Praise the Lord! Jeremiah is paid off!

Tonight King Jo took us out to one of our favorite restaurants, Gannett Grill, to celebrate the fact that tomorrow we will pay the very last chunk on Jeremiah's hospital and clinic bills a week before his first birthday! I would have chosen to have a waterbirth at home if I had the option in this state, but since I didn't, I'm grateful I had an in-hospital midwife and that our insurance did cover $8,000 of the birth. I know some couples who will be paying on their kids for about 5 years due to lack of insurance (or rejection by insurance). Can you believe it costs between $10 and $11,000 these days to have a natural childbirth with one night in the hospital and really lousy food? Sick and wrong!

My tentative goal was to pay these bills of by his first birthday, but with all the trips we've taken to visit family in MN and car expenses, it wasn't looking too realistic. However, King Jo does all the budgeting and he knew more accurately what we had and how it could be used and he worked it out, by the grace of God!!!

I used to worry so much before we were married about the cost of children and not wanting to go into debt over having them. I didn't have a clue how we could ever afford health insurance or medical expenses. My vision was so short-sighted and I saw kids as a financial burden instead of a blessing.

God is so good to lead us, guide us, and provide for us as we have need, each tiny step of the way on this journey of life! He gave me a strong desire to have kids right away in marriage and then honored that desire with two little peanuts so far! They are worth any expense or sacrifice on our part! He led us to a wonderful home-birthing midwife back when I was pregnant with Alathia and at the time we didn't have maternity coverage. It is amazing I didn't end up in the hospital to deliver her because of the day-long flu I had before labor started. God provided the strength I needed to keep enough liquids down to have just barely enough stamina (even after 15 hours of labor) to give birth at home and because of it, we saved $10,000! Little things that when added up equal the hand of God providing for our needs!

I hope our story encourages someone out there to trust and pray. Then watch God provide!

Matthew 6:33-34

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."