One Family, One Step at a Time

When we first immigrated to Las Vegas, I knew there was something incredibly important we needed to establish as a family as quickly as possible.

Health insurance.

Coming from Aotearoa New Zealand, where our experience with healthcare was very different, navigating the American healthcare and insurance system was something I knew we couldn’t afford to ignore.

But knowing that we needed insurance and actually understanding what type of insurance we could obtain, who qualified, what it would cost, and how we were supposed to navigate the system as recent immigrants were two very different things.

And, honestly, it was daunting.

My initial thinking was straightforward.

We needed to find employment.

Employment would hopefully provide health insurance.

Health insurance would give our family some security.

So, after arriving in Las Vegas, I was very focused on getting our family established and, wherever possible, securing employment with employers who offered benefits.

What I hadn’t anticipated was just how difficult obtaining employment would become.

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Employment Became Our First Hurdle

Thankfully, we had one early success.

Benji was able to obtain full-time employment only several weeks after we initially crossed the U.S. border.

That was an enormous relief because it meant that at least one member of our family had successfully entered the American workforce and was beginning to establish some stability.

But for the rest of us, the journey wasn’t quite as straightforward.

For me personally, employment has been one of the most challenging parts of starting over in America.

I’ve applied for numerous positions, including roles closely matching work I’ve successfully performed in the past, while also being willing to consider industries and positions completely outside my previous career.

And while I continued looking, time was passing.

We were establishing our new life, but the question of healthcare coverage remained sitting in the background.

Then things started changing.

Kit and Logan Begin Building Their Own Foundations

Over the last several weeks, another important piece of our family’s puzzle began falling into place.

Kit obtained full-time employment, while Logan secured part-time employment.

For us, these weren’t simply jobs.

They represented independence.

They represented another two members of our family beginning to establish themselves within the American workforce.

And importantly, employment also opened the possibility of access to insurance benefits.

It was another reminder that rebuilding a life doesn’t happen overnight.

One person gets established.

Then another.

Then another.

Slowly, the family begins to find its feet.

Discovering Medicaid

It wasn’t until March 2026 that I started seriously researching what assistance might be available to our family when it came to medical insurance.

At first, I was looking into Medicare.

I contacted several recommended insurance brokers and free advice services, including people who specifically worked with or assisted immigrants.

Thankfully, they were kind enough to correct me.

What I needed to investigate wasn’t Medicare.

It was Medicaid.

That conversation opened an entirely new avenue for us to explore.

I began researching what our family might qualify for and what assistance could potentially be available while we were still establishing ourselves financially and professionally.

Applying for Healthcare for Our Family

On April 20, 2026, I submitted applications for myself and my family.

At that point, the application included five of us, four adults and one child.

I had no idea just how much waiting and uncertainty would follow.

By June 10, I received confirmation about how our application had been assessed.

Kit and Logan were not included in the application automatically, meaning their circumstances needed to be dealt with separately.

Reed and I were both determined to be ineligible at that point because we had not yet been in the United States for five years.

But then came the piece of news we’d been hoping for.

Mile’s was eligible.

That was a huge relief.

Miles Approved for Medicaid – Gets His First Healthcare Cards

Over the following weeks, we began receiving the welcome information and cards connected with Mile’s healthcare and dental coverage.

I remember looking at those cards and thinking about how significant something so ordinary could feel.

Mile’s first of what would become many American healthcare ID cards.

For families who have always lived within the American healthcare system, receiving an insurance card might not feel like a particularly memorable milestone.

For us, it represented something much bigger.

It meant that our youngest family member had access to healthcare coverage while we were still working toward establishing coverage and stability for everyone else.

June 26: Mile’s First Dental Appointment

On June 26, Miles attended his first dental examination under his new coverage.

That appointment led to another important step.

An orthodontic referral.

We had no idea at that point how quickly the next part of the journey would move.

Miles was referred to an orthodontist, and we began the process of finding out what could be done for him.

There were appointments, assessments, requests, waiting, and of course, the question of whether his orthodontic treatment would actually be approved.

As parents, you learn pretty quickly that healthcare in America can involve a lot of steps.

August 3, 2026: Braces Approval!

And then, this morning, we received the news we’d been waiting for.

Mile’s braces were approved!

After everything involved in getting our family established, this felt like another little victory worth celebrating.

And we didn’t have to wait long.

We were able to get an appointment with the orthodontist this afternoon.

And just like that…

Phase One of Mile’s braces journey began. 🦷😁

For Miles, it’s the beginning of a new chapter.

For us as parents, it’s another reminder of how far we’ve come.

And He Had His First Medical Check-Up Too

As if the braces milestone wasn’t enough, Miles also had his first medical check-up last week.

Another box ticked.

Another appointment completed.

Another piece of the American healthcare system that we’ve learned how to navigate.

These might seem like ordinary events.

But when you’ve moved to another country and are establishing absolutely everything from scratch, ordinary things can become extraordinary milestones.

From Immigration to Insurance

When we arrived in Las Vegas, our focus was on the enormous things.

We needed to establish:

  • somewhere to live
  • employment
  • bank accounts
  • identification
  • transportation
  • schooling
  • healthcare
  • and a new routine

It was easy to look at everything as one enormous mountain.

But we’ve slowly learned that you don’t climb the whole mountain in one step.

You take one step.

Then another.

Then another.

And suddenly, when you look behind you, you realize how far you’ve travelled.

The Bigger Picture

Our healthcare journey is still far from finished.

Reed and I are still working toward finding the right employment and insurance situation for ourselves.

Our family members are at different stages of establishing themselves.

Some are working full-time.

Some part-time.

Some are still searching.

And Miles is now progressing through his own healthcare journey with a medical check-up completed, dental care underway, and Phase One of his orthodontic treatment officially started.

It’s not perfect.

We’re not completely established.

We’re still figuring things out.

But we’re moving forward.

A Family of Seven, Slowly Finding Our Feet

When I think about where we were when we arrived in America, compared with where we are now, I realize that progress doesn’t always look dramatic.

Sometimes progress looks like a job offer.

Sometimes it looks like receiving an insurance card.

Sometimes it’s a first doctor’s appointment.

Sometimes it’s finally figuring out how a system works.

And sometimes…

It’s watching your little big boy walk out of an orthodontist’s office with his first braces and a huge milestone checked off the list.

Today, that little victory belongs to Miles. ❤️

And we’re incredibly proud of him.

Another Chapter in Our Living Journey

Our immigration story was never going to end when we crossed the border into America.

In many ways, that was when the real story began.

We’re still building.

Still learning.

Still navigating.

Still searching.

Still adapting.

And still celebrating every little win along the way.

This is what “Living the Journey” is really about.

Not pretending everything has been easy.

Not pretending we’ve got everything figured out.

But documenting what it actually looks like to start again, one milestone at a time.

And today?

Today we’re celebrating braces. 🦷❤️