7 Quick Takes Friday

***1***
Well, first and foremost, we got approved for our construction loan yesterday. It looks like we will be building that house after all! I am excited to have our own home again, after renting for 3 years, but I also know the amount of work we have before us and am feeling a little overwhelmed. I have great plans for school, but don't quite know how I will implement them while painting, packing, moving, etc. As with all things, it will be by the Grace of God.

***2***
Next year, I think I am going to hire a babysitter/nanny/someone to watch the kids for as many days as it takes to complete the end of year paperwork/portfolio "stuff". And I am going to do it the week after we complete schooling. I have spent the entire summer doing paperwork, with the construction loan, student loan, and insurance. Now I am trying to summarize the entire year for 3 kids, the oldest being a high school junior, which requires much more record keeping than the youngers. It also means asking that high school junior to find "lost" assignments for me or to re-do the ones he is missing....that goes over really well, as you can imagine!
I feel like this has been a "lost" summer as I haven't been able to relax or give my kids my undivided attention. I am feeling guilty about that. I will do things differently next year.

***3***
On the other hand, I have all of my school planning done and even have a schedule fleshed out. I just need to fill in page numbers and particular assignments and voila! we can begin. Planning is always more fun than recording. I just have a couple more books to order.

***4***
Sigh, I need to come up with a new disciplinary plan for my 10 year old. He was born with a very intense personality...truly it was present the day he was born. His inability to "roll with the punches" and deal with change or frustration, causes big time problems to our family's peace. There is the flip side to his personality also. He is very smart, funny and can be quite compassionate....until something (anything!) sets him off. He has begun punching walls (not people!) when he is upset. Disciplining him normally involves me physically restraining him or moving him bodily to a time-out space. He is getting bigger and it is difficult. We need to help him control his anger, but I am fresh out of ideas. His behaviors need to be modified and I recognize that sooner rather than later is necessary. I don't want his lashing out and punching to escalate. I am open to suggestions...and prayer!

***5***
College girl leaves in 8 days...not that I'm counting:(

***6***
Hubby and I have joined the ranks of the uninsured. Being self-employed, we were purchasing our own health insurance...at a whopping $1400 per month WITH a $4,000 deductible, which meant that we paid every medical bill that came through the house. We reached the deductible last October. In all we spent $20,000 out-of-pocket for premiums and medical bills.
It. was. killing. us. financially.
The premium was going up to $1800. After researching all of our options, we decided to cancel our health coverage altogether. In six months we can apply for our state health care coverage for children -- NH Healthy kids. We will be able to pay $100 per month for all 4 of the younger kids to have really good coverage (as long as we qualify), but they have to be uninsured for 6 months! College girl will be insured through her college's insurance plan. Hubs and I will have no insurance. We are not happy with it, but we really have no choice.
And now, I read that President Obama wants to levy a tax... A TAX!... on people who do not have sufficient health insurance coverage, as part of his health care reform!! What, like we are just doing it to spite him and not because we are desperate?!!? No one wants to be without coverage, but sometimes it is just plain out of reach. Taxing us is not going to change that for the better. Who could possibly think it a viable solution to tax someone who already can't afford something? Ridiculous!

***7***
Ummmm, sorry about the negative tone of #6, umm and #4.

***8***
I'll add a #8 to make up for my negativity. We also received confirmation that college girl's loan was approved. We received a great surprise when we logged on to her account at Franciscan University and saw that she had, in addition to the Pell grant she was awarded months ago, an institutional grant and a couple of Stafford loans, that we knew nothing about!! Yay! It cut her alternative loan amount in half. Happy day!

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