Pet Insurance

Today has been a busy, expensive day. Virginia did not pass her vision screening at school (20/40 - not that bad!), but we needed to follow up with the eye doctor so that was scheduled for today. Meanwhile, Max has had a spot on his foot that he has licked raw and he has had some fleas lately, so I decided that he deserved a doctor's visit too - it is sometimes hard for me to find time to take care of the non-humans - I leave plants and animals to Vincent. Well, since Virginia failed her screening, I expected we'd end up with glasses - which I also knew would come with a nice price tag. After over an hour at the eye doctor, including him dilating her eyes and re-doing some tests, I was expecting him to tell me she was half blind - instead he told me that she was a little nearsighted and has a slight astigmatism, but that neither needed correction. Yeah! A copay, but no glasses yet - just had to buy her a Krispy Kreme doughnut to compensate for the eye drops (there's one on the way home from the eye doctor - we also pass it going to the Orthodontist, so its became a post-doctor treat. After spending my afternoon at the eye doctor, I drove across town to get Max, where I received the bill for nearly $300! A shot, two prescriptions, an ointment, and a supply of flea medicine (knew we needed that). Somehow it feels like getting glasses would have been a better deal for $300.

To update on the rest of the family, Brantley had his first date this weekend - I won't say much because I don't think he'd want me to on the BLOG (I'm having trouble figuring out BLOG etiquette). But, they had their homecoming dance. He and his date and 7 other couples all met for dinner at one of the houses - with parents there meeting each other as well, and then we divided up taking and picking up. Vincent and I lost the coin toss (literally how we determined it), so we had to pick up at midnight. For those of you not in the high school scene yet, it is very impressive how they supervise dances now. No one is allowed to arrive or leave other than during a 30 minute window at the beginning and end of the dance (unless with a parent), and everyone is breathalyzed when they arrive. I guess you could think its bad that they have to do it, but I think its great that they make sure its a clean, safe event.

Don't want to leave out Bret - he is still busy, busy, busy. He is loving football, I don't think I've seen him enjoy any sport this much and the schedule is making him learn great time management and self-discipline to get his work done around football practice. He is also on the Robotics team, which will compete this fall - last year's team went to the State competition at Auburn. The team has to assemble a robot, following certain criteria, and then they have to do a BUNCH of other things (marketing, website, etc.). He is also really enjoying being a class representative.