Insurance Issues

Reed didn't take a nap today, so he was pretty exhausted tonight. This was the best picture that I got before he fell asleep on my lap. So, I'll make you endure our insurance experience today.

All of my driving life and married life, we've used the same insurance company. Like their slogan says, "Like a good neighbor" they have been there. We have not had a claim with them, but they have always been very neighborly. The agents have always called and checked in on us and we have everything insured through them.

However, our experience in our current town has not been as neighborly. They have not taken the time to get to know us and I have never actually met our agent. During our Dave Ramsey experience, I have been checking into our insurance and realized that I needed to know more about how we are insured. I found that Abbey's life insurance wasn't up to date and I really needed to update our homeowners.

I have had several friends who have had excellent experiences with another agency and I called to get quotes. They were a little more cost efficient than our neighborly insurance providers, so I decided that we would change our insurance carriers. I did this with a little fear, because I always try to make sure that we are properly insured and there are a lot of what-ifs when you are changing from the only insurance carrier you've ever known.

Well, when we got to this new agency today to sign the papers, we were not greeted as I had hoped. We found two administrative assistant types who were very busy ... busy in conversations on their phones that didn't seem especially business like. After 10 minutes, they didn't acknowledge us and finally one of the ladies hung up. I was about to speak when she got up and walked away. She came back after a few minutes and asked if we "needed something."

I explained that we had an appointment with an agent and she went to get her. The other lady is still on the personal phone call she was on when we walked in. After another 10 minutes or so, the other lady comes out to tell us the agent is on her way. By this time, I decided that this was not the service we were looking for. Abbey and I decided to leave. Just as we were leaving, the agent came out.

I explained to her that I no longer felt that we would be changing over our insurance based on our initial experience with the front desk. She defended the assistants saying that she "hoped they were on a business call." I assured her that the calls hardly sounded like business and thanked her for her time. We walked out.

We then headed to our neighborly agency where we found them to be even more neighborly than ever. That was, after I explained to them how close I had just come to switching insurance. We signed Abbey up for her policy, got Reed a policy, and checked the status of our homeowners. It was a good experience and I expect them to be a little more neighborly from now on. BUT, I still didn't meet our agent!

Now, the moral of the story is ... FIRST IMPRESSIONS are really important, especially to us. You might miss a good deal of business due to rudeness. I'd also like to ask any of the front desk people who might be reading this blog, is it really that hard to tell the person on the other line, "Would you minding holding for a minute? I've got someone at my desk. I'll be right back with you."

The Trip to Mississippi

At both sets of grandparents' homes, Reed has found pets that he loves feeding. At Poppy and Enna's, reed loves feeding the fish. He wanted to feed the fish every time that he saw them.



Reed had such a good time spending time with his Enna and Poppy this weekend. We are still trying to get over our whirlwind trip to see them. We surely wish they would move here!



At Pop and Lola's house, Reed loves feeding the dogs their bones. He has a blast when he gets to give them their bones. He almost always calls the dog's names daily and then says, "Bone".



On the way home, Reed must have been tired of the attention, because he decided to go under cover by wearing Mama's sungalsses.

Cousin Love

Today, we went on a worldwind tour of the little town I grew up in.



We then went to Kosciusko to see cousin Joshi, Uncle Bobby, and Aunt Aly. We also went to see my Papa in his nursing home.



We came home and dropped Reed and Joshi off with Enna and Poppy.



Then we went over to eat at hibachi restaurant.



We are glad that Reed and Joshi were able to spend so much time together. It was especially great that they were able to spend time with there grandparents.



Joshi and Reed had a good time.





Reed loves his Poppy.





Reed read Joshi a book.



Reed loves his Uncle Bobby and Uncle 'Rae (Trae).



... and Aunt Aly.



I love my little niece.

Mississippi Skippy

We're in Mississippi. I had to teach a conference last night and it was at the church that we went to while we were in college and first married.



Aunt Ava came over to see Reedy.



Abbey, Reed, Manya, and Ava toured the new facilities of our former church. They are very nice.





Uncle Brookie and Aunt Ava had supper with Abbey and Reed last night while I taught the conference.



Uncle Bill came with us to Jackson, so that he could see where Abbey and I grew up.



It has been an action packed day of memories.



Enna (my mom) and Reed had a blast today.



They went to Enna's school and visited all of Enna's school friends and students.



They saw Enna's principal, Dr. Bowen.

Then, they went to Chuck E. Cheese's. That's good, because we have NO plans of ever taking Reed. That's something he can do with grandparents!

Monkey Joe's

There's a play place not far from our home that is called Monkey Joe's. In it, are all kinds of inflatables and several mechanical ride-on toys.



Today Reed, Britton, and the maternals went to Monkey Joe's for a little indoor fun in the midst of all the rain.



The boys are still a little small for the place to be able to play all by themselves, but they did have a good time.



Of course, Reed had a great time sliding.





Tomorrow, we are loading up the van, picking up Manya and Uncle Bill and heading to good ol' Mississippi. I have to teach a conference in Clinton, MS tomorrow night and we're going to spend the weekend with Poppy and Enna. We're going to get to see Aunt Ava and Uncle Brookie, and will even get to see Pop and Lola on the way back into Tennessee on Sunday.



Uncle Bill is going to get a fun experience of "the real" Mississippi. Not a touristy picture perfect view, but the real deal. We're going to take him to Durant. That's going to be an experience.

2 Year Old Pics

I feel like I am aging faster and faster. Today was another confirmation that my age is not going anywhere, but forward.



Last week, I got an email from a former child from the children's ministry where I was a children's minister several years ago.



Braden is now pursuing becoming a photographer, however, she is still in high school.



She had some appointments available this week, and we asked if she would take Reed's two-year-old pics.



She was thrilled with the opportunity.



We went and had them done today and although she only has a few up on her blog right now, they are WONDERFUL! I can't wait to see the rest of them.



You can go and view them at her blog, Created for More.



I am so impressed by her talent.

She was great!



If you need her info, I'll be happy to get it to you.



We came home and Reed played outside for a while.



Reed played with his bajoo until it broke, then he actually kept playing with it.



The boy is serious about his bajoos.





Don't forget to go and check out the pics at Braden's blog