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| By Matt |
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Converted
I am a recent convert of "American" heath care.
Growing up in Canada you can't imagine how anyone could expect you to pay for something so common place. Trips to the doctors office couldn't possible be a luxury, they were a basic right that everyone should be entitled to. American health care seemed to be poorly organized to me, so commercial with a slough of money grabbers soliciting your business, and a major drawback to living south of the 49th parallel. However, what my naivety didn't let me realize at the time was that the health care you dish out the bucks for in the US and that being handed out in Canada are a far cry from comparable. The old adage of "you get what you pay for" is true in the health care industry. And today as I sat in the beautiful non-crowded waiting room of a private hospital here in Houston, I was grateful that I live in the place that allows the opportunity for residents to pay for the "luxury" of having competent doctors and nurses attend to your family's medical needs in a timely and thorough manner.... and that availability doesn't limit the treatment options of those who are sick. My tune has changed. And not to sound like a complete middle-class snot, but free enterprise health care (if you can pay for it, and even though insurance companies profit in excess) has my vote. And the one size fits all, protective blanket of socialist healthcare now seems seriously patchy to me and not one I am anxious to ever get back into bed with. I am converted... so tread lightly Mr. President... and perhaps take a trip to a crowded family medical center waiting room, or maternity ward up in Canada before you sign any more legislature.
(don't be too hard on me... this is my first pseudo-political/ opinionated post on my blog.)
Growing up in Canada you can't imagine how anyone could expect you to pay for something so common place. Trips to the doctors office couldn't possible be a luxury, they were a basic right that everyone should be entitled to. American health care seemed to be poorly organized to me, so commercial with a slough of money grabbers soliciting your business, and a major drawback to living south of the 49th parallel. However, what my naivety didn't let me realize at the time was that the health care you dish out the bucks for in the US and that being handed out in Canada are a far cry from comparable. The old adage of "you get what you pay for" is true in the health care industry. And today as I sat in the beautiful non-crowded waiting room of a private hospital here in Houston, I was grateful that I live in the place that allows the opportunity for residents to pay for the "luxury" of having competent doctors and nurses attend to your family's medical needs in a timely and thorough manner.... and that availability doesn't limit the treatment options of those who are sick. My tune has changed. And not to sound like a complete middle-class snot, but free enterprise health care (if you can pay for it, and even though insurance companies profit in excess) has my vote. And the one size fits all, protective blanket of socialist healthcare now seems seriously patchy to me and not one I am anxious to ever get back into bed with. I am converted... so tread lightly Mr. President... and perhaps take a trip to a crowded family medical center waiting room, or maternity ward up in Canada before you sign any more legislature.
(don't be too hard on me... this is my first pseudo-political/ opinionated post on my blog.)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Summer vacation
Finally... we are home and unpacked and there is time to put up some pictures of our summer vacation up north this past July! Here we go...
Driving up we stopped for the morning at Arches National Park outside of Moab, Utah. It is such a cool and beautiful place... if only they weren't Nazi's about keeping dogs off all the trails, poor Murph had to stay in the parking lot. :(
Wheeler loved the lake too! His extra layer of insulation kept him nice and warm and he braved the chilly mountain water. He was very serious when riding in the boat, but loved the sound of the motor going and driving with papa.
Driving up we stopped for the morning at Arches National Park outside of Moab, Utah. It is such a cool and beautiful place... if only they weren't Nazi's about keeping dogs off all the trails, poor Murph had to stay in the parking lot. :(
Murphy (now nicknamed "Murphin" by cousin Anna) LOVED the lake! He swam non-stop from morning until night, eagerly paddling after us as we pulled away in the boats, diving in after his rope buoy over and over and over again, and chasing down each rock the kids threw in. He belly flopped on the boat lift once, jumped from the top of the rock wall twice... and made a great co-captain/ spotter on the old ski boat. We are so glad that we brought him (even if the neighbours weren't quite as glad...)
Wheeler loved the lake too! His extra layer of insulation kept him nice and warm and he braved the chilly mountain water. He was very serious when riding in the boat, but loved the sound of the motor going and driving with papa.
Matt is now officially a better water-skier than I am... which makes me really competitive and mad. My excuse is I couldn't ski last year because I was pregnant, but really he is just better than me now. It is frustrating, but pretty darn sexy...
Wheeler loved his morning hikes with mommy, nana and Murphy...
Wheeler's first 4th of July Parade...
Not a fan of the firetruck sirens...
Freezies make everything better. (His first one!)
After our week at the cabin we drove up to Calgary to see our Swan cousins... and say goodbye to daddy!
We didn't want to say goodbye to Sara and the kiddos quite so soon, so
they came with us down to Lethbridge for a week of swimming & playing with Murphy!
While back home in Lethbridge we had a fun pool party with some of my highschool girlfriends and their adorable kids. It was so good to see everyone and catch up a little not just on facebook! ( I promised the girls no embarrassing swim suit pictures would end up on the internet, so you just get kid pictures)
We stayed in Lethbridge about a week, caught a cold from Anna (definitely worth it!), and headed back down to the cabin for a few more days.
We drove over Logan's Pass on the way down. It is such a pretty view and made me remember how much I miss the mountains... and we saw just the right amount of snow.
What a great month vacationing! We had so much fun with our family. The pictures don't show everyone, but during our trip we saw everyone in both of our families except for 1 ( and he is in England or we would have seen him on our way too!) Wheeler and Murphy were both such troupers on the drive, and we are definitely glad that we took the chance to drive up for the first time since we have lived here. It is definitely something we will do again ( but maybe not for a year or two... :)
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