business. It is a daily affair so you would think I would just get over it. But, no not me!

Years ago I threw away the answering machine because it was always full of messages from telemarketers! I just figured if you needed us then you knew us and could call our cell phones. Right? Anyway, we do have caller ID so that is good enough for me.

Yesterday on the way home from Cloudcroft, I told Lonnie I could not believe his phone had not rang in three days! He said, "I know, it is weird." He checked it to make sure it was working and that was that. This morning I check the caller ID and NO ONE had called the house. Now, that is weird. I caught myself scrolling threw calls and practically hoping for a new call to show up. Nothing....it really bothered me that no one had called. Not even tried to call us. What is up with that?

I am never satisfied!

A Life of Service

Lonnie and I have both chosen professions that calls for us to serve others. Most jobs have some service involved but ours seem to be consumed with doing for someone else. I'll admit there are days I absolutely despise having to help someone else when I need help myself. I become bitter and resentful because everyone wants something. All times of the year are busy for us, there is no down time.

Yesterday, we were unloading drinks from the back of Lonnie's pickup for the upcoming concession stand. It was hot, I was sweating, Guthri was fast asleep in the back seat of a hot truck, and those silly cases were heavy. I felt myself getting hotter and hotter. Not physically, but mentally. I looked over and there was a 4-Her and his mom sitting at the stop light looking our direction. All I could think was "Well, don't just stare. Come help!" When they drove off I was fuming.

I started to say something when I looked at Lonnie and sweat was rolling off his face. He just kept picking up one case right after the other. He never said a negative word. He never grunted, even though he has a hurt shoulder. He just did his job because that is what he is supposed to do. Some times I hate it when he is right!

I had to take a step back and rethink my feelings. Why was it any less my job to unload those drinks than anyone else? Had we called anyone for help? Did that 4-Her and his mother have somewhere they had to be? Maybe my SERVICE ATTITUDE is not what it is supposed to be.

Jesus set the example of a life of service. He never complained, he never cared that he sweated, he just did what God wanted him to do. We are commanded to serve others. Whether it is volunteering or our job we are to live a life of service.