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Friday, June 19, 2015

Celebrate the Small Things


Welcome, Friday! And with it comes a fantastic blog hop sponsored by the just as fantastic Lexa Cain - Celebrate the Small Things.

And to help Lexa out so she can celebrate too and not get bogged down by the hop, this is co-hosted by
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
and me.

The purpose of this hop is to help us remember all those things this last week, which put a smile on our faces. There are big things, middle sized things, but the best are always the small things.


This week, I'm celebrating:

1) Getting the chance to help out with this great hop! Nothing better than being surrounded by positive thoughts.

2) Getting so...so...so close to finishing those revisions. One more day, that's all I need, and this baby is off to my betas.

3) Rain! Tons of rain! May sound like an odd thing to celebrate, but my air conditioner hasn't been repaired yet, so I'd rather have the cooler temperatures than sweat to death.

4) My son's birthday! He hit the big 10 this week and is feeling pretty special. His birthday present wish was a huge pile of candy, which I found so simple and especially sweet.

5) Being out-tricked by the healthcare system! Bet this one makes you stumble.

Yep, the system played a nasty trick on us the last two months, insisting that we send in more and more proof of income (As if we have anything to hide). We complied (of course) and sent exactly what they requested, and each time a letter came back saying they needed more proof. We sent, we called, we sent again. And when it was all said and done, we received a letter saying that because we weren't cooperating, we loose all subsidies and need to pay over $1000 more each month. The representative apologized but insisted that once this decision is made (even if not for valid reasons), the only way to get the cheaper rates back is to reapply, which takes several months to process.

So good-bye system and hello Christian Healthcare Ministries (which we were considering before entering this entire health care thing anyway). In the end, hubs and I have no doubt that this is a blessing in disguise.

Yes, I'm celebrating this! No complaining at all because we've battled with the healthcare from beginning on--over my hub's green card to getting all the kids covered to simply every little thing. Nothing ever felt right about it, and now, it's gone! Yippee!


So what about you? What wonderful things happened to you this week? Did a butterfly land on your head? Did you find a super fantastic new flavor of ice cream at your local grocery store? Did you catch a few rays of sunshine? Listen to some relaxing music?

What put a smile on your face this last week?










39 comments:

  1. Thank you for co-hosting this blog hop! Good luck on your revisions!
    You are lucky to have lots of rain. We are in a drought here and are praying for rain.
    Happy birthday to your son. I wish my kids would ask for candy instead of expensive stuff.
    Sorry to hear about your problems with Obamacare. I had problems with it last year. I couldn't find a doctor that would take it and read online that they were boycotting it. This year I had to pay for regular insurance so my kids could get their vaccines or else they would not be allowed to go to school. Now we have to pay around $700/month for health insurance. I'm hoping we don't go broke from this. A friend of ours found a doctor that takes the Obamacare insurance, so I'm going to try to switch over again next year. I have wasted weeks of my time over this health insurance problem.
    I'm glad you found better insurance, though! Have a great weekend!

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    1. That entire which doctor we can visit was a problem too. We even had to drive 20 miles to the next town for the correct dentist, although there's 3 in our town. Hang in there!

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  2. Glad you can help Lexa out. You've got a lot to celebrate. Enjoy.

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    1. It's amazing how many things pop up when one takes the time to stop and think back.

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  3. Good luck on completion of your work, and with the new programme to help those who need it, hope it succeeds.

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    1. Thanks. And one's always wiser in the after-thought.

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  4. so glad you're helping Lexa out with the hop,T!!! Happy B day to your 10 year old and have a great weekend!!!

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  5. Happy birthday to your son and good luck with the rest of the revisions! We're getting a ton of rain too. The heat hasn't stayed away, though. This week I'm celebrating finding some time to write. Not a lot, but a little is precious over summer break. :) Have a terrific weekend!

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  6. Happy belated birthday to your son! Good luck with revisions!

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  7. Happy birthday to your son! I'm glad your weather is cooler and hope you get your A/C fixed before temps go back up. The health care provider you had sounds EVIL! I'm sure you're better off with your new one. Have a great weekend! :)

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    1. I'm going to have to get on the AC man's nerves. We called him 12 days ago, and then again 3. If the temps go up as high as they say next week, I might get cranky ;)

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  8. Happy Birthday to your son! A pile of candy . . . ah, to be ten again!

    But ooo--that insurance. Honestly, before I'd take such a big risk with Christian Healthcare Ministries, I'd try talking to another rep. Go higher (a supervisor, another supervisor, etc). If you can afford it, hire an advocate who knows the system. I had a lot of trouble with the ACA at first too, but eventually, got it sorted out. If they denied your subsidies for the wrong reasons (i.e., a mistake THEY made, like saying you didn't send information when you did), there has to be another solution than you-reapplying. Often, when I talk to 2 different reps, I got 2 different answers. Document the name of all reps, as well as the dates and reference numbers for your conversations. Keep copies of all letters they send, and everything you sent them. I've fought things like this and won before.

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    1. After being in the German system, we are not impressed. And don't get me wrong, they've definitely got some huge kinks too! The system simply isn't ironed out here yet. We're going to ride it out a little (not that huge a risk) and see if next year brings some reforms or changes and decide again at that time.

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  9. We're celebrating having you here - and you've a nice gathering of celebration-worthy items.

    Boo on the health insurance folks!

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  10. Good luck with your revisions, and thanks for helping out as a co-host :)

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  11. Good riddance to that health care company! I hope your new one is light-years better!

    I'm celebrating a cover reveal this week, as you know. I am happy to finally be able to display this one proudly!

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  12. It's funny that this is your topic as I also had a (sort of) similar incident, where things just kind of worked out for the better. I'd been tired a lot lately and getting some dizzy spells. This is nothing new and previous attempts to see a doc about them has revealed nothing. I recently tried seeing Chinese docs about it, but the last one I went to suggested I go back to a Western one instead. So got my CBC and all that. Turns out I'm anemic lol. Anyways, it's wonderful when things work out in the end. Happy birthday to your son and yay on getting to the last stretch of those revisions!

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    1. Wow. That took a lot to figure that out, but so glad it was something that easy to work with!

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  13. Healthcare is a sore point with many. I hope this works out for you--it sounds like it will.

    Happy birthday to your son.

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  14. Thanks for becoming a co-host, I love this hop! Glad you are feeling more positive about your healthcare arrangements. Happy 10th birthday to your son.

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  15. The bond between you and your husband seems like a refreshing oasis in a desert. I wish him a special Father's Day.

    As for me, I celebrate that it finally occurred to me that space archaeology is different in key ways from the terrestrial variety, and I was able to have my character explain.

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    1. Lol! That depends on the day ;)
      Wow. That sounds interesting. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to read it someday.

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  16. We're happy you're helping out with this blog hop. Thank you. Good luck with revisions, yay for rain, and happy birthday to your son.

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  17. Sometimes you just don't know a blessing is waiting for you until in the end. So, glad your healthcare issues are resolved. I know that was a horrible headache. Just thinking about all that red tape makes my head achy. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for visiting today!

    http://curiousasacathy.com/2015/06/meet-my-grandparents-part-v-flashbackfriday/

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  18. I'm sure you'll be a great co-host! Good luck with finishing those revisions!

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  19. Yay for revisions! And I wish it rained here in California! Not sure where you are? But it's so dry here!!

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  20. Tonja, I truly appreciate your positive attitude. Thank you!

    Precious Monsters

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  21. You'll get those revisions done! Rain is the perfect backdrop for writing. Rain cools everything down, I love it. ^_^

    That's so crazy about the healthcare! It's amazing how little we know about how things work until we know someone who's had to deal with something crazy. Sheesh. Yes! Celebrate it! You're awesome.

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  22. Good luck on revisions. Hope the healthcare thing works out for you all. Been years, but was in the medical field for a little over 22 years previously. Used to be people with green cards medical care was the responsibility of their government, or their employer over seas or whomever (educational system) had sent them to this country. Is that no longer the case? Is he applying for citizenship and so is sorta between systems? Right you are surrounded by positive thoughts and energy is always a plus!!

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  23. T, that is just insane. Hey, the other insurance company sounds better anyway.
    Happy birthday to your son.
    And it's always more fun to host or co-host a blogfest or hop!

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  24. I need to check out that Christian health insurance. Last year, we lost our Cadillac insurance to be replaced by a much more expensive plan with a $5000 deductible. It was like taking a huge pay cut.

    Rain is still falling in our area! Hope yours is too, or that your AC is fixed.

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