what it should be

As much as I hate to admit it, Thanksgiving is not usually my thing. I tend to spend more time on dinner menus, shopping lists and travel plans than I do giving thanks. But this year is different. Thanksgiving, this year, is what it should be: a daily appreciation for the people who make my life rich, a resounding knowledge that all I have is a gift, and a deeper understanding of the well-worn phrase, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

during church service

There are some things you really shouldn't do during church service. Scratching a parent's scalp with both hands is definitely one of them...

sounds like a super hero

Last night I went in to say goodnight to Max. As a pleasant surprise, I didn't step on or kick a single thing on my way across the 4 feet to his bed. I mentioned this to Max and he said, "Yeah, Dad helped me clean my room. He hung up my clothes while I talked about school. We worked some some stuff out."

Despite the fact that Max did little to help clean his own room, this story makes me happy. Imagine a dad who has time to tuck in a boy, hang up his clothes and solve his social problems all in one night. Sounds like a super hero to me!

makes a mother proud

Abby hit 12 a few months ago and seems to have grown up over night. She is smart, talented, beautiful, and although she experiences the usual ups and downs of junior high life, she makes a mother proud. As she rushes from one activity to another, diligently managing her time, I watch in admiration and wonder if she still belongs to me at all. She's come a long way from the halo-haired girl clinging to bunny and bottle...

socialized healthcare please

My husband recently changed jobs to take advantage of a great opportunity, but because it is a start-up company he is working as a contractor. The company offered to compensate him for the cost of our health insurance, but there is no group policy available. We worked with an agent to get quotes for individual health insurance and, like responsible citizens, filled out an application well in advance of our previous policy expiring. We figured it would cost us about four to five hundred dollars per month.

Unfortunately, if you have any health problems, no matter how slight, you are not eligible for individual health insurance. Somewhat ironic I think, but there it is. Because he takes a monthly medication and sees the doctor quarterly, my husband was denied coverage. We can get coverage for our children (they only go to the doctor once a year) and possibly for me (although they do have some questions about the appendectomy I had 7 years ago - is it possible I have another bad appendix?) but I am fed up with paying insurance premiums for people who never use the insurance. Mathematically, it just doesn't make sense...

payson perks

People often give me a hard time for living in Payson. "It's so far" they say, "how can you stand to drive so far?" "Payson?!" But when I stopped off to vote on my way home from work today, I walked in, gave them my card, selected one of 5 open voting boxes (computerated, btw, not chisel and stone) and was out the door 5 minutes later. I also saw two people I knew in the parking lot. Sometimes small towns can't be beat!