Day 20: My Health

With my new job at Providence came a new choice in healthcare.  I'm now signed up for an HSA that I can contribute pre-tax money into, and Providence contributes incentive bonus money towards as well.  All of my routine exams are covered at 100% by Providence, and anything additional, and/or prescriptions I pay for from my HSA account.  The money in my HSA also rollsover from year to year and throughout my retirement.

I had the option to continue with a traditional healthcare plan, but an HSA was MUCH cheaper for me month by month because I don't have to contribute anything to it if I don't want to, and I think will be cheaper for me in the long run because I don't have any health problems that require me to see a doctor often enough to justify the monthly payment.  Which brings me to what I'm thankful for today - my health.  I hope that if I continue to take care of myself, I'll remain this healthy for a long time.  I know crazy stuff happens and I come down with an awful condition for no reason, but all the more reason to be thankful for my healthy state today.

Day 19: Video Chats

My friend Jeff is attending business school at Dartmouth, so he and his girlfriend Amber moved cross country.  Fortunately, this handy invention called video chatting exists and I get to "hang out" with them for a little "facetime" (depending on which video chatting method you subscribe to.)  It's definitely a step up from talking on the phone, and it makes me feel like they're not so terribly far away after all.  

Day 18: Lazy Sundays

Today wasn't ENTIRELY lazy.  Bryann went to play flag football.  We cleaned and re-organized the office and the spare bedroom a bit.  We took Sammy for a walk to the park and threw the ball around.  But I didn't change out of my pajamas all day...  :-P

 I'm thankful that we're in a position to enjoy a lazy day every now and then.  It's good for my soul.

Day 17: My Fans

Consonare performed it's opening Fall concert at First Congregational tonight, and several of my friends (and even one of Bryann's board game friends!) came to the concert.  I feel so loved when people come to my concerts, I'm so thankful for their support - and the support of others who've attended concerts in the past!

Day 16: Our House Location

I know I wrote about this last year, but I'm still thankful for our house.  I love our home.  It's perfect for us, and as fate would have it, it's in a perfect location for both of our jobs.  Neither of us could have foreseen that we'd both be working on the East side, and our current job location wasn't a purposeful choice.  But I'm just a 10 minute drive from Providence Milwaukie, Bryann is 20 minutes from Oregon City, and neither of us have to fight traffic to get to or from work.  

Day 15: Mid-Week Dinner with Friends

We just got back from Tamara and Rian's.  We had some of Tamara's AMAZING chili, and we brought some cornbread and a quart of our home-brewed beer.  We weren't celebrating anything in particular, just getting together for a mid-week dinner and movie.  But we joked, and laughed, and lifted each other's spirits, and stuffed ourselves with delicious food.  I love this time in our lives that we're so young and free to have a mid-week dinner date with friends.

Day 14: Slow Cookers

Is it weird to be thankful for "things"?  

Our schedules have been way busier this fall what with my new job, choir rehearsals, and Bryann in class twice a week, so making dinner has been difficult.  We've taken to making slow-cooker meals lately and they've been a complete meal-saver.  I threw together a beef stew on my lunch break yesterday (I work super close and can come home for lunch sometimes) and it got us through dinner last night, lunch today, and dinner tonight.  

<3!!