Life in my shoes

3 years ago today!!

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

"It's hard to believe that it's been 3 years," my husband said the other day.

"No it isn't," I responded.

I was thinking....of our most recent struggles with our insurance company,

and how my conversations with those people has stressed me to the point of tears.

Or.....of those midnights when she has been sitting in front of the toilet with her stomach just burning with

pain and nausea from a mixture of a stomach virus and high ketones.

With tears pouring down her face, she whimpers "Why do I have to have diabetes?"

It was like we were handed a newborn again......only with no warning.

No preparations.

Nothing to care for this newborn.

Having to learn how to train ourselves to take things with us when we leave the house, scheduled meals, routine doctor visits, nightime feedings, mental exhaustion.

Or.....of how far we've come from those early weeks of having to stick with a set amount of carbs for every. single. meal so we could learn how to wrap our brains around counting the carbs for each food she's eating and drawing up the insulin into a syringe {making sure we have all the supplies with us if we're away from home}
and writing down each and every blood sugar number on a chart.

And here we are with insulin-to-carb ratios and a little more freedom with insulin pens.

But yet, we still have a long way to go.

Her numbers are still wacky.

Her A1c is not where it should be.

And that is constantly gnawing away in the back of my mind.

3 years ago we walked into our pediatrician's office not knowing why she had these horrible,

sporadic headaches that were relieved with one bout of vomiting.

I should have known for sure by just looking at how emaciated she was.....

but that had come on so quick we hadn't really noticed.

This picture was taken 3 weeks and 3 days from her diagnosis.

There were other obvious signs going on that did finally prompt me to get her in to the doctor, but if I had known at the time what a crisis her body was in I would've just rushed her to the ER.

But thankfully, our loving Heavenly Father had this all planned out.

He knew when she was born that this day was coming.

Would we change things if we had that option within our power?

I don't know that we would.

It is really hard some days.

But we know that we are being prepared for something right now.

We don't know what that is.....but it's an assignment.

A mission.

And right now, we're in boot camp.

We are so thankful for what we're learning about how to minister to those families who are in crises.

Maybe at a deeper level than others who've never had a medically fragile child.

Or maybe we'll meet some more folks along the way who, like us,

have a child with Type 1 Diabetes that we can be a blessing to and vice versa!

The journey has been difficult....I'll not lie.

But it is made sweeter because we must be on our knees...every day in conversation with our Lord.

Our eyes ever on Him, lest we like Peter who was walking on water toward Jesus, lose our focus and begin to sink in fright because of the storm swirling around us.

Three weeks ago celebrating Aryn's 4th birthday!!

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipe: Southwestern Salad!

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

I found the recipe for this amazing meatless dish several months ago and filed it away to try at a later date.

Well, I put it at the top of the pile recently and it was a HIT!!

I did not like the name of the original recipe so I did rename it for our family.

I think our name more accurately reflects the flavors that are represented in this dish.

It is cool and refreshing to eat, and super easy to toss together.

It's also very transportable and would be easy to take to a church potluck instead of

a box of fried chicken strips or chocolate cake!!

I also just LOVE how colorful this salad is,

and how pretty it is on your plate!

It's even better the next day because the flavors have had more time to blend!

We just love it.

I have found several children who enjoy this as well!

The recipe can be found here.

{You CAN} Teach Your Child Thursday: Free $5 gift certificate to Veritas Press

2012-02-02T10:47:00.003-06:00

Veritas Press is a very good resource for homeschooling curriculum especially is you like the classical style of home education.
Right now, they have a special promotion going on where you can very easily sign up for a free $5 gift certificate, and then for every friend you get to sign up, you get an additional $5.
Sign up here to get your $5 gift certificate, and I'll get an extra $5 too!!

T1 Tuesdays: Illness and the Type 1 Diabetic

2012-01-31T21:32:00.002-06:00

Last week we had a stomach virus slither it's way quietly through our house.
It was selective in who it chose to take down, but was mild thankfully enough.
It did not bring with it a fever or aches or diarrhea, nor did it strike in the dead of the night strangling it's victims in the grip of death.
It would begin simply near the break of dawn, cause a couple trips to the bathroom, and then suspend itself in less than 24 hours.
THAT, my friends, I can handle.
It's what happened to our family on this week exactly one year ago that I cringe with fear to remember and pray never returns.
You can read about that nightmare here.

Anyway, one of the victims of this latest bout was our Type 1 Diabetic.
I always take for granted what my body just does on it's own when I'm not feeling well.
But it's different when you're sick and one of your organs is completely shut down.
When Ashlyn gets sick, an entirely different monster takes over.
It's called "ketones."
You can google the term "ketoacidosis" and get a plethora of information on what happens inside her body.
For the laymen though, it means that her body starts using the fat for energy instead of converting glucose to energy.
It results in tremendous stomach pain and usually vomiting for her.
That results in an inability to keep fluid down, so there is a build-up of ketones in her system.
It makes her feel worse.
When her ketones measure "large" {we have ketone strips that she dips in her urine for this reading}we have to give her 20% of her total amount of insulin intake for the entire day.
For example, if we add up all the insulin she takes in a day {humalog and lantus at all meals and bedtime}and the total is 73 units {for both insulins} then we give her 20% of that which would be 14.6 units.
The tricky part with that is how high her blood sugar levels are at that moment.
If she is over 250, we don't worry too much about her blood sugar dropping too low.
But this last weekend, she would have large ketones but her blood sugars would be in normal ranges.
We still have to give her that large dose of humalog to bring down the ketones, but she also has to take in some carbs so her blood sugar doesn't plummet.
That was the balancing act we were playing all weekend.
High ketones.....vomiting....normal blood sugars.....large dose of insulin.....sips of regular sprite {instead of diet}.....more vomiting.....moderate ketones.....feeling better.....low blood sugar....more sprite.....more vomiting.....and on and on.
She pricked her fingers for blood sugar testing at least 10 times on Saturday.
Never complained.
Not once.
She's my hero.
It did seem to take her a little longer to get back to feeling 100%, but then we declared her officially well yesterday mid-morning....so it wasn't bad overall.....
compared to LAST year......eeeeeek!

First birthday of the year!!

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

Last Thursday, January 19, 2012, we celebrated the first birthday in our family of this year.
Our youngest turned 4!!

Another free scrapbook design by Smilebox

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipe: Moroccan Vegetarian Stew

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

In keeping with the adventures of trying different ethnic flavors, I knew I had to try this recipe when I found it.
It did not disappoint either.
It is very fragrant and just looked so beautiful with all it's colors blending together in the pan.
Another thing I've found about experimenting with plant-based dishes is that using lots of bright colors makes the dishes so aesthetically pleasing that it just invites you to try it.
The recipe calls for potatoes, but I had some extra sweet potatoes laying around so I just used those.
That added another burst of color and I think it gave it more flavor.
Next time I'm going to add a bit more pink salt to really enhance the flavors.
Serve it over steaming hot brown basmati rice with a flavorful salad and you've got a fabulous meal!!
Find the recipe here!

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipe: Cuban Black Beans

2012-01-20T22:28:00.000-06:00

Let me just say at the outset that this is bar none....one of THE best recipes I've come across in YEARS!
One of my "resolutions" for 2012 was to experiment with more plant-based recipes to expand my repertoire of dishes for our lunch and dinner meals.
When switching from processed food with lots of animal products in the mix, you really need to present your family with lots of different color and flavor choices so they don't get bored too easily.
I don't want them feeling deprived of all their old favorites, so I would like for them to get to try something new as often as I can find something!!

So when I found this recipe.....I knew I had to try it.
It looked really good to me.
And I wasn't disappointed.
It is so fragrant and delicious!!
The very first day I made this, my husband walked in the door from work, practically ran into the kitchen and said, "Whoa!! What smells so GOOD?!?"
After he actually tasted it....he told me {jokingly, of course} that if I didn't put this recipe on our regular rotation that he would divorce me!!
I have really enjoyed trying flavors that come from other ethnicities.
I'm learning that thinking outside my "comfort zone" of cooking has broadened my appreciation of other cultures and their food choices!!
We love this dish served with or over brown basmati rice with fresh sliced tomatoes or a salad!!
Find this amazing recipe........here.

**As a side note....I substituted {2-3} 15 oz. cans of black beans for the dry beans.

{You CAN} Teach Your Child Thursdays!

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

After homeschooling for a number of years now, I've finally started to see a pattern emerge.
In August/September, schoolwork is new, and fun, and exciting.

By December, we're all into a pretty good routine, but definitely ready for a nice long winter break.
After the holidays are over and we slide back into our routines, sometimes we're dealing with major cabin fever because of the wintry weather, and often are dealing with sickness.

By end of January/February, we start to feel like our routines are cumbersome, and the children get uncooperative and lose interest.
It's hard to want to stay with everything when the end of our school year seems so far away, yet we still have so much to do!!
I recently found an article that was really practical and helpful in combating those difficult stages of the year:

10 Ways to Make Your Homeschooling Days Easier

I completely agree that you need to be prepared and organized.

I also am a huge fan of the workbox system.

We use it in our homeschooling, and it has revolutionized our home!!

I also agree that making quiet time for yourself is a must!!

I get up earlier now than I ever did before because it's the only time I can have quiet time to focus

on the Lord and His Word for more than 5 minute spurts!!

It gets my day started much gentler and more grounded, and reminds me right from the start that God is bigger than anything I may face that day!!

I am also a huge fan of an organized way to make your grocery lists and meal plans so you don't have to be away from the home any more than absolutely necessary!

I would love to go grocery shopping twice a month, but we lack the storage space for all we need.

So, for the moment, I shop once a week!

But that's it.

No running to the store everyday.

But you have to know in advance what you are preparing for meals this weekend and next week so you have everything on hand.

Making a menu for all 3 meals a week in advance {at least} is super helpful, and cuts down on the amount of time you need to be spending in the kitchen as well!!

Just a few simple tips for simplifying our homes that are schools as well!!

T1 Tuesdays: Dexcom Dilemma and a Celiac Screen

2012-01-17T22:32:00.000-06:00

At the outset I need to be honest and say that this will probably be a long post.
Can you bear with me?
I promise to try to give you the Reader's Digest version.
Grab a cup of coffee.
Ready?

Okay.
I certainly don't want to sound like I'm complaining here.
But I do feel that it's important in this venue with the audience I have to be honest.
It's really hard raising a child.
It's really, really hard raising a child with Type 1 Diabetes.
They go through so much, become so resilient that they are your heroes!
You want the very best for them because it's ultimately impacting their health decades from now.
I want to chronicle this journey of living with this disease so my daughter has a record of it,
and to encourage others who may have just received this diagnosis for their child.....
or even my own children who may one day raise a Type 1 Diabetic.

With all that being said.....here's what happened last week.
Back in June of 2011, our insurance changed.
With it came a brand new deductible of $2000 for each person in our family,
along with our prescriptions quadrupling in cost.
Yes.....QUADRUPLING!

In July, Ashlyn went to summer church camp without a parent along.
I was nervous about this because of all the variables that go along with
a Type 1 Diabetic during camp week.
She in fact had a frightening experience that nearly landed her in the ER,
and that basically resulted in a "chewing out" by our endocrinologist.
When she got home, I immediately researched continuous glucose monitors....
particularly the Dexcom 7.
I won't go in to the wonders of this device, but it is LIFE-SAVING.
Pure and simple.
It will alarm when your blood sugars go either too low or too high,
as well as giving you a continuous reading of your blood sugar every 5 minutes in graph form.
It's a miracle.
I wanted one for Ashlyn!!
But we couldn't get it.
Basically it revolved around that $2000 deductible.
You can read about that situation here.

BUT!!
After learning about all of this and knowing our situation, a family member very generously and very sacrificially and very joyfully gifted that money to us so we could get her into this amazing technology.

See pictures here.

We ended up with three months of sensors, and by the end of the 3 months we were
ready for a little break.
We loved this device, but we had yet a little bit of money to pay to reach our $2000 deductible,
so our sensors would cost us at least $280.
Once we reached that deductible, the rest of the 90 day supply would fall under the $75/month fee.
We didn't have that money on hand with the holidays coming up and our flexible medical account being nearly drained for the year.
So I decided that we would figure into our Medical Flexible Spending Account for 2012 the extra money we needed to cover the remaining amount for the deductible,
as well as a year's worth of paying the $75/month for these sensors.
Last week I called Dexcom to get the order going.

Imagine my horror.....the HORROR....
when the Dexcom representative called me and reported to me that our insurance deductible had
reset on January 1, 2012!!!
RESET!?!?!?!?
We have to pay yet another $2000 before we can get those sensors covered!

I about passed out...right then and there.
I could. NOT. believe what I was hearing.
How could this happen??
Why wasn't I told that deductible's run calendar year to calendar year?!?!

Apparently everyone else in the world knows this......
WHY didn't ANYONE mention it to me before now?!?!

Well, that was it.
I told the representative that there was no point in wasting her time any further.
We simply can't afford that.
If we don't pay the deductible....it's $280.
Basically a car payment.
And for the record......we don't carry car payments!!!

So there you have it.....we can't use this anymore.
I tried calling the insurance to see what I needed to do to appeal this.
She told me not to bother.
Appeals only apply to claims that would be denied for some reason.
Our claim for the Dexcom IS covered.......AFTER we pay the deductible.

I tried callling Dexcom to see if they could help.
Nope.
Don't have anything in place to help with hardships or anything because they are a non-profit company that's not big enough to offer assistance in any way.

I tried Medicaid several months ago.
Don't go there with me.
Let me just say it was a nightmare and we ended up getting shuffled over to CHIP {with real cards and everything} which we can't use anyway because we already have private insurance.

I've tried all the other places on line I've been pointed to and we fall into all the loopholes.....
we make too much income {just barely over the maximum allowed for this month},
or we have private insurance.

But you know what?
When I made that last call to the Dexcom company, and I got a disappointing answer....I just had peace.

Like the door closed....I don't have to fight this anymore....I'm done spending hours on the phone and internet.....that's just it.
God has a plan here.
There is a purpose for this.

Yesterday was Ashlyn's quarterly visit with her endocrinologist.
I was dreading it like a parent who knows their child is struggling in school,
and is headed to a parent-teacher conference.
I just knew we would have to talk about a bad grade {i.e. A1c}.
And I was right.
Ashlyn's A1c is at an all-time high now of 8.9%.

We were just getting it down from 8.5% to 8.3% with the Dexcom {sigh}.
Now with December and it's craziness and letting routines slide....
we've lost control.
It doesn't matter what we do or don't eat or how much we check or how much insulin she gets.....
she's always high.
Way high.
She's currently taking 18 units of Lantus in the morning as well as at bedtime {36 units total}.
Her carb ratios are 1:5 breakfast, 1:4 lunch, and 1:3 dinner.
Our endo. was very gracious with us, but obviously concerned about why her numbers are so consistently high as well as having no real pattern to them.
It's hard to adjust insulin levels when there's no trend.
So we have to climb back into the prison of set carb amounts for each meal (tighter carb control),
and he wants her to be screened for Celiac disease.
I was a little surprised that he mentioned that since she has no symptoms at all.
He said that sometime Celiac shows up because their blood glucose levels get all wacky even with lots of insulin and could be the underlying cause.
He mentioned insulin resistance, but wants to pinpoint why right now.

Sometimes it's easy to post about bright and sunny things.
Some days, I just have to lay it out as it is.
I'm just so thankful to know Who is in control here.
I'm relying on this verse of scripture that I've chosen for Ashlyn as the verse I pray for her:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,

saith the Lord,

thoughts of peace,

and not of evil,
to give you an expected end."
Jeremiah 29:11

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipe!! Favorite bean soup...

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

When I think of bean soup, I always think back to my childhood and the bean soup my mom used to make.
It had white beans and ham in it, and on a cold, snowy afternoon this makes your house smell ah-MAZING while it cooks on the stove.
I have tried to reproduce this dish with HER recipe, mind you, but it NEVER turned out right.
I had all but given up hope of having this wonderful homemade soup again until......
I found the best recipe e. ver! EVER!

Since we're trying to stick to a plant-based diet as much as we can, this recipe was a great fit.
I just left out the ham, and splashed in some bottled liquid smoke instead (I used Colgin's Natural Mesquite)!
I also used an organic vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth, and "Better Than Bouillon" chicken base instead of chicken bouillon granules.
It is so delicious, it knocked our socks off!!

I found the recipe in my Taste of Home magazine, but you can find it here.

As a disclaimer, only 2 or 3 of my children will eat this delicious soup.

But these are also the same children that refuse to eat anything but peanut butter and jelly.

Just so you know.

90 years ago today

2012-01-11T23:31:00.001-06:00

I didn't notice the significance of today's date until a Type 1 Mom/friend on facebook mentioned it.
She posted a picture of a child before she had been treated with insulin and after she had been treated with insulin.

According to this website the above picture was taken in 1922.
On this date 90 years ago, January 11, 1922, insulin was injected for the first time ever into a 14-year old Type 1 Diabetic child in Canada. One of my favorite stories about what happened after that date is this story taken from Wikipedia:

Children dying from diabetic ketoacidosis were kept in large wards, often with 50 or more patients in a ward, mostly comatose. Grieving family members were often in attendance, awaiting the (until then, inevitable) death.
In one of medicine's more dramatic moments, Banting, Best, and Collip went from bed to bed, injecting an entire ward with the new purified extract. Before they had reached the last dying child, the first few were awakening from their coma, to the joyous exclamations of their families.^[45]

Can you just imagine? Knowing that a diagnosis of diabetes was a death sentence for your child. A very slow, horrible death.....and there was nothing anybody could do?? And at that time, they did not know enough about diabetes to have the distinctions of Type 1 and Type 2.

Several months ago, I was fiddling around with some of my family genealogy. I was pretty much blown away to discover that my great-grandfather had passed away in January of 1922 of diabetes. Nobody in my family had ever mentioned that before. I found his death certificate online!
I knew at that point that scientists first treated someone with insulin in January of 1922, but I was thinking it was later in the month. So when my friend mentioned on facebook today that insulin was first administered this week 90 years ago, I ran and pulled out my notebooks.
Could not BELIEVE what I found.....

My great-grandfather died of diabetes 90 years ago YESTERDAY....January 10, 1922.
One day before insulin was first injected into a dying patient.
My grandfather had been married not quite 3 years earlier.
He left behind a nearly 23 year old wife with 2 children.
The youngest of which was almost 5 months old.
She would eventually become my grandmother.

This is my Great-Grandfather and Grandmother on what we assume is their wedding day.
June 2, 1919

How grateful I am that his great-great-great granddaughter was sovereignly chosen by God to be born in the 21st century and given Type 1 Diabetes where the treatments and technology for this horrible disease have advanced so far that patients can live fairly normal and healthy and long lives!!
I can't WAIT to see what God is up to in our Ashlyn's life, and why He chose this for her/us!!

Monday Fundays: Why we do what we do

2012-01-09T21:17:00.000-06:00

One thing that has become such a hit at our house is our implementing a little thing we call "Monday Funday."
It started because after the crazy busyness of every. single. weekend, not only was I exhausted and not prepared for a full day of schooling on Monday, but my children are very tired too. Sunday is just plain hard. Getting 8 people out the door for a half hour ride to church TWICE every Sunday, and then needing to arrive at said destination in less-than-grumpy moods is taxing. Plus getting meals around is tough. We start everything on Saturday, and it's planned down to the minute, but stuff STILL happens, and we still run late, and we're so tired Sunday evening. Not to mention what a disaster the house is and all the laundry piled up on Monday morning.

So, I decided that we would institute "Monday Funday." Little to no school work, sleeping in, cleaning up the house, catching our breath......and oh, yeah.......a field trip!! You see, my husband has his only day off on Monday, so we like to have some quality fun family time together. We need some time together where there isn't a strict time limit, just come-as-you-are relaxation and laughter. I think especially important when you are trying to raise children with ADHD. You see, these kids are CONSTANTLY being corrected. They have to work SO hard to get anything right the first time, and we as parents find ourselves quick to load up the correction and discipline, and short on praise and positive motivation. This one-day a week gives us all a chance to just be with each other without a lot of expectations and the children get to see us as parents with our hair down and having fun!! I really believe it has been hugely valuable in improving our relationship with these children we've been loaned for awhile!

We're slowly sliding back into our regular routine today, and I've got some fun ideas on the calendar for this spring's round-up of "Monday Fundays." Today, I did meet with each of my students to review where we are right now and where we need to go to finish up this year well. I also asked them some of the places they wanted to go for their fields trips. Here are some of the things I'm looking at for this semester:

http://www.dinosaurworld.com/

http://www.crowcollection.com/

Lunch at CiCi's Pizza

Lunch at McDonald's

http://www.audubondallas.org/cedarridge.html

{for a nature walk}

http://www.dallaszoo.com/

{since we have a membership!!}

Trips to local parks

http://www.fwssr.com/

"Where there is no vision..."

2012-01-06T09:54:00.000-06:00

"Feel within deep latent urges to get things done,
to be rising above this slough of unconscious mediocrity that seems to characterize my days.
Father, if these strong currents be flesh driven,
I pray thee staunch and slay them,
but if sublimated, channeled into courses which will do Thy service,
then intensify them,
mobilize them,
give them direction,
for I long--Thou knowest how earnestly--
that the bride of Thine own dear Son be made perfect and entire in my day.
Yea, Lord, if it cost me my bride in this life,
let me have They grace and power to bring to the Lamb the reward of His sufferings."

~~ 21 year old Jim Elliot
December 22, 1948
7 years before his slaughter on the mission field at the hand of the savages he committed to sharing the gospel with

This has been a wonderful first week of this new year!!

I was looking back at our first week of last year and was reminded that we were in the midst of a horrible stomach virus.

I'm oh, so grateful, to not be dealing with that!

You can read about it here.

We are still on Winter Break.....yep, no school.

Can I just say that I think that has been the smartest decision I've made concerning our homeschooling to date.

THREE weeks of winter break...no school.

There is usually no way that I am ready to jump back in to being strangled by the clock and all the things that have to be done everyday just to stay on track on the Monday after 2 weeks of reveling and celebration and the weekend with church and Christmas and New Year's Day!!!

We have enjoyed leisurely putting away the Christmas tree and the lights,

and getting the laundry caught up, and some cleaning done.

My husband and I have updated our yearly budget this week and have a plan!!

I climbed under both sets of bunkbeds in my girls' room and hauled out unbelievable things!!

I sat down with two of my children and we talked through some goals for projects we want to complete this spring toward earning some badges in our Master Club program at church on Wednesday nights.

I've tried a couple new plant-based recipes from a folder of ideas I put together when looking through magazines, pulling out what I would actually use and tossing the magazine after it had been pilfered.

I've filled in our new calendar with all the appointments and special dates we need to remember.

I've pulled off all the Christmas pictures from last year {2010} that are on my frig., and put up all the fresh, new pictures from this past Christmas{2011}.

I've had time to knead through some ideas for a better system of making my weekly grocery lists, and maybe a daily to-do list to give me more focus during my days.

But most importantly,
I've been thinking about some goals for this year.
And a plan to make those goals a reality.

First, I did eventually finish memorizing the entire book of Philippians in 2011.
I loved doing that and it was fairly easy to work on during my hour long walks listening to the scriptures on my smart phone.
I'm pondering which book to work on this year.
It may take me longer than a year.
Maybe Galatians, maybe Ruth....or ESTHER!
For more on the critical need for scripture memorization in our lives....watch here.
I've also been thinking about naming this year.
To give it more clarity and focus for what I want to study and live out more authentically.
Last year, 2010, was "The Year of Grace."
I may need to do that one over some time.
But because of this marvelous freedom we have in Christ, because of His great love and mercy and forgiveness, upon our salvation, our accepting His free gift.....
it naturally causes me to want to draw nearer to Him.....to worship.....adore.
I want to know more about what true, authentic worship means.
Is all worship offered with sincerity and reverence acceptable to Him?
I want to explore how my own worship may be falling short or if it is quite anemic.
What more can I offer Him?
These are things I want to focus on studying and listening for.
So I'm naming 2012 my "Year of Worship."
For more on this idea, see here and here.

On a health note, by God's grace alone, I've been able to maintain the weight loss I reached in 2010.
My goal at the beginning of last year was to get to the bottom of some hitches I was having with my thyroid levels.
Thankfully, I found a tremendous amount of relief from adding natural progesterone cream, completely ditching all my hygiene products that I learned are full of harmful chemicals and xenoestrogens, and my husband and I have determined to journey to a more plant-based diet.
We've gone dairy-free, and virtually left animal products behind.
It hasn't been easy with the children and we're still not perfect in our nutrition,
but we're progressing.
Moving forward in the journey to better health.
As a result, my endocrinologist lowered my dose of levothyroxine at my last visit.
I've had to be off all my allergy meds for the last month, and so far no infections and not a whole lot of itching/sneezing/congestion.
At least I can get by with minimal amounts of over-the-counter allergy meds.
We are saving to purchase a juicer, which we found to be very beneficial to us this last fall when my husband borrowed a Breville and lost 25 pounds in 15 days of strict juicing.
I even lost 7 more pounds in the 5 days I joined him!!!

Lots of things on the bucket list this year, and I'm very excited.
Excited to see what the Lord has in store for us, and to offer thanks for it all!!

Christmas ISN'T over.....really!

2011-12-28T11:19:00.001-06:00

When the last of the wrappings are thrown in the trash,

and the nativity and lights are put away for the year,

and the emptiness creeps back to envelop your heart.....

Emmanuel, "God with us," is still here.

He was there with you yesterday as you planned your menu and shopped for those gifts,

and He will be there tomorrow....the Eternal "I AM."

"I am with you alway.." Matthew 28:20

Filling the hunger within.....He is "the Bread of Life...."

Come to us from Bethlehem...the "house of bread."

Quenching the dry thirst of

loneliness,

of fear,

of insecurity,

of abuse,

of uncertainty.....

because He is "the Living Water."

"I will pour water upon him that is thirsty." Isaiah 44:3

As you begin to tuck away Christmas dishes and holiday wreaths,

and the thoughts of what the new year holds makes you catch your breath in fear,

He is "the Light of the World."

He lights our way,

and replaces the cold and darkness of uncertainty with the warmth of His presence.

Fear is simply denying the presence of God in your life.

This light of Jesus should shine through our hearts to point others,

who live in the darkness,

to His love.

He shepherds us through our rocky days,

and comforts us with His staff.

He is "the Good Shepherd...."

who only gives us good things.

Good things often disguised as pain,

or loss,

or tragedy,

or a frightening diagnosis,

or inconvenience,

or irritation......

To make us look closer,

see things the way He sees them,

to value the things He values.

If you're at a crossroads in your life

and facing some difficult decision.....

the joy of Christmas gone....

unsure of which way to go....

Jesus is "the way."

He is "the truth."

He is "the door" you're searching for.

When the day seems empty as you wave good-bye to those you love,

and shut the door behind you to face too much quiet ahead....

Look to Jesus.

He IS the reason for the season.

He still IS.

Favorite memories of Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-26T11:10:00.001-06:00

After getting dressed for church services,

the children couldn't wait to see the presents!

We let them open ONE gift before church.....

Everyone was excited to see what Daddy got!

After we were home for the afternoon, and had enjoyed lunch together...

Birthday Party for Jesus!!

Reading the

"birth announcement" from Luke 2

Daddy lighting everyone's candle

Singing carols together

Friday's Fabulous Family {Christmas} Recipe!! Cranberry Orange Struesel Muffins

2011-12-23T23:11:00.000-06:00

Since moving toward a more plant-based diet with waaaaaaaay less processed food and sugar, I was looking for some alternatives to our traditional Christmas breakfast of cinnamon rolls from the can.
They are pretty and all.......
so easy to put together on a busy morning.....
and druglike in their addictive qualities.....
can you say......sugar buzz??
So I found these this week,
and whipped up a batch......
and they are just a bite of heavenly!!!

Cranberry Orange Streusel Muffins

** As a disclaimer:

These muffins still have plenty of sugar in them, but you can reduce that amount and still offset

the tartness of the cranberries.

I substituted whole wheat pastry flour for the white flour,

olive oil for the canola oil (I also tried it with applesauce in place of oil if you go with no oil),

and water for the milk (you could also replace the cow's milk with almond milk......I was just out of it).

You could also skip the confectioner's sugar glaze poured over the streusal to additionally cut down

on some of the sugar.

It's almost better without it!!

You can find the recipe here along with some prettier pictures than mine!! ;)

A Children's Christmas

2011-12-20T20:47:00.000-06:00

Every December, all 6 of our children have the opportunity to participate in a Christmas program

with a choir of other children their age.

The first Sunday in December is designated for the Primary Choir (ages 3- 1st grade).

Both Aryn and Garrett participated last year, but this year Garrett (who is now 5)

has developed a disdain for singing with his choir, so he did not participate this year.

Aryn showed no fear and loved being on stage!!

The second Sunday in December is designated for the Junior Choir (2nd-6th grade).

It was the first year Abby (2nd grade) performed with this choir,

and the last year for Ashlyn (6th grade) to perform with this choir.

Grant had the most unusual entrance to his first ever solo!!

He had forgotten to be in his place in front of the mic at the beginning of the song,

and I was starting to panic as I realized he was about to miss it.

Watch what happens!!

Here is Abby's sweet little piece:

Ashlyn was so excited to have a speaking part in this year's Children's Christmas Program.

She did such a great job and worked so hard learning her part.

Unfortunately what little video we did take of her did not turn out good enough to keep.

We're going to get a hold of better copy from our church!!

She is in the center of the picture below (with the black/white skirt).

Finally, the third Sunday in December is designated for the adult choir to perform their annual

Christmas Cantata.

It is usually also the Sunday for the teen choir to perform at some point.

This year the teen choir performed two beautiful pieces during our morning church service.

The video of both numbers was too long to post here,

so we trimmed it down to just the first piece.

Our oldest (far right) with her friends after their choir performance.

How Christmas Makes Me A Better Parent

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

This year, I've been intentionally looking and listening for Christmas.
Don't get me wrong here.
I don't mean all the lights, and frantic shopping, and long lines at the mall, and getting.
I mean... the giving.
I want to know how to communicate to my babies the truth about Christmas.
Why the virgin birth is miraculous and was essential to their salvation.
Why God's willingness to wrap Himself in human skin makes any difference to my daily living.
And I found something the other day.
In a devotional I was reading.
It challenged me to read 1 Corinthians 13 in a way I had never done before.
I've read that passage of scripture at least 2,345 times (well, something like that.)
I've memorized it at some point in my early years.
But the devotional challenged me to read verses 4-8 and to substitute "Jesus" for the word "love."
I read verses 1-3 the same way:

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

but do not have Jesus,

I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy,

and know all mysteries and all knowledge;

and if I have all faith,

so as to remove all mountains,

but do not have Jesus,

I am nothing.

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor,

and If I deliver my body to be burned,

but do not have Jesus,

it profits me nothing.

Jesus is patient.

Jesus is kind,

and is not jealous.

Jesus does not brag

and is not arrogant,

does not act unbecomingly;

Jesus does not seek His own,

is not provoked,

does not take into account a wrong suffered,

Jesus does not rejoice in unrighteousness,

but rejoices with the truth.

Jesus bears all things,

Jesus believes all things,

Jesus hopes all things,

Jesus endures all things.

Jesus never fails"

~1 Corinthians 13: 1-8a (NASB)

Shouldn't my greatest mentor as a parent be the One who came to this earth to reveal what true love looks like?

What if my name were put in the places where I put Jesus name in the above scriptures?

What would that look like to my children?

Would my children agree with that passage then?

"For God so loved (Brenda) that He gave..."

~John 3:16

"The one who does not love does not know God,

for God is love."

1 John 4:8

**Repost from the archives**

Why celebrating Christmas IS important....to our family

2011-12-14T10:14:00.002-06:00

Recently, I've been confronted,

from several different sources,

with this idea that celebrating Christmas

is a bad idea.

That it has its roots in paganism.

{Ever checked out the origin of the traditional Christmas "tree"?}

That we shouldn't be instilling a sense in our children that we are untruthful

and inconsistent when we encourage them to believe in Santa.

That we are trapped in a culture of commercialism and materialism,

and we've set aside our brains and are just following the tsunami of people around us into

a frantic race to get the best gift for our kids {or whoever else}

and to throw ourselves willingly into debt to get this gift!!

That Jesus Christ wasn't born in December anyway,

so there's no reason to celebrate His "birthday."

That simply trying to "Christianize" a historically Roman holiday celebrating the winter solstice

and their sun gods is nothing less than justifying why we ignore scripture.

Bah-Humbug!!

I certainly don't mean to offend those families who feel very strongly about

living authentically and Biblically.

I certainly agree with nearly all of those points mentioned above.

But I want my children to know why we do the things WE do.

That's why I keep this journal.......

so if I fail to verbalize something to them in our everyday walk together,

that they will have it in writing here.....

as a sort of "landmark."

There are several reasons that our family has deliberately chosen to "celebrate"

the season of Advent.....Christmas {if you will.}

We just have a little bit different motivation.

There are some things we recognize as myth and not true to the Bible,

and we are trying to be faithful to point those things out to our children.

Yes, I know that the birth of Christ was most likely NOT during the month of December.

The shepherds were probably not "keeping watch over their flocks by night" with wintery weather.

Some scholars believe that based on the patterns of shepherds during that time period,

Christ's birth was more likely during the fall season.

Yes, I understand that the "wise men" did not show up at the stable/cave where the newborn Christ lay.

In fact, there is no mention in scripture that there were only THREE wise men.

I guess we've picked up that traditional belief from the fact that only 3 gifts were mentioned

{gold, frankincense, and myrrh}.

It has trickled down into our traditional Christmas music {We Three Kings of Orient Are},

as well into many of the Nativity sets we use to decorate our homes at this time of year.

So what?

Does that mean I shouldn't share the story of Christ's humble, yet glorious,

birth?

Does that mean I have to lose the wonder and anticipation of "Advent."

That period of waiting for the culmination of our hopes and the promises of God?

I think not.

Of course, we could be extremely authentic and counter-cultural and "celebrate" His birth in October.

I really could.

And that wouldn't be wrong either.

I really don't believe though that our Heavenly Father sits on His throne and is crossing His arms,

displeased that we are following the traditions of men in the month of December.

I believe that what really matters to Him is our worship.

And what we are worshipping....

I have to admit here that I am not a fan of Santa.

I'm sorry.

I'm just not.

There is only one person who

"sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake,

he knows if you've been bad or good...."

and my Bible puts it this way....

"O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me.

Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up;

Thou dost understand my thought from afar.

Though dost scrutinize my path and my lying down,

and art intimately acquainted with all my ways.

Even before there is a word on my tongue,

Behold, O Lord, Thou dost know it all.....

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me...

Whither can I go from Thy Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Thy presence?"

Psalm 139: 1-7

I want my children to be motivated to do the right thing,

not because an imaginary person will give them presents if they are good,

but because it's the RIGHT thing, and pleasing to the God who created them,

loves them with an everlasting love, and gave His life for them.

So we don't do Santa in any way shape or form......including the stocking thing.

I know....Bah-Humbug!!

But why do stockings when they are supposed to be

"hung by the chimneys with care in hopes that Saint Nicholas will be there?"

I just prefer that my children understand that their gifts come from real people.

I don't want them thinking that I {as their parent} am teaching them to lie and believe lies.

It's the same thing with the "Tooth Fairy" and the "Easter Bunny."

We don't do them either.

I know......Bah-Humbug.

Children have to be taught how to still themselves and learn to worship.

They have to be taught NOT to be selfish...to think outside of their own little worlds.

What better way than to point them to the God who GAVE!!

Gave of Himself,

Gave up the splendor of Heaven,

to come into the middle of our stinking mess.....

to be that once for all sacrificial Lamb to permanently cover our sin,

and to provide that bridge to cover the separation between Himself and us.

Why not use this time of year to teach our children about giving.

Not just to our friends who already have more than they could possibly need,

and could easily give back something in return.

Why not teach them the meaning of SACRIFICIAL giving.

I know of families who don't give gifts to family members at all.

AT ALL!

Instead, they go through catalogs where you can buy chickens, and wells of water,

and goats, and seeds for a garden

for people in third world countries who have nothing.

No opportunities for work.

No way of providing food for their children.

No carpet, or indoor plumbing, or running water, or washing machines,

or dishwashers, or refrigerators....

no.thing!

Why not sponsor a child from a horrific situation for a little bit a month.

I love how Ann Voskamp challenges our thinking on this and dares us to rename Christmas.....

the Great Give Away.

Because isn't that what it's all about anyway?

We enjoy giving gifts to our children at Christmas.

It's part of that anticipation.

But we don't go into debt to do that.

And we don't go crazy trying to get them everything they want.

Instead, we spend much of this Advent season

talking about giving to others.

What can we make to express love and joy to those who've blessed us?

We enjoy being together as a family,

creating yummy goodies in the kitchen,

taking time to work together,

learn new flavors,

create family traditions that are meaningful

and that teach the truth!

As we go through the month of December we fill our home with glorious music that speaks

of the wonder of His birth,

the wonder of the shepherds...

..the lowly outcasts tending the lambs for the sin sacrifices in the local temple who had the privilege of being among the first to see our One and Only sacrificial Lamb.

We use THIS to walk with our children through the names of Jesus that further

unwrap Who He is and What He is to us.

Preparing our hearts for the anticipation of His coming.

We know that He has already come to earth once to die for Us,

but it also teaches us to anticipate that Second Coming of Christ when He will set up His reign here on earth for a millenium.

It naturally prepares us to worship!!

Christmas should not be a burden.

Christmas should not be exhausting to us.

Christ came to lift our burdens and carry our loads.

If we are burdened and stressed, we are doing more than Christ expected us to do.

Naturally, when we are creating things in our kitchen for those we enjoy,

and with those little ones we love to be with,

it can be physically tiring and stressful at times.

But does that mean I should avoid ALL stress for the sake of making things easier for myself?

Again, I think not.

But if you are dreading Christmas time in OCTOBER because of the busyness

that is facing you, maybe that's a signal to rethink your purpose for what you do.

Maybe you can skip 1 or 3 of the "parties" that you're expected to bring a plate of something to.

We have not sent out Christmas cards for the second year in a row.

I just can't get to that.

We have over 100 people on our friends list,

and that doesn't include the 100's of "church family" members.

It was becoming such a big job for me.

Not a priority.

What more can I say in a card that I haven't already communicated on facebook or this blog?

It's not about doing....but stilling.

Stilling ourselves to worship before that newborn.

Not with twinkling lights, and tinsel, and wrapping paper, and toys.

But remember that Christmas is....

the love...

the joy....

the wonder....

the gift....

of Jesus.

For every day....all year round.

"Celebrate a Christmas that cannot be bought, or created, or made by hand.

A Christmas that isn’t a product to wrap — but a Person to unwrap.

A Christmas that can only be found —

in the creche… in the cradling trough… in the mire and the stench and the unexpected and the unlikely.

Only in the person of Christ."

-Ann Voskamp

Monday Funday: The Art Museum!!

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

Several weeks ago we had the delicious pleasure of taking part in a program that our local art museum puts on every month called "First Tuesdays."
I know.
It's not a Monday.
But first Tuesdays are FREE.
So I just bump up our field trip day by one day......because I can.
It's one of the perks of a homeschooling schedule!

Anyway, on "First Tuesdays" they have all kinds of activities available for children to participate in,
and there is a theme that these activities revolve around.
I've always been impressed with how engaging and encouraging the folks who direct and guide these projects are.
It helps me to relax and enjoy the things my children are creating.

Glimpses of Christmas......

2011-12-10T16:12:00.001-06:00

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipe

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

We've been working our way to a more plant based diet in the last couple months,
and I've found that one of the easiest meals to prepare within those parameters are "Soup and Salad!"
Recently, I found this recipe in my newest Taste of Home magazine and knew immediately that I had to try it.
It did NOT disappoint.
In fact, my husband and I are crazy in love with it!!
My children....not so much.
But then they don't like anything that isn't a carbohydrate....specifically vegetables, casseroles, and salads!!

This dish is so fragrant and comforting and hearty.
It's perfect for frosty cold afternoons and evenings!!

Comforting Tomato Lentil Soup

The recipe is online here at the Taste of Home website!!

{You CAN} Teach your child Thursdays: Homeschooling around the holidays

2011-12-08T22:37:00.000-06:00

When my children were younger, this didn't seem to be as overwhelming to me as it has become now that we have more students in our homeschool with a broader range of ages and needs.
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, my to-do list gets longer and longer every day.
Not only are there the regular daily activities of washing and folding laundry, meal planning, meal preparation, care of sick children, lesson planning, and homeschooling, but throw in making gift lists, making gifts, trekking to the post office and mailing said gifts, extra choir/music rehearsals, wrapping gifts, planning Advent themed activities, and a plethora of extra Christmas dinners/gatherings to prepare for!
It can make one Mama lose the "joy of Christmas" and her mind real quick!!

But over time, I've learned that slowing down and simplifying make this time of year much more enjoyable for our entire family.
This December, I'm just keeping the children up with bare bones schooling......think "readin', writin' and 'rithmetic."
They are all involved with their individual choirs at church and have solos to memorize and speaking parts to learn for their Christmas programs. Don't forget those extra rehearsals I mentioned earlier.
I count that as "Fine Arts."

This weekend we'll be busy making all the goodies we usually make every year for gifts for all their friends and teachers {at church}.
You can click here to get a glimpse of last year's crafts.
I count that as "Arts and Crafts," "Math," {figuring out how many of each we need to make}and "Family and Consumer Sciences."

This year, I want to get each of my children involved in creating and writing a Christmas letter complete with pictures.
I count that as "Creative Writing."

I love to read stories from "A Little House Christmas" while the children are working on seat work.
I count that as "History."

One of our favorite family traditions is going here!!
It just really brings to life for the children what was going on during the time Christ was born.
I count that as "Bible History."

There are so many other ways you can be creative in incorporating homeschool into what is already available in your community at Christmas time. It's what makes memories!!

The article below addresses this topic even further, and was so encouraging to me!!

Creative Homeschooling in December

So busy!!

2011-12-07T09:17:00.000-06:00

My goodness.
Yes....we have been so busy since Thanksgiving.
It's time for an update.
My children are involved in many things at our wonderful church,
and the first two Sundays in December are their different choir Christmas programs.
This last Sunday {being the first in December}was designated for the primary choir.
This group is comprised of 3, 4, 5, and 6 year olds.
Always full of fun and giggles.
Just watching them in front of a big group of people is fun!

Our 3-year old was on the second row, on the far left, wearing a long bright yellow head covering.
Perfect for her bright, cheery personality.
My husband had to get involved in getting this video posted because it all had to be reformatted and trimmed down to upload!!
As you're watching, you'll be wondering what the delay is, and it was because our 3-year-old was
not paying attention and didn't hear the 24 different people trying to remind her it was her turn!!
Consider watching the song after she says her verse....so full of joy!!!

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

Much has been going around our house in the last two weeks!!
It has been difficult to stay on top of just the normal, everyday, regular responsibilities, much less the unplanned interruptions!
I've had an unexpected visit to the doctor for what turned out to be a HERNIA! {say what?}
It's not serious or requiring surgery right away, but I just couldn't figure out what the enormous lump
was under my skin way down in a weird place.
My children were excited that I had something in common with our local favorite baseball player, Josh Hamilton!!

Thank you, Heavenly Father, that it wasn't what I feared it might be and really isn't a big deal.

Homeschooling has been enormously stressful in the last two weeks as well.
So much so that I called a school that deals ONLY with ADHD and Dyslexic children right here in our town that I never knew existed!!
After talking with the school administrator about what goes on every single day around here, she very discerningly suggested that my son may need his medication {to help him have better control of his ADHD}
adjusted.
After considering this, I think she is probably right.
So I've made an appointment to see his doctor this next week!!

Thank you, Lord God, for putting that brand new billboard right in my path to find that school, and for the lovely lady I spoke to who spoke to me with such wisdom and grace and compassion!

I also had the most delightful opportunity to take my second born daughter on her overnight "Girls night out with Mom."
The one where we discuss all about marriage and what God has designed for us within the bounds of marriage.
I will talk about this more in detail in another blog.

Thank you, Jehovah Jireh, for my precious daughter and that we enjoyed each other's company so much!!

I even took a huge risk and hosted a friend's "31" party.
When I had only 2 or 3 children, I did those kind of parties ALL the time.
That was back when Mary Kay, and Pampered Chef, and Tupperware, and Premiere Jewelry, and Home Interiors were the popular home-based businesses.
Anyway, space in our home has become slowly squeezed down to almost nothing, so I haven't hosted a party like that in years!!
It was a lot of work to make enough space for 7 ladies, plus snacks, and room for product display.
{Not to mention figuring out a plan for the husband and 4 of the children!}
But it was just so much fun, and I really enjoyed the time all my lady friends!!

Thank you, Jesus, for the lovely, lovely friends you have brought into my life and have enriched my life in so many ways!!

So here we are at Thanksgiving Day!
I have so very much to be thankful for!!
I hope you feel that way too.
Even if everything is a struggle for you right now, God is good.

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom,

neither shall fruit be in the vines;

the labor of the olive shall fail,

and the fields shall yield no meat;

the flock shall be cut off the from the fold,

and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet, I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will joy in the God of my salvation."

Habakkuk 3:17, 18

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipe!!

2011-11-11T08:30:00.000-06:00

Every year, in the fall, I like to pull out one of my favorite, all-time recipes.
I love anything with pumpkin in it.
I have lots of amazing recipes with pumpkin in them.
Desserts, breakfast dishes, but this bread recipe is the BEST.
I have made these little gems and given them as gifts.
Most of the time though, I can hardly make enough of them before my children vacuum them up!!
They are lovely for breakfast.....especially on a crisp, Sunday morning.
Or even with your Christmas breakfast.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup of margarine, softened

3 eggs

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 cup water

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream sugars, butter and eggs.

Add flour, pumpkin, water, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cloves.

Mix thoroughly. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into 4 greased and floured 6x3x2 inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until breads test done.

Yield: 4 mini- loaves.

Here is how I have embellished this recipe to make it healthier (and oh, so. d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s!) for my family:

2 cups of organic cane juice crystals

2/3 cup of margarine, softened

3 eggs

2 1/3 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

Several scoops of cold-milled flax seed

The entire 15 oz. can of pumpkin

1/2 cup water

2 tsp. of baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon

Dash of salt

1/2 of a 12 oz. bag of mini-chocolate chips

(Not as sickly sweet with chocolate that way...unless of course....)

Follow the same instructions above, except drop into greased mini-muffin pans

and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until muffins test done.

YUM!!!

** Repost from the archives.
I've been making these many mornings here lately
because they are so comforting on chilly mornings.
Even without the chocolate chips they are delightful!!

Women's Wellness Wednesday: Eliminating xenoestrogens

2011-11-09T23:38:00.000-06:00

On Wednesdays, I'm journaling about this new leg of my journey to better health.
Last week, I talked about these things called "xenoestrogens" that I had NEVER heard of,
but apparently are wreaking HAVOC on my health and well-being!!
You can read about that here: What ARE xenoestrogens?

Now that I'm more familiar with what they are and what they do {estrogen mimicers, endocrine disrupters},
I've been trying to figure out how to avoid them.

It's pretty simple to avoid them.....just don't use the products that contain them.
The tricky part is finding a good alternative....that WORKS and doesn't break the bank!!

Here's what I've found so far:

These products are AH-mazing!!

The Dessert Essence brand is dedicated to producing all-natural products and they are just fantastic!

I've ditched all my regular shampoos, conditioners, soap, and body lotion and switched to this brand.

I LOVE the Coconut body wash and lotion.

It's as good as or better than anything at Bath and Body Works, and is safer for you if you have
and estrogen dominance issue, such as myself.

I started buying them on sale at Sprout's so I could try them,

but will probably be buying them online at Vitacost.com for a way better price.

I've also ditched my store-bought antiperspirant/deodorant.
This one was tough for me.
I'm a confessed profuse sweater.
My feet and hands sweat....and the sweat RUNS down my face and back in the summers
around here!!
I was nervous about switching to something that doesn't have the aluminum and other parabens
that are normally in antiperspirants, but I knew I didn't want to keep using these potentially
harmful ingredients.
I tried this:

But didn't like that I had to apply it several times a day and I still smelled of rotten onions!

So I tried this:

But I had virtually the same problem as I did with the previous product.

Plus, I found out that tea tree oil is also an estrogen mimicer {phytoestrogen - plant based estrogen}

and that using this too much can cause issues with estrogen dominance as well!!!

SO.....I decided to try my hand at making my own!!

I found this recipe:

Homemade deodorant

Let me tell you.....I like it!!

It was super easy to make, and I was able to fill up one 4.6 oz. empty deodorant tube

that I had on hand.

When I use it....there is no odor.

I did not use any essential oil to fragrance it, but it has a gentle coconut smell from the coconut oil.

It has a super low melting point though, and melts instantly when it touches your skin.

It broke the twist up function on the deodorant container because it gets so hard when you put it in the frig initially, so I had to scoop it out into a small

covered plastic bowl and keep it in the frig.

I've just been popping it out of the bowl when I feel I need it and storing it in the frig.

The next thing to go?

Commercial laundry detergent.

Yep.

I was NOT going to do this.

I had dug in my heels and was not going to let anybody or anything drag me into

being this "crunchy!"

But when I found out that xenoestrogens are found in laundry detergent AND fabric softener,

and that they don't come off your clothes and get into your system....

I knew I had to try this.

And what did I have to loose?

It's so. MUCH. cheaper!!

Here's the recipe:

Homemade liquid laundry detergent

It was so cheap to make.
And so easy.
Will post pictures later.
It seems to work just fine.
It doesn't have a fancy fragrance that our American culture seems to think we need for happiness
and cleanliness......
but it gets the clothes clean!!

Just a few simple changes.
With more to come.

T1 Tuesdays: November is Diabetes Awareness Month!!

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

Did you know that November is Diabetes Awareness Month?
I didn't either. {blush}
But now that I do, I'm wondering if you know the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?
Since my 2nd daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 in February of 2009, I've learned a LOT about the differences.
I get that the vast majority of people who don't have any experience at all with either one have absolutely no idea what the differences are or how to deal with living with either type.
So I'm becoming more passionate about educating people!!
It's hard sometimes as a mom of a child with this disease not to get frustrated about the confusion.

When you have Type 1:

You will never "get better."
You will never be cured of this until you get a new pancreas.
You CAN eat whatever you want.....yes...she CAN have that ice cream cone {as long as she has her insulin with her!!}
You can't take pills or eat a special diet to "control" your diabetes.
You have to count the carbohydrates of every morsel that slips into your mouth and take enough insulin from an outside source {whether shots or an insulin pump} to cover the carbs you're eating.
You have to take a life-saving syringe of glucagon with you WHEREVER you go in the event your blood sugar crashes and you fall into a coma with seizures!!
You can play sports or whatever strenuous activity you want, BUT you must keep checking your blood sugar to make sure you're blood sugars are staying in a good range and not dropping too low.
You have an increased risk for developing other auto-immune disorders such as celiac disease, or thyroid disease, or eye problems.
You have blood sugars that continually spike up {high} and down {low} all day long. It's almost impossible to stay on top of them!!
You won't find anything in any magazine especially for "Diabetics" that will apply to your lifestyle, because all of those magazines are designed for Type 2 diabetics!!

Monday Funday: Cornhole!!

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

This last Monday, we didn't leave the house for a field trip or any

such adventure.

The day before we had just gotten home from our weekend family reunion.

Too much to try and plan another day outing after just unpacking.

But while I was getting the laundry caught up and bags put away,

Daddy was keeping himself {and some of his "helpers"} busy outside.

A couple weeks previously, our neighbor had a large tree cut down from their backyard.

They piled it all up at the street for trash pickup and I remembered how freezing cold we were this past

February when our power went out due to the snow and ice that made our street impassable.

On top of all that, my husband and I were really sick and stuck in the house

with 6 kids.

No one could bring us any firewood for our fireplace,

because the roads were too dangerous!

I don't ever. want that to happen...again!!

So I asked the neighbor if we could have the wood.

It had been piled on our back patio ever since.

Until last Monday when Daddy took a chainsaw to it,

and got his helpers to stack it....like this!!

As a reward for all their hard work {in addition to a couple extra dollars in their pockets},

Daddy pulled out this delightful game!!

Two days before this picture was taken, they were playing it with some family members

at the family reunion.

My husband commented to me about it as he was playing,

and I hollered that I've seen that before and would LOVE to have that game someday!!

Low and behold, the owners {cousins of my husband} up and GAVE it to us!!

He had made it by hand {Dallas Cowboy colors and everything!}, and said he had another one at home

and was "fixin' to make another set in Texas Rangers colors!!

I cannot express to you how EXCITED I was!!

This is such a fun game and I knew my children would love to play this with each other

and with all their neighborhood friends.

To make it even more fun....it's called "CORNHOLE!"

Isn't that the BEST name for a fun family fall themed game night?!

There's even an entire ORGANIZATION dedicated to the delights of this game!!

American Cornhole Association

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipes: Warm Apple Crumb Pie!!

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Oh this is my FAVORITE!!
I've loved this recipe since I was a girl living in Mennonite farm country in Northwest Ohio.
It just TASTES of fall.....
and is really wonderful for dessert on Thanksgiving Day.
It has graced many of my tables!!

I've always, always used the recipe found in this:

It starts out looking like this....

and then this......

......until it's warm and fresh from the oven looking like THIS!!!

So delish on it's own but especially with vanilla ice cream!!!

Here's the recipe:

Apple Crumb Pie

P.S. I never used the lemon juice or the raisins. The recipe in my old book doesn't call for that.

And after you turn your oven down to 350 degrees, it only takes another 30 minutes before my pies are done and amazing!!!

Enjoy!!

{You CAN} Teach Your Child Thursdays: If you love it....they will come.

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

When it comes to homeschooling your children, the MOST important dynamic is finding something YOU love!!

If YOU love it, and are excited about it......your children will enjoy it more.

If YOU hate it, and it's an enormous burden to you......they will hate it too. Then it's miserable for everyone.

Misery has become a red flag to me that something needs to change.......we need a day of play together, we need to de-stress by straightening things up and putting things in their place, we need a better curriculum for where we are, or we need to change up our routine.

When you consider homeschooling, and you've never been homeschooled or seen a homeschool in motion, it's very difficult to break out of the traditional school model.

I had only ever been to private A.C.E schools, and that's all I knew.

I knew you need the core subjects everyday: Math, English, Social Studies, Science, and Word Building.
When you get to high school, you add in "electives" like typing, foreign language, auto mechanics, etc.

So, naturally, that's what I thought I needed to do for my children.
Each subject, each and every day.

But I ended up starting out with an AH-mazing curriculum when my first-born was in kindergarten called......
Five in a Row.
It was so much fun!!!
The lessons were enchanting, easy, short, and very hands on.
She loved it and I loved it!!

But when first grade rolled around.....I thought I needed something a little more structured.....more for me than for her.
So I defaulted to what I knew.....the Accelerated Christian Education or A.C.E. curriculum.
We loved it in first grade.....not as much by 2nd grade....and were hating it by 3rd grade.
What I didn't know at the time was that this child was ADHD-Type 1 {Inattentive type}.
Focusing on one page of work was nearly impossible much less the 3 or 4 needed each day in EACH SUBJECT!!
And now....I was having to add more students to our little schoolroom.

But I found that I LOVE unit studies.
I LOVE arts and crafts.
I LOVE to read.
So we do all of those things.....a LOT.
And because I'm interested in them.....I'm excited and wanting my children to enjoy them too!!

Maybe you love working in the kitchen.
Bingo!
Cooking lessons, math lessons with fractions while measuring ingredients, science/chemistry lessons while mixing ingredients and watching them transform in the oven, etc.

Maybe you love working outside in a garden.
Voila!!
Gardening lessons, more science/botany lessons, nutrition lessons on whole foods, etc.

Maybe you love working with animals.
YES!!
Animal husbandry, responsibility, veterinary medicine, etc.

Maybe you love music?
Trips to the symphony, learning an instrument together and playing together, not to mention all the fun games online that teach music!!

Each child is unique.
Each famiy is unique.
Each parent is unique.

I believe that a loving Heavenly Father puts all these dynamics together for a specific purpose.
He puts your children with YOU so YOU can teach them.
What my children are learning will be different from the children that come from a family of doctors.
And that is okay.
That's the way God wanted it to be.
He knows what our capabilities are and the capabilities of our children.
So teach them what you know and LOVE!!
Let them catch the excitement of loving to LEARN!!

And you didn't think you could teach your child at home??

Women's Wellness Wednesday: What are xenoestrogens?

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

That was exactly my question when I ran into a website that claimed that "adenomyosis is caused by estrogen dominance."

What is THAT??
I had never......ever heard that term......ever.
Basically it means your hormones are out of whack, that you have too much estrogen and not enough progeterone to counter-act it all.

This is a relatively new idea that you don't hear about in mainstream medicine, but will from alternative health-care providers...i.e. health and wellness, homeopathic doctors, etc.

One of the things I need to do is to eliminate all the EXTRA estrogen that I'm getting.
Where does all this extra estrogen come from??
Good question!!
I couldn't believe it!!

The answer lies in that term XENOESTROGENS.

"Xeno literally means foreign. So xenoestrogens means foreign estrogens. These xenoestrogens are thought to cause adenomyosis. Adenomyosis did NOT exist 150 years ago. Some of the 100,000 registered chemicals for use in the world have hormonal effects in addition to toxic and carcinogenic effects. Also the synergistic effects are known to occur but also are largely exactly unknown. The field of xenohormones is new, and only been in existence since about 1991."

So I did some research on exactly where these "xenoestrogens" come from and was overwhelmed:

A List of Xenostrogens

I was stunned and overwhelmed at what I found!!

These estrogen like chemicals are in nearly everything I've been putting on my skin, using in my laundry, heating my food in in the microwave, and drinking out of plastic bottles.

And in my COFFEE?!?!?

{Please don't mess with my coffee.....even though it IS decaf!!}

The more I've read about it, the more I'm convinced that so many women I know have issues with "estrogen dominance" but don't even know it.
I didn't!!!
Nobody I was talking to was telling me this.
I just knew that I wasn't feeling right and couldn't put my finger on it.
And the more I read about all the issues it causes, the more pieces of the puzzle came together for me.
Here's a list of other issues that too much estrogen can cause. Check it out and consider whether or not you might recognize some of these in yourself:

Estrogen Dominance Symptoms

{You have to scroll down through this article to reach the list}

Next, week I'll be talking about some of the steps I've taken to eliminate these "xenoestrogens" from my personal environment.

T1 Tuesdays: Diabetic Alert Dogs

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, this story was on our local news.
Are you aware that this resource even exists??

For more information on these highly trained dogs, check this out:

Diabetes Friendly Foundation

Monday Funday: The Fire Department!!

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

Nearly a month ago, we had the wonderful opportunity of touring one of our local fire stations.

We have two stations in our town, and we've always toured the one around the corner from our house.

This year, we decided to tour the other department, and we invited a few other local homeschooling families to come along!!

This station had recently received a brand, spankin', new engine.....

and WOW!! was she a beauty!!

She has the coolest equipment including video cameras mounted on the top as well as the front of the engine, and remote controlled sprayers!!

All the children enjoyed learning about how techie firemen are these days,

and all the wonderful tools they have to keep our community safe!!

{You CAN} Teach your child Thursday: Workboxes!!

2011-10-27T08:16:00.001-05:00

Last year, our homeschooling routine was better than in previous years because of the new curriculum's we were using.
But there were still some bugs that needed to be worked out, and I was at a loss in how to make it better.
I felt like my children were always waiting for me to tell them the next thing to do, and some days would hardly complete more than the bare bones basics.
In other words, I felt like we were wasting a tremendous amount of time every. single. day!!

In my wanderings around other homeschooling blogs and forums, I remembered conversations about workboxes and what a wonderful tool they were in organizing your homeschool!!
At first, I just bookmarked some sites and intended to read up on how they worked later on......they sounded like a lot of work to get set up.

Well, in August, as I was getting our schooling set-up for this year, I went back and spent some extensive time reading about the pros and cons of this concept!!
And the more I read, the more excited I got!!

EUREKA!!
This was the solution to my problems!!

The basic idea was founded by another homeschooling mom who was struggling with the exact same issues I had.
So she devised this system of "workboxes" that are nothing more than the plastic shoe boxes you can get cheap anywhere.
She set up 12 of these boxes on a small wire shelving unit and in each box she put a subject for her child to complete that day.
Some boxes had a chore they needed to complete, and another might have a special treat to keep them motivated.
The boxes are numbered consecutively and the child is instructed to start at number #1 and go in order.
No skipping ahead to something they want to do instead.
This way, the child sees everything they are required to do for the day before they are "finished" and can play.

My main problem was the space for 4 of these things!!
So I looked around and found that other mom's had come up with some fabulous alternatives to the shelves of boxes while keeping the basic idea in tact!!

So I started looking for a solution to my space problem and the Lord led me to these mini plastic file holders they sold at Wal-Mart this year!!!
They fit perfectly on my already existing book shelves!!!

This has been the BEST thing for us, and I plan on keeping this system in place FOREVER!!!

I only have 8 folders in each of my children's boxes.

They are numbered from 1-8.

I just load up their daily assignments the night before {ideally!!!} and in the morning, after our breakfast and Bible time, they grab their box and GO!!

The oldest's workbox.

A younger student's workbox.

It gives me a couple minutes to clean up the kitchen and get little ones involved while the older ones are working independently!!

They know how much work they have to do everyday and they are motivated to get it done by the time their friends in the neighborhood get home from school so they can go outside and play.

They also know they aren't supposed to play games on the computer until their work is done either.

NOW!!!

Because we are several weeks into this.....we have come up with some loop-holes!!

This system would be hard for those who are exclusively using unit studies to teach their children!!

We do a combination, so in between the lessons we do together, my children are to be doing their independent subjects.

For me, it can be a bit cumbersome to have to stay on top of grading some things and refilling their folders for the next day.

Sometimes I don't get to that until the morning and that lends to the children getting busy with toys or other things while they are waiting for me and we have a late start to the day.

Just being transparent about some of my own discipline issues.....

Over all though, this system is great and anyone CAN do this!!

For an EXHAUSTIVE discussion on this system, with tons of links to those who already use it, alternatives to the boxes and shelves, the pros and cons, etc.......click on this:

Working the Workboxes

Women's Wellness Wednesday: The journey continues

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Over the course of the last several weeks, my journey to better health has taken yet another path.
Last year, in January 2010, I started a weight-loss journey.
It took me 10 months, but only by the grace of God I was able to loose the 45 pounds I needed to.
I learned so much during that time about myself and my relationship to the Lord and my relationship to food.
I journaled about it somewhat, and if you're interested you can look under the label "weight loss journey" for that story.
During that time, I was also {and still am} under the care of an endocrinologist for hypothyroidism.
One of the reasons I wanted to get to a healthier weight was to see if that would help relieve some of the annoying sypmtoms I was having that goes along with that issue: hair loss, extreme fatigue, being freezing cold during the colder months of the year even when those around you are comfortable, irritability, and depression.

Well, even after I reached my goal, I still wasn't feeling myself.....even with adjustments to my medication {I'm taking levothyroxine}.
I met with my endocrinologist and he did finally agree that my medication needed to be adjusted, but I began asking myself if this is just as good as it's going to get?
I've been able to maintain my exercise routine and my weight has remained stable {ony fluctuating by 3-4 pounds during my cycles}, but something new surfaced this summer.
When my period rolled around in June, I bled a LOT.
More than I've ever experienced before.
Like two or three changes of clothing and leaving my mark on the seat of the car....a lot!
And just on day two.
Day three and beyond was pretty manageable.
I thought it was a fluke.
Same thing in July.
I started doubling up on the protection products I normally used.
Only this time I felt afraid to leave the house for fear it would be a mess.
So I called my OB and talked to the nurse and explained to her the situation.
She agreed that sounded fishy and scheduled me to see the doctor within a couple days.
After a pelvic exam and a sonogram, I had a new diagnosis.
Adenomyosis.
No fibroids or extreme pain.....just that.
His suggestion was to start birth control pills to control the bleeding and if it got worse, a possible hysterectomy.
"What?" I thought.
For just one day of heavy bleeding a month?
There has to be a better way!!
So I began searching around online......
Here's what I found that completely changed my search for a solution: {click on the title below}

The Cause of Adenomyosis

Never before had I heard that term......estrogen dominance.

But the more I read and cross referenced, the more it made sense!!

Estrogen dominance is not only the culprit in many uterine issues like mine, but also in...get this.....thyroid issues!!

But a regular medical doctor {like my very good OB who I love} won't address that issue.

It's a completely different science.

I had to find another doctor who was willing to talk some more natural alternatives that involve saliva testing to look for out-of-whack hormone levels.

When I did finally find one.......I couldn't afford the testing.

Regular insurance doesn't cover it {of course!!}.

I was going to have to pay $300 out-of-pocket which immediately pulled me out of the game!!

So I've been researching and reading and talking, and I'm on a new journey.

A journey to better health......more naturally!!!

Stay tuned!!

T1 Tuesdays: The latest endocrinologist visit and some fun new tools!!

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our quarterly visit with Ashlyn's endocrinologist team.
It has been just over 2 months since we began using the Dexcom continuous glucose monitoring system.
It has been such an amazing tool for us, and I was really hoping that because we are able to react sooner to either a high or low blood sugar, that we would have a much better A1C this visit.
For those of you just joining the Type 1 conversation, the A1C is a blood test that measures the average blood glucose readings over the last 3 months.
In July, Ashlyn's A1C was 8.5%.
That was the highest it has been since her diagnosis in February 2009.
We started using the Dexcom in August, and yesterday her A1C was still at 8.3%.
Normal ranges are anywhere from 5% to 6%.

We saw a nurse practitioner who we've never seen before, and she was very encouraging.
She explained something to me that I'd never heard before.....in all our other meetings with our endocrinologist or other nurse practitioners.
I expressed to her my concern that Ashlyn's blood glucose numbers are like a roller coaster.....constantly spiking up and down.....and we just can't get control of them.
I would much rather see a straight line of constant numbers than the spiking.
She reassured me that it's normal even in non-diabetics to have your blood sugar go up and down.
It's just that our bodies regulate the insulin and glucagon all by itself.
Her body has to pull from the external medications that we give it.
What we want to do is not worry about the spiking, but to bring down the baseline average.
To do that, we change up her Lantus doses.
As of last night, she is taking 17 units of Lantus at bedtime, and 16 units at breakfast.
We also tweaked her mealtime Humalog ratios and she is at 1:5 for breakfast, 1:4 for lunch, and 1:3 at dinner.
In the last 12 months, she has grown 3 inches and gained 5 pounds.
She hasn't crashed into puberty yet, but I am bracing myself for even crazier numbers when that happens!!

I also wanted to share some really wonderful tools we've discovered to help us manage her Dexcom.
One of the tricky things about this system is that you have to keep the receiver {which is roughly the size of a computer mouse} within 5 feet of you to get accurate readings every 5 minutes.
If you set it down and walk into the next room to play for an hour, the meter is unable to read and then you have to wait for it to sync back up once you're in range again.
I also worried that my 11-year old would leave it somewhere and we'd never find it again.
So I looked around online and found these fantastic "pump bands" HERE.
We ordered one to use as a template, and then my mother-in-law made some more for her {yay, Grandma!}

With the leftover fabric, she also made her a

"pump pillow"!!

This way you don't loose the pump in the covers or on the floor at night.

It has it's own little cushioned spot!!

How sweet is THAT?!?!

Monday Funday: Pumpkin Patch!!

2011-10-24T18:53:00.001-05:00

Last Monday we were able to go on one of our favorite family field trips of the year!!
Our annual visit to the pumpkin patch!!
We've been going to this very same spot every October for the last 8 years {missing a year or two here and there.}
We had originally scheduled this trip for the week before, but we were rained out.
Because of the scheduling change, a couple of the families that were going to go with us were not able to go this week.
But we did have a friend get to go with us that had never been before and it was a fun time for her and her two little ones {once they got adjusted to the new place!}

Can you see the yellow sign there to the right? Can you read what it says?

"Keep off the top of the maze." Uh-huh.

This is the same little, oblivious guy who ignored the attendant's instruction to stop going down the bouncey slide on his back HEAD FIRST. Got kicked off of that.

Aryn had a much better time this year and fully enjoyed everything she could.

Far cry from last year when she just pouted and clung to me all day then peed her pants at the lunch table.

Nice.

Surveying his next climb from the hayride.

Yep....that's my life.

2011-10-17T09:06:00.000-05:00

Good grief!! I knew I had had to let some things "slip through the cracks" recently, but I had no idea it has been nearly a month since my last post here!! YIKES!!
Needless to say, since the beginning of our school year in September it feels like the days just fly by and my to-do list is only ever half done!!

I've been thinking about a better way to really share some of things that our family walks through on a daily basis and to encourage others with some of the things we have found or learned work for us!!
God has been so good to us and I want to share the grace!!

So here is a tentative plan that I've worked up to help this blog have a little more focus and direction:
Each day will have a theme {though I can't promise I will be able to post every day of the week}....

Monday Funday: One of the techniques we have found so helpful in managing and coping with the struggles of living with 2 children with ADHD is to take one day a week to just have fun together. To get away from the routines that are in place to provide structure, but often feel like cages because of the daily fight these children put up when expectations and responsibilities are put on them. We go out of the house and let our hair down and express to our children that we love to be with them and enjoy having them around......so important when the rest of the week they struggle with lots and lots of corrections and discipline and disappointments.

TI Tuesday: A journal of the joys, successes, fears, and struggles of our 11-year old daughter who is living every day with Type 1 Diabetes. Hopefully providing encouragement and resources to other families living with this also.

Women's Wellness Wednesday: I've been on a very personal journey the last 2 years, and I'm burdened to share with women what I've been learning!!

{You CAN} Teach Your Child Thursdays: Ideas and resources for homeschooling

Friday's Fabulous Family Recipe: This is pretty self-explanatory, yet be watching for fun little goodies to make together as well as healthier recipes for the whole family!!!

Stay tuned!!

Shhhh! Just a peek....

2011-09-29T08:27:00.000-05:00

Quiet now....they don't see you.

This peaceful second of home learning brought to you by......

WORKBOXES!!

{Stay tuned for more on this amazing system of lesson organization that has

revolutionized our day!!}

P.S. Please, please don't be discouraged if your school time looks more chaotic than this!

I posted this simply because it's so rare to find this in my own house,

and I had to document it so I could remember it.

You should have seen it just moments later when the boy on the far right started teasing the

little girl in the center on the left!!

Back-to-school: What to do with preschoolers while homeschooling older siblings?

2011-09-26T15:18:00.003-05:00

This is a universal dilemma for homeschooling parents.
When I first began this journey of homeschooling 9 years ago, it wasn't much of an issue.
My then 2 year old would sit along with us sweetly as we read our books, or she would occupy herself quietly while I was doing something with her 5 year old sister.

Times have changed for us and our classroom has gradually filled up.
We've added 4 more children to the house....4 more to the classroom {We'll have a new kindergartner this year, plus one preschooler.}
In the last several years, we've always had 2-3 preschoolers floating around wanting to get their fingers into everything we were doing, and it can be very stressful at times.

I've read some great articles on this challenge that has helped shaped my thinking about this.
One of my favorite is found at Journeying With Joy.
There are lots of great ideas in that post!!

I've also had things for little ones to engage in while I was doing table work or crafts with older ones that needed my attention.
This year, as I prepared lessons for the older children, I also been prepared some new things for the youngest ones that they haven't seen before, as well as breathing new life into some of our old stand-bys.

Playing with our ABC's

Learning how to put the alphabet in sequential order.

Learning how to put letter sounds together to spell words.

This is a simple little activity that my 11 year old can put together for her siblings!

Use as fun little toppers for your cupcakes at your "Back to School" party!!

Discovery Toys: Playful Patterns

Click on the title above for the link to where you can purchase your own set!!

These are so much fun for all ages and teaches early geometry and shapes!

It comes with lots of cards with pre-made designs or.....

...you can sort by shape....or....

...by color.

Wooden puzzles

Let's not forget the simple pleasures of puzzles.

Lots of different kinds available, but I think the trick to making them fun,

is to not make them available all the time.

Keep them special for "school time" for your little ones, so they don't get bored with them.

Check out these puzzles at Melissa and Doug.

Melissa and Doug Toys

I LOVE these products.

Super bright, super cute!!

Check out their website by clicking on the title above!!

And let's not forget the great stand-by's we usually always have on hand for our children.

Again, I think the trick to making this useful is to not do it everyday. Keep it in the rotation for school-time activities.

Finally, I've found it helpful to have a loose schedule for the little ones that coincide with what the older ones are doing. Think of it like a bone-fide day care schedule.
Break it up into 15-30 minute increments and include things like book time, craft time, snack time, outside time, lunch time, nap time, snack time, dinner time, play-doh time, bath time, bedtime.

When you run out of things to do.....start the schedule over again.
This year, my plan is to put an older sibling on the youngest two during their break time to help supervise them {the younger ones} during activities that tend to be messy!

I have to admit that last year was so difficult for me that I defaulted all too often to the TV for my younger children.
Granted we only have Netflix, and they usually stay in the circle of PBS type preschool shows....but they had an enormous diet of this!!
I'm RESOLVED to not let this happen again this year!!

Back-to-school: Short on wall space?

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

As I was preparing for a new season of learning, I was trying to think of new ways to freshen up our tired, little school space.
Doesn't every teacher want to decorate her classroom for a new school year??

We don't have the luxury of an entire room that we could dedicate just to our schooling.
We use a room that has multiple functions in our home.
It is also our main dining area with a large table and 8 chairs.
The piano is in this room, as well as our computer.
When you walk through our front door, this is the room you enter.
I just don't want to take down the entire collection of family pictures on the wall to make space for posters and other fun things to see, so I remembered this idea I saw at a friend's house.

I put both the leaves in my table and laid out several posters I already had, plus a few I picked up at the dollar store.

Then I purchased a sheet of clear, plastic vinyl from Wal-Mart.

It was in the craft section folded in a 54" by 9 ft. sheet.

I just laid that sheet of vinyl flat over all the posters and stapled it to the bottom of my table.

I know that not many people are ready to use heavy duty staples on the underneath of their dining table, but I can't have it sliding off.

This way, it's super easy to clean....no glue mess after our lapbooking projects.

And if we're having a special dinner, I can just cover it up with a fancy table cloth!!

I'm not exactly sure why I didn't think of this years ago!!!

Back-to-school: First day back photos

2011-09-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

I don't know why I've never done this before either.

Apparently, the first day of school picture is a popular tradition.

I just never seemed to make time for it,

or never thought of it since I never grew up doing this.

But when I saw these super easy printables......I couldn't resist!!

Maybe you'd want to print off a set for yourself!

"First day of school printables"

Back-to-school: Kick-off breakfast!!

2011-09-10T21:08:00.000-05:00

This last Monday we had a Back-to-School kick off day {yes, I know it was Labor Day}.
I decided to start the day off with something a little special before we enjoyed the first "Monday Funday" of the school year, and then sat down together and went through some orientation.

I have to be honest here and admit that I copied most of these ideas from one of my favorite blogs.......
The Homespun Heart!
Monica's ideas were so simple and easy to pull together, and I had most of all she used laying around my house too!!
The most time consuming thing to prepare were the little Bible verse cards.

My very thoughtful and giving, "new-to-homeschooling" friend made the pencil vase for me!!

The menu was simple and no fuss:

Whole wheat chocolate chip muffins {I tossed in some bananas, nuts and flaxseed too!}

Easy fruit kabobs

Milk or Water

Of course I have lots and lots of crayons......

It was worth what little time I had to put into it to see this:

A slight delay and a new diagnosis: Adenomyosis

2011-09-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I had very ambitious and lofty goals laid out.
I was going to have lesson plans prepared.....some new things put out for our school room...and a new system in place for my children to work through their school day.
I was also going to have school books picked out {at the least expensive cost} and all the free printables ready to go for the first week or so as we ease our way back in to a schooling routine!!
Last of all, I was going to make out new routine and chore charts, and have fresh activities ready for the younger ones to do while older siblings and Mom are busy.
All so we could start school this last Monday {August 29}.
So much to do...but a little every day...in small bites....was doable.

Until.....

"The mind of man plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

Sunday morning I needed to stay home with our oldest who was on the tail-end of some sort of virus,
and our 7-year old who had developed some sort of rash on her arms, abdomen, legs, and the lower half of her face.
It wasn't bothering her too much, though she was self-conscious about how blotchy she looked.
It had some up a little on Friday, then more pronounced and itchy by Saturday.
I gave her several doses of Benedryl Saturday, Saturday evening, and on into Sunday.
But by Monday morning, she woke up and came to me looking like this.....

I panicked internally and tried to calmly tell her that we were making a trip to our pediatrician that morning.
First little detour.
Quick trip over to the doctor confirmed my suspicions....poison ivy.
Needed some steriods....fit in a trip to the pharmacy.

The next morning {Tuesday} I had already scheduled an appointment for myself with my OB/GYN to address some issues that have started getting out-of-hand.
After a couple different tests, he concluded that I have developed adenomyosis.
His treatment options: Birth control pills, then possibly, if they didn't help, a hysterectomy.

What?!?!
What is that?!?!
Never heard of it....and a little shell-shocked at such a dramatic, final treatment.
I went home and talked this over with my husband, and he agreed that I should research other options FIRST.
For the next 3 days, I spent hours trying to learn what this condition is, how to treat it more naturally, and where on earth to find the right course of treatment.
Second detour.

What I learned in those 72 exhausting hours is worthy of a blog post all it's own.
I intend to talk more in depth about this as I was mystified at how difficult it was to get information!!
I finally received a little bit of resolution when I found another OB/GYN just 5 minutes from our house who can help me work with what God already gave me in an effort to achieve healing in a number of different areas.
But all that research completely wiped out my plans for the week.

Things settled down nicely until Saturday afternoon.
We were just 2 hours from Daddy getting home from work for the evening, when the 2 youngest began the chase.
You know the one.....around the family dining table at top speed.
I was sitting at said table, and before I could say, "Stop running," the 5-year old boy tripped over something and smashed head-on into the corner of the piano bench.

I knew immediately that something was different about that crash, as everything hushed in the house and we all seemed to move in slow motion.
He stood up holding his forehead with both hands, open-mouth crying.
I said to myself, "If there's blood, this is not going to be good."
And there was......lots of it.
When I saw where it was coming from.....I knew......yet another trip to a doctor.

Third detour.
We sat in the waiting room of our local ER for...get this....4 HOURS before we got in to a room.
After nearly an hour in the actual treatment room, he was glued and taped shut.....no stitches afterall.
But I was entirely okay with that because he was NOT happy about the prospect of a shot and stitches.
I held him close in my arms as we walked to the doors of the ER, and we prayed that maybe the Lord would let it be that he wouldn't have to have a shot....and maybe even not need stitches.
So when we walked out after his bedtime with him all patched up, I didn't feel chapped at ALL.
He had been such a patient, delightful, little angel the whole time we waited and he delighted everyone else in the waiting room.
I got to read to him, and we practiced writing and spelling, and we shared some snacks, and snuggled a little bit, and it was lovely to spend all that time with just him.

Sometimes the Lord takes us down a path we never dreamed we travel.
I still don't know where my new diagnosis is going to lead me.
I was frustrated at first that my plans screeched to a halt......
Because of all the detours, we are starting school next week.
But so what?

The Lord is up to something.
When He changes my direction, I know I need to just follow Him.

"This is a ch_ _ ch. What is missing? U..R"

2011-08-20T06:00:00.003-05:00

Obviously, I'm getting old.
How can I tell?
For one thing.....the crazy amount of gray hair I have now!!
{What? Oh, you thought this was my natural color??}

For another thing, I remember the days when everyone dressed up to go to church.
I'm not talking about the days of hats and gloves for women either.
{I'm not THAT old!}

Just the days when you went into church, you knew you were somewhere special.
You knew that it was different than the school house, or the playground, or the beach, or the mechanics shop.
The folks had actually taken the time to iron their clothes, and shine their shoes, and put on a tie, or a dress.
The little girls all wore dresses and the little boys had their shirts tucked in.
I'm not talking about Norman Rockwell's Americana Fantasy Land either.
I know you know what I'm talking about.

Church has become so casual these days.
Like a stop-off before going to the grocery store or the ball game or the mall.
Not a prepared for destination in and of itself.
Like no thought was put into Who we are coming to honor and worship.
Like we're expecting a hamburger happy meal in the drive through McDonalds.

In this century, our culture is moving at warp speed.
Life comes at me every single day like a tsunami!

"Be still,

and know that I am God:"

Psalm 46:10

Is it possible that in this culture of lightning fast internet, and ipods, and ipads, and kindles, and cell phones....
it's next to impossible to settle our minds down and focus on the One who has given us this breathe......and the next.....
I have found that the older I get, the longer it takes me to actually hear anything from God's Word.
I have to read the scriptures for at least 15-20 minutes just to get focused in before I can get the noise of the day out of my head.
Then, it takes me another 40 minutes or so to grasp the "concept for the day."
How can I possibly get enough spiritual nutrition for the day by just reading a quick 5 verses and the corresponding devotional.
It's not enough.
Anymore, I have to deliberately MAKE that much time in my daily routine, or it never happens.
For me, that means waking up at 6 or 7 am.....before my children are up and going.

It's the same thing for Sunday worship.
I have to prepare for it.
Set it apart in my weekly routine.
Even dress differently than I normally do when I'm at home, or going to Wal-Mart, or even out to dinner with my precious husband!!

As a child, I read and re-read all of the Little House on the Prairie Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
One of my favorite stories comes from On the Banks of Plum Creek where Laura described "going to church" during the days of the pioneers:

"Laura and Mary had never seen a church. But they knew from Ma's voice that going to church must be better than a party. After a while Ma said, 'I am so glad I finished my new dress.'

'You will look sweet as a posy in it,' Pa told her. 'We must start early.'

Next morning was a hurry. Breakfast was a hurry, work was a hurry, and Ma hurried about dressing herself and Carrie. She called up the ladder in a hurrying voice: 'Come on down, girls. I'll tie your ribbons.'

They hurried down. Then they stood and stared at Ma. She was perfectly beautiful in her new dress. It was black-and-white calico, a narrow stripe of white, then a wider stripe of black lines and white lines no wider than threads. Up the front it was buttoned with black buttons. And the skirt was pulled back and lifted up to puffs and shirrings behind.

Crocheted lace edged the little stand-up collar. Crocheted lace spread out in a bow on Ma's breast, and the gold breast-pin held the collar and the bow. Ma's face was lovely. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright.

She turned Laura and Mary around and quickly tied the ribbons on their braids. Then she took Carrie's hand. They all went out on the doorstep and Ma locked the door."

It was a special event. One they deliberately prepared for and set apart from their regular routine.
One they dressed up for because it was important and an opportunity to wear the best they had.

I certainly don't hold to the philosophy that certain items of clothing make one more spiritual than another.
But I do believe that we should offer the very best we have in gratitude to the Giver of all.....and whatever your best is...whatever you can afford......that's what we should present ourselves for worship in.
For our OWN heart preparation.....not for the response of those around us.
God makes it very clear in His word that it's not how we look on the outside anyway, but the attitude and motivation of our heart.

"And let not your adornment be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:3,4"

All that we have.....the way we look, what we have in our closets, our children.....are gifts.
Given to us.....unmerited, unearned {because the strength we have to work and even having a job are gifts too....right?}....graces.
How wrong of us to parade around and show off for the oohs and ahhs of those around us.
But I've also noticed {without even trying to see} how some people feel that what they've been given should be seen by all. Again, going back to this shift in how casual church dress has become.
But scripture clearly guides us in this area too:

"Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness. 1 Timothy 2: 9, 10"

I love how a former college professor of mine described this principle in an article she entitled "Graceful Modesty:"

"As the truth of His grace fills the heart of a Christian woman, she will develop a mind of sobriety that will find her setting “her affection on things above” (Col. 3:2). The more she is consumed with the fact that her nakedness has been covered with robes of righteousness, the more she will desire to physically clothe herself in a manner that will richly—and not skimpily—demonstrate that covering. As she grows in grace, she will begin to more fully understand that, as a redeemed child of God, her clothing represents more than a physical covering."

I want my children to develop the habit of making church the most important part of their week. Not because we think we "HAVE to or else," not out of fear, or tradition.....but because we NEED it.
We need that day of "rest" from our regular routines.
We need that time with our church family members to be encouraged and to encourage.
We need to focus our minds on the Creator of all things.....as a reprieve from all the things.
I need it.

And I feel children must learn how to prepare for going in to our "House of Worship" and to expect to meet with the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords!!

Introducing: Our DEXCOM 7!!!

2011-08-19T17:22:00.000-05:00

Several months ago, I read about this amazing piece of technoloy over at Diabetes Sweeties.
Then, several weeks later, another "D-Mom" local friend of mine told me about their experience with it and that "they didn't know how they had lived without it for the last 4 1/2 years!"

Couple those experiences with my thinking through how stressful last school year was and how I've been praying about and thinking through how I could possibly afford another set of "eyes and hands" to help me with all that's on my plate every. single. day!!
We've been watching Ashlyn's blood sugar numbers creep up and up and we've felt like we're just chasing after highs all day long.
We give her more and more insulin and don't seem to see any changes.
It's frustrating as a parent.
You feel like a failure.....every. single. day.
You try changes in diet, writing things down better, chuck it all and just go with her meal readings, add more insulin, call the diabetes educator, get a new routine......still she's high......really high.

So when I did a little more research on the continuous blood glucose monitoring systems I knew this is EXACTLY what we needed!!

We still use ratios and insulin pens.
We're not on the pump.
I'm just not ready yet to hard-wire her to this disease.
I know that's a juvenile way to think of it, and that everybody just loves them and find they have so much better control.
But all I can think about is the maintenance and site changes and tubing and basically being chained to one of her parents when it comes to going overnight somewhere because nobody else is trained in knowing how complicated this thing is.
What if it gets plugged or the site gets infected or she starts dropping and her pump is still pumping insulin in?
Having to take the time to learn all that right now is just too overwhelming to me.
One step at a time.
Plus, she's not that interested yet.

So I needed some way to know what her sugars were doing all throughout the day without having to do a jillion finger sticks!!

Voila!

The Dexcom 7!!

I talked about this a couple weeks ago {you can click on the previous statement to go to that post} after finding out the cost was going to make it completely out-of-the-question for our family.
But a family member decided she wanted to help us make this possible for Ashlyn.....
So we're IN!!!

There was a bit of paperwork to get through {which our Dexcom Representative helped us with}, but it came this last Monday.

It was a little overwhelming to look at all the books and leaflets this thing came with, but we had her wired in and running within several hours.

(Here you can see that in the last 3 hours, her blood sugars have been above the range we set for her {80-200} and that she's at a steady 245. It alarms when she goes above or below her range and the arrow tells us if she is steady, going up or going down.)

So far, we've been swimming with it and at the water spray park and it has worked wonderfully.
The second and third full days she wore it, she was in her target range almost the ENTIRE DAY!!
We haven't seen that happen in months!!!
Today, she has been back in the 300's since she woke up.
The great thing is though, now we can see exactly where she is every 5 minutes and can act right now to treat her!!
Before, we just waited until the next mealtime to check her blood sugar numbers.
It's great for her to have this meter right next to her giving her a continuous flow of information!!

It's the extra set of "eyes and hands" that I've been praying for!!
It's my personal opinion that this technology is absolutely necessary for every Type 1 Diabetic.
I couldn't believe that our endocrinologist had not pushed this for us from the beginning.
It's REVOLUTIONARY to their care!!
When I spoke to our Dexcom Representative about it, he said that this device is not marketed to children under the age of 18.
It's not FDA approved for children.
When I asked him, "WHY??" his response was....."Well, that's the million dollar question."
It's absolutely unavailable to the uninsured also because medicaid will not cover it.
In my humble opinion, this needs to change.
This would help so many people living with Type 1 Diabetes change their quality of care dramatically!!
I know it has it's cons {though I'm still looking for them), but the pro's of the information it provides is priceless!

Getting ready.....

2011-08-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

During the first week of this month {August.....how can it be already??}, several of our children attended their very last week of VBS {their 6th} with very good friends.
That was it.
All the extra summer activities that are available in our community have ended.
No more VBS.
No more lunches at the high school.
No more reading programs or fun evenings at the library.
No more camps.
We are all getting in gear for another school year.
Our local school district starts on August 22.
So we see lots of Mom's, with school supply lists in hand, shopping for school supplies in Wal-Mart.
We see advertisements for school physicals and vaccinations.
We hear of football practice up and going {and in this heat!!}.

I have also been getting myself ready for our upcoming fall and winter season of learning.
I've been checking lots of websites for the best price for the curriculum we use.
I'm trying to think through how to make this school year less stressful than last year with an added student this year!!
Garrett is starting his kindergarten studies this year, and he is very excited.
I'm thinking about new things we want to accomplish and goals to set in learning for each of my children.
This year our school will have an 8th grader, 6th grader, 4th grader, 2nd grader, and kindergartner!!

For the last several years, two ladies from our former church have asked if they could help us with school supplies!!
They are such a blessing to us and their generosity toward us has always amazed us!!
Here is what came through our door last week:

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits....."

Psalm 68:19

Surviving the Summer 2011 Heatwave!!!

2011-08-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

I didn't grow up in Texas.

"But I got here as fast as I could!!"

And ever since my husband brought me back to the "promised land"

where he grew up,

I've heard stories {of legendary proportions} of the summer of 1980.

It was the summer that went down in the record books as having the MOST

consecutive days 100+ temperatures {46}, plus the most days of 100+ days in one year {69}.

The #1 hottest summer on record in the state of Texas.

Well, this summer, we're giving that record a run for its money!!

So far, we've had 36 consecutive days of triple digits,

and there is no relief in sight.

In fact, as we get further into August,

the temperatures are only getting higher.

It's quite a novelty for this Yankee!!

I've never experienced a 110+ day yet, and I'm sure we'll see that later this month.

To make things worse, we haven't had any rain in a month-and-a-half or more.

For those of you who live in areas where it's rare to see drought conditions like this combined with temperatures like this, indulge me and allow me to share with you some of the things

that happen in conditions like this.

Our central air conditioning unit {along with so many others around us}

have trouble keeping up with such intense heat.

Our unit is old to begin with, but it's slightly smaller than what we need.

When the temperatures are in the 90's, our house is comfortable most of the day.

But for over a month now, our house is a sweltering 85 degrees with the A/C running.

Which only gets worse if you turn the oven on.

So, we've been enjoying meals that don't require an oven:

Hamburgers {on the large electric griddle}

Hotdogs {also on the griddle}

Chips

Fresh fruit {ice cold watermelon and strawberries}

Salads {with rotisserie chicken from Costco}

Crock-pots meals

Tuna-melts {warmed in the microwave oven}

Frosty cold SMOOTHIES!!

No-Bake Cookies

One day, we called an A/C guy to come look at our unit.

He wasn't going to be able to come for a couple days, so he suggested we spray off any

foilage/grass/dirt build-up on the outside unit.

So I tried that...

FABULOUS.

The house was noticeably cooler the next couple days.

When the house started getting warmer again,

I decided to try that trick again.

While spraying off the unit, I noticed large cracks in the ground and about a 1 inch space between

the ground and the foundation of our house.

So I thought it would be a good idea to "water" the foundation.

I let the water pour into that space all up and down that side of the house.

The next MORNING......

I open my closet door, which happens to be right off that outside wall that I had watered,

and there....

swarming 2 of my T-shirts hanging in that closet.......

were ANTS.

I must have drowned them out, and they came pouring into my closet to escape.

And the more I investigated......

the more I found......

they were on each and every piece of clothing I had hanging there.

So, I had an impromptu morning of fumigating, vacuuming, and laundering!!

Lots of people here are having problems with ants pouring into their homes to get cool and find some water.

Then there's the problem with so many people needing so much electricity to keep their homes cooled.

So we've been warned of possible rolling black-outs to give the power grids a break!!

We've been encouraged to turn out thermostats up, and reduce the number of appliances we use between the hours of 3 and 7 pm.

Because it's so dry and the "grass" looks more like hay, there are burn bans in place.

Many towns around us cancelled their 4th of July fireworks for fear of wildfires.

We haven't had to mow our lawn since May or June because it's basically dead.

Our 5 year old recently ran down the STREET {following his oldest sister} to the neighbors house....

barefooted.

By the time he ran back home, he kept complaining to me that "his feet hurt."

When I realized that he had run.....on the STREET.....bare footed....

I checked the bottom of his feet.

Just as I suspected.

Blisters!!

Covering the balls and heels of his feet.

HUGE blisters.

He couldn't walk on them that evening,

and in the morning he was so happy for me to drain the fluid out of them so he could run around again!

Another problem that we {and everyone else} have encountered during this heatwave is.....

CABIN FEVER!!

It's too hot to go outside to play....just too hot.

So my children are indoors all. day. long.

Thank goodness for VBS and church camp!!

Here are some other ways that we have kept cool and busy this hot, hot summer:

I didn't get 100% participation this year, but 4 of our 6 children completed their summer reading program

at the library and received a free book, a certificate, and tons of free goodie coupons from local restaurants!

{I think it's significant to notice that neither of my AHDH children are in the above picture!!}

Our local public high school offered free breakfast and lunch to all children under the age of 18 during the months of June and July.

We took advantage of that as many days as we could.

Less mess in my kitchen, a money saver, and it got us out of the house every day!!

Enjoying the fruits of their reading labor!!!

Teen Camp!!

2011-08-08T06:00:00.002-05:00

The week following Junior Camp in July was Teen Camp for our 13-year old.
This was her very first year to go with our church's youth group as a teenager.
And what an amazing week she had!!
They went on an 18 hour church bus ride to Mount Moriah Christian Camp in Powell, TN.
They started out 1 1/2 hours late because the bus wouldn't start after they got it all loaded. Battery.
But they all had "the BEST" week of teen camp "EVER!"
Complete with one of the adult sponsors getting 13 stitches in his forehead/nose due to an injury in the pool,
and a tire blow-out on the ride home that resulted in a 3-hour layover at the local gas station!!

We prayed that the Word of God would speak to her heart during that week, and He answered our prayer!!

Lexi was part of the "Photography Club" during this week.

With her best friend and the "big ball" game!!

Lexi is on the left in the black shirt...with the red hair ;)

We were so blessed this year to see 3 of our children get to attend summer camp.

We feel it's such an important opportunity for them to get away from all the "noise" our culture covers them with on a daily basis,

to a place where they have to be away from TV, video games, computers, neighborhood influences.

They are using up tons of physical energy all day, so they can sit still better and hear the principles taught to them from the Word of God during morning chapel as well as evening service time.

Children are very tender to the Lord's voice, and this is a great place for them

to make some life-long decisions for Him.

We work together as family every spring and early summer to raise the money for them to go,

and it has always proved to be one of the best investments of the summer!!

Catching up!!

2011-08-06T11:50:00.000-05:00

This has just been THE most amazing summer for our family.
We have had such a BLAST!!
The last couple of weeks were supposed to be slower, lazier, less busy weeks.....but we've managed to keep hoppin' most every day.

One of the big things here recently that has significantly impacted our days has been this tremendous heatwave.
We live in Central North Texas, and we are currently in our 36th consecutive day of triple digit temperatures.
On the 1st day of July it was a minty-fresh 98 degrees that broke already many triple digit days, so we've had many, many days of intense heat with it only getter hotter as we go farther into August!!
I'll be posting about how we've been surviving this record breaking heatwave next week!!

But let's get on to other more interesting things than the weather!!!
I've already posted about the "Adventures of Summer Camp", but I wanted to put up some pictures that our youth pastor's wife took during the week!!

Type 1 Diabetes never gets a vacation. Checking BS with the camp nurse.

This was the day after her nightmare of falling off the top bunk and ending up with a fat lip

and a visit from the paramedics.

She didn't quite feel like going boating with her friends.

Ashlyn is standing here with her back to the camera in the green shirt and dark shorts.

2011-07-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

What then?

{Author unknown}

When the plants of our mighty cities

Have turned out their last finished work;

When our merchants have sold their last yardage

And have dismissed the last tired clerk,

When our banks have raked in their last dollar

And paid out their last dividend;

When the judge of the earth says,

"Closed for the night."

And asks for a balance......what then?

When the choir has sung its last anthem,

And the preacher has made his last prayer,

When the people have heard their last sermon

And the sound has died out on the air;

When the Bible lies closed on the altar,

And the pews are all empty of men,

And each one stands facing his record......

And the Great Book is opened.......what then?

When the actors have played their last drama,

And the mimic has made his last pun;

When the film has flashed its last pictures,

And the scoreboard displayed its last run,

When the crowds seeking pleasure have vanished

And gone out in the darkness again.....

When the Trumpet of the Ages has sounded,

And we stand up before Him......what then?

When the bugle's call sinks into silence,

And the long-marching columns stand still;

When the captain has given his last orders,

And they've captured the last fort and hill,

And the flag has been hauled in from the masthead,

And the wounded afield have checked in,

And a world that rejected its Savior,

Is asked or a reason.......what then?

Disappointed

2011-07-21T08:51:00.000-05:00

During our visit with the endocrinologist on Monday, I gave him the "Medical Necessity" form that had been emailed to me that I needed to get signed and faxed by the doctor.
Once this last form was sent in, the Dexcom people would be able to verify our benefits with our insurance and let us know how much it would cost us out of pocket.
Did I mention before that our insurance changed on the 1st of June?
And the coverage it much, much less than what we had the first months of this year?

The cost of Ashlyn's medications/supplies are now quadruple the cost they had been for us.
Grant's medication doubled in cost.
My allergy meds just came out in generic form, so it actually got cheaper but only because it's available generically.

I wasn't hopeful that the coverage would be that good for the Dexcom.
I was right......sort of.
Along with the new insurance comes a brand new, unmet deductible of $2000.
We would have to pay an upfront cost of $1200 for the device and 1 months supply of the sensors.
(One sensor lasts for 7 days before you have to change it out)
The remaining deductible is $800.
We would have to pay something like $280 for every month's sensors until we reach that $800 mark.
After that, we will have to pay $75 a month for the sensor's.

Needless to say, we don't have that money.
Weren't prepared for that when we made up our budget for the year.
So, we won't be able to get this extremely helpful {necessary if you ask me!!}technology this year.
Maybe now that we have numbers, we can use some income tax return money next year and juggle things around to make that work in the future.

For now, I'm disappointed.
And fighting the urge to be resentful that we just don't have the resources {anymore} to help our daughter manage this disease WELL!!
It's enormously frustrating to know what we NEED, but have no way of providing it easily.
I didn't realize that to have the tools we need to make things better takes independent wealth.
It's all good that it's out there and available.....it's just beyond our fingertips though!!

Trying not to complain.
I know.
We ARE grateful that things are not worse.
We ARE grateful that my husband has not one, but two jobs.
We ARE grateful that we even have private insurance.
We ARE grateful that we own our home and are not in danger of foreclosure...like so many right now.
We ARE grateful that we have two vehicles that are paid for and run pretty well for us.
We ARE grateful that our children are healthy {for the most part}, and not permanently disabled.
We ARE grateful that all the appliances work in our home.
We ARE grateful that I can go to the grocery store this morning and fill up our little pantry for the week.

Trying not to wish for what we DON'T have.

Trying to discipline my mind to focus on what the Lord has given today.

Feeling frustrated

2011-07-19T09:10:00.005-05:00

"I cried unto God with my voice,

even unto God with my voice;

and he gave ear unto me.

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord...

I complained,

and my spirit was overwhelmed.....

It can be very comforting to know that the frustrations you feel are not unique to you.

It's days like these that I find strength and a different perspective on my daily challenges in reading the Psalms.

I also find myself remembering those stories of folks who are suffering through things WAAAAAY beyond what I experience every day.

Yesterday was one of those days......

It was Ashlyn's quarterly visit with the endocrinologist.

I suppose some people find doctor check-ups annoying and inconvenient, but I appreciate the regular life-line it gives us for advice and information.

I also like to hear that she's growing and we're managing things just fine in the midst of everything else.

Yesterday was not one of those visits.

I went hoping to find some solid answers and good resolutions to why Ashlyn's blood sugar numbers have been so difficult to control lately.

Literally, it feels like we're playing a game of cat and mouse.

Super high blood sugar number.

Medicate with lots of insulin.

Check later......better, but still high.

Now she's low.

Oops....back high again.

More insulin.

Adjust Lantus.

High when she wakes up.

High at lunch.

Low in the afternoon.

Blah...blah....blah.

I mentioned to the doctor yesterday, that it was like we're chasing highs all day.

His basic response was..."Welcome to my world."

We talked about all the usual stuff......puberty {which he said she hasn't hit yet}, diet {which I've beat myself over the head trying to figure out for all 8 of us within an extremely narrow food budget these days}, using the insulin pen correctly, staying on a schedule, the lack luster cons of a continuous glucose monitoring system {i.e. the Dexcom 7}.

I told him about the incident at camp this week.

For all intents and purposes, he looked me square in the face and told me I was negligent for letting her go to a camp where the camp nurse is really only prepared to be putting on band-aids all day.

"Unless it's a camp that's certified in handing Type 1 Diabetes, these nurses aren't trained to know when to scale back on their doses, and to do extra checks during the night if they have been low, and to monitor their food/carb intake, and how to deal with emergencies, and where to give the glucagon shots if necessary."

He didn't really say it all that horribly, but believe me, that's the impact I felt as I listened to him.

He really brought it home for me that what happened could have gone horribly wrong and ended up much worse than it did.

He finally sent in a diabetes educator to us to communicate that we would be continuing through the process of pursuing the Dexcom CGM {continuous glucose monitoring system}.

Then we sat with the nutritionist to help us figure out how many carbs Ashlyn should be eating at each meal.

Because we're not ready to switch our entire lives over to the insulin pump and get her all wired up and basically shackled to this little device, we're going back to the old-school.

Using ratios while sticking with a set number of carbs per meal and limited carbs for in between snacks.

"......I am so troubled that I cannot speak...."

Yet another wake-up call to the reality of what this disease is and how confining it can be.

To look at her you would never know.

That's what is so frustrating!!

She looks and acts like every other beautiful, healthy, vivacious, fun-loving 11 year old.....

but there's a monster lurking inside her.

One that can cause the cold fingers of anxiety to crawl up my spine and take a strangle hold of my throat.

Faced it yet again yesterday.

"Hath God forgotten to be gracious?

hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?

Selah."

But I'm forced to look around me and remember that so many have so much more to struggle with.

As we walk down the hallway to the elevator, we pass a little boy in a wheelchair.

He is sitting straight up with a halo device screwed into his scalp and held suspended by wires to a frame above his head.

I can't imagine the anxiety and stress his parents feel every day.

He was sitting at a video game in the waiting room of the urology clinic.

When we exit the elevator where we descended from the 4th floor, more children in wheelchairs.

Babies.

A young man who had obviously had some kind of head injury wearing a helmet, laying his head on the shoulder of his mother {I'm assuming}.

"And I said, This is my infirmity:

BUT......

I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

I will remember the works of the Lord.

surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

I will meditate also of all thy work,

and talk of thy doings.

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary:

who is so great a God as our God?"

Psalm 77

Going to be taking some time today to just write down God's gifst to me recently.

I need to refocus not on what I DON'T have, but all that I do have.

And all the ways that God reveals Himself to me and shows me that He is right here....with me....through it all.

#122. God's protection of Ashlyn while at camp

123. All funds raised for 3 children to attend camp!!

124. Funny camp memories

125. Access to glorious pool on sweltering summer afternoons

126. Friends to swim with us

127. Yet more VBS fun

128. Cool fans on sultry, hot July evenings

130. Early morning walks and ability to listen to scriptures at the same time

Summer camp and the diabetic child

2011-07-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

Last week was a a busy week for us.
Our regular routines were put on the back burner while we tried to do what we could to comfort our dear friend and her family after the tragic and sudden loss of their son.
In the meantime, Grant and Ashlyn were at summer camp with a group of children from our church.
This was Grant's 2nd year to go to camp, and Ashlyn's 4th.
Old hat for us.
No big deal.
Right?
Well, when you live with Type 1 Diabetes.....it really IS a big deal.
Since she was diagnosed with diabetes just over 2 years ago, her daddy has been able to take the week off of work and go along as an adult "sponsor."
He would drive one of the church van's and help get all the kids settled in,
and just be around if anything happened with one of the kids.
It was very comforting for me because I knew he knew that this is not a condition that can be ignored
or even "let go" for the week.
If there were any questions, or if she got sick or if her blood sugars dropped low or went high....he was there.

But this year.....several months ago my husband announced to me that he had the opportunity to take a course for his job that would expand some of his skills.
He was excited about it.
When?
Out of the 52 weeks in the year, it fell on the exact same week as summer camp for Ashlyn.
Getting her packed for camp is a little bit more complicated than getting her non-diabetic brother ready.
I started the week before pulling all their outfits and labeling every sock and toothbrush and making lists of the items we needed to purchase for them.

When packing doubles of all her insulin supplies {I always pack doubles in case something gets lost or broken!}, I realized that she only had two humalog cartridges left as well as only 1 thyroid pill left.
That meant calling the pharmacy to get these prescriptions filled.
When I called, they claimed they didn't have any prescriptions for her.
So I had to make another phone call to the diabetic educator who told me 2 weeks before that she would call those in just in case I didn't get everything together for the mail order service in time {which I did not!}.
She was out of the office until next week, so I had to wait for someone else to call me back.
After I spoke with the 2nd diabetic educator, she told me she would call everything back in for me.
I called the pharmacy back and found out that the first diabetic educator had indeed phoned in the prescriptions 2 weeks ago, but the incompetent person I spoke to on the phone hadn't noticed the reason for the prescriptions being "cancelled" was because they were holding them until I called in for them!!
Then, I was told they didn't usually stock insulin cartridges and that I could pick them up the following day.

EXACTLY why I have to start this ridiculous circus of a process DAYS in advance!!

In the meantime, I also called and spoke with the camp nurse just to refresh her memory about my daughter and the previous conversations I've had with her about my daughter coming without a parent.
She was extremely conscientious and knowledgeable, and my husband had only the highest praise for her since she has been the nurse at the camp for several years.
She agreed that it would help her to have a detailed instruction sheet with all of Ashlyn's current insulin-to-carb ratios, correction scales, and medication routines.
I emailed this to her and she emailed the menu and daily schedule they would follow.

I prayed with them as we dropped them off on Monday morning, and they waved a happy good-bye!

My first phone call from the camp came that night.
It was really just an update and to let us know that Ashlyn was doing fine and that she had a low during evening chapel which she recognized and they easily corrected.

We went on with the our week, and by Wednesday evening were pretty exhausted from the emotion of the funeral {see previous blog post for details!}

5:30 am Thursday morning
My cell phone rings.
It's the camp nurse.
They aren't sure why, but Ashlyn had fallen out of the top bunk in her cabin and seemed to land on her face on the cement floor.
She was unresponsive when her counselor reached her, so she assumed she needed to use the {emergency} cake gel in her diabetic bag to bring her blood sugar back up.
Obviously, she also tried to check her blood sugar but mistakenly put the test strip in the meter upside down,
so it wouldn't operate properly for her and gave her an error message.
She had called the nurse, and by the time she and the other nurse got to the cabin, Ashlyn was responding but was very agitated, disoriented, complaining of her head hurting, and crying loudly.
She had a swollen lip, the nurse said, and some blood in her mouth and a scrape by her nose.
She let me try to talk to her, but it sounded to me like she wasn't even fully awake.
She kept crying, "I want my Mom...."
The nurse told me that when they got to her, they tried to check her blood sugar but that the meter wouldn't work for them {referring back to the upside down test strip}, so she had to run back to her cabin for the extra one I had packed {SCORE one for Mom!!!}.
When they finally did get a reading, her blood sugar was 115.
This led us to believe that her blood sugar had gotten low since this was some time after the counselor had given her the cake gel.
Of course, by now the entire cabin full of girls was awake.
We mutually decided that they would monitor her and if she started throwing up {which she was saying she was going to do}, they would have to take her to the ER to get checked out.
I hung up the phone.

My husband and I laid in the bed staring at the ceiling.
We knew what they were dealing with.
We wished we were there.
At the beginning of this year, when we all got so sick, Ashlyn woke up a couple times walking through the house in what seemed like a panic.
She was crying uncontrollably and even when we got her to sit in the bathroom, it took her awhile to really wake up.
This is what she was doing for them.
I knew she wasn't sick, but figured she was just exhausted, had not gotten enough sleep, maybe subconsciously realized she was low, and when she tried to get up, fell out of bed knocking herself out.

About 45 minutes later, the nurse calls again.
She had started throwing up, and were going to take her to the ER.
They were trying to get her to check her ketones, but she was still groggy and had forgotten to do that.
I told them I trusted them, and had to let it go at that.

Several minutes later, another call.
It was a paramedic.
He said they were called to check her out, and that she looked fine except for the bruising on her lip.
Her head and stomach weren't hurting her as much and she was more coherent by then.
It was up to us if we wanted them to transport her to the ER.
We all mutually decided to to just keep her at the camp and let her rest that day.
The nurse told me then that some of the campers with Ashlyn had noticed that she was "flopping around" before she fell off the bunk, and the nurse said it sounded to her like she had been "convulsing."
I'm not sure it was that serious, since we here know she's a "mover and a shaker" anyway when she's in bed.
NO ONE likes to share a bed with Ashlyn!!

Anyway, as the morning went on, she threw up the 7-up I suggested they give her, but slept till lunch.
She was up by lunch, her blood sugar was 60,
ate some food,
and was in the pool with her friends by 2:00pm.

I don't know that we would have done ONE thing differently if we had been there.
These wonderful nurses were on top of EVERYTHING, and had written down every number.
They were second-guessing themselves and regretting they hadn't given her a snack at bedtime when her blood sugar was 107, but then I don't think I would have either.

This is exactly why I want the Dexcom!!
It would've told them if she was heading up or down or if her blood sugar was stable.
It could have given them a reading when the counselor couldn't get the meter to work.

We are going to the endocrinologist for our quarterly review this morning.
I plan to fill him in on all these little details, and hopefully he will agree that this is something that we NEED!
Then we can get the paperwork going to see how much our insurance will cover on this puppy!!

Thankfully, she was fine the rest of that day and night and got home safely to us Friday afternoon.
I've already told Tommy that either he or I WILL be going to camp next year!
Oh, and Friday evening I got another call from the nurse.
They had forgotten to send home her Glucagon kit with her.
SCORE two for Mom!!!
We always have an extra on hand, so we're good until they can send it back to us!!

A time to die....a time to mourn

2011-07-16T11:18:00.000-05:00

This time last week {Saturday morning} I was busy packing my children's things

for an awesome week of summer church camp.

The plan was to send off these two older children on Monday

and spend the remaining week just relaxing,

enjoying the casual pace of summertime,

slathering a little more attention on the youngest members of our family.

I was also hoping to spend some leisurely time shopping with my oldest daughter

who has recently started bulging out of every piece of clothing she owns,

and is in desperate need of clothes that fit her properly

so she would be prepared for her upcoming week at summer camp which is the following week!

"To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"

Late Saturday evening, after I had crawled into bed, exhausted...

from the laundry and the labeling and the running around for medication supplies.....

my oldest daughter came into our bedroom asking if she could call her friend.

Initially, I was annoyed that she would ask to call a friend....at 11 O'CLOCK at night.....

who she was going to see early the next morning at church.

She then told me that her friend had posted on facebook to pray for her brother.

THAT did not seem like a legitimate reason for a recreational phone call.

But her friend did call and told her that her brother {26 years old} had fallen

out of a car

and was barely breathing.

"....a time to be born..."

It was such a random, out-of-the-blue statement.

It didn't register with me.

But as I lay in my bed,

I felt the Lord whisper to me,

"You better check this out with {the young man's mom}."

That was it....just a quiet nudging.....the fear in a Mama's heart.

"What if......."

So I texted her.

"Is he okay?"

She called me within moments.

Terror.

They had moved her into "a family room" at the hospital and she didn't know why.

Her other son, who had been with him, was still with the police.

We cried out to our Heavenly Father together there on the phone.

To save his life.

To bring "the peace that passeth all understanding."

To help her sense His presence right there....at that moment.

I asked her to call me, no matter the time, when she heard anything.

I hung up the phone....fear strangling.

My sweet friend is just 3 years older than me.

She has two older boys who she has adored and loved and prayed for.

She has prayed the Lord would bring them back to Him.

They have chosen to live their lives tasting everything this world has to offer,

racing through life trying to find happiness and joy in all the wrong places.

Never one time has she rejected them......always talking with great love for them.

She couldn't allow them to live at home because of their two younger sisters,

both the ages of and friends with my two oldest daughters.

She couldn't allow the alcohol and the drugs in her home.

And the boys knew that.

They loved their sisters, and their mom.

"....a time to die.."

She called me back, around midnight or so,

and choked back that he was gone.

He and his brother were with a group of friends, including his fiancee'.

Alcohol.

Sitting in the back of a pick-up.

Arguing.

Fooling around.

65 miles a hour.

Lost his balance.

Fell out on the highway.

A breath away from eternity.

"....a time to weep.."

I frantically prayed with her again as I watched her walk straight into the darkest, deepest valley

I have had nightmares about and fear I never have to face.

Our family prayed together in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

We brainstormed about what we should be doing, what we could do to help at that moment.

"But I trusted in thee, O LORD:

I said, Thou art my God.

My times are in thy hand:"

Psalm 31:14, 15

I wanted to go to her.

My oldest daughter and I did go, to her home,

early Sunday morning.

"......a time to mourn.."

We cried with their family.

We listened to the stories about her firstborn baby boy.

We sat with her as the tears flowed as she breathed in the scent of him off his clothes.

We arranged for our littlest ones to play with friends while we attended his viewing on Tuesday evening.

We quietly slipped in to his funeral, Wednesday afternoon,

and listened to a mother's cry as she said good-bye

to a child who was gone before she could hug him.

We hugged his sisters, his grandparents, the brother who watched him fall.

We heard an uncle sing a soulful tune through tears.

"....though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death....

I will fear no evil,

for thou art with me."

Psalm 23

We witnessed the grace of God this week.

His mercy in preventing this young man from a lengthy suffering after the accident.

The grace of a loving family surrounding those who are hurting.

His presence felt so clearly in the darkest places.

"My presence shall go with thee;

and I will give thee rest."

Exodus 33:14

Saturdays are for: Garage Sales!!

2011-07-09T15:21:00.000-05:00

This summer, as part of our "summer camp fundraising" projects,

we held a garage sale.

I have a love/hate relationship with garage sales.

In my former life {the one with less children},

I loved getting up early and hitting all the community wide garage sales,

and coming home with spectacular deals.

The year I was pregnant with my first baby,

I found literally my entire maternity wardrobe at one garage sale!!

It was a thing of beauty.

But times and seasons have changed for me.

I live in an area now where garage sales are not really an art form.

It's very, very hot in the summer now, so spring and fall are the preferred garage sale seasons.

But most importantly, it's extremely difficult to take 6 highly social young children

out to drive around hunting for garage sales.

They don't want to sit in the car while you do your walk through,

they want money to buy something {anything} at every sale,

and they grumble and feel let down if they come home empty-handed.

It's a nightmare.

So, I never get out to garage sales anymore.

BUT, I thought that actually HAVING a garage sale would be more fun and practical.

Until I realized that in my tiny house, all your items have to sit stacked in the living areas,

hence, the children start going through everything and walking off with stuff,

and it becomes a whole new policing and discipline issue.

Then, you have them making a mess in the house,

while you're outside selling things.

It's just not pretty.

This year, though, my mother-in-law offered to let us use her garage

for our garage sale.

She lives in an area that I fondly like to refer to as "Little Mexico."

In that part of town, a garage sale is better than Wal-Mart,

and you should expect to sell out of everything by noon!!

I was again plagued with the issue of how to manage 6 children and early hours of the morning,

but we resolved that by letting the two older girls spend the night with grandma

so as to help her get everything set up and
going at 8 am.

Perfect.

The morning of the garage sale,

I have the four youngest with me,

and I have only a couple items on my list to gather before we need to leave the house

and head over to the garage sale.

The little ones get up fine, and are dressed and cooperative,

and I'm 5 minutes from loading the van and thanking the Lord for a peaceful,

seamless morning.

But then.....

"Mom!! Aryn just put a stone in her nose, and we can't get it out!!"

At first, I brushed that off because it seemed so ridiculous and out-of-place at that moment.

Then, when I really took a look, I realized.....

she has a stone WAY up in her nose.

Yes, the tiny pieces of gold painted gravel that my son brought home from VBS the day before

as reminders that God's Word is full of nuggets of truth...

have now randomly ended up in my 3 year old's sinuses!!

Let me just say this:

at that moment I overreacted.

Yes, there it is.

I howled!!

Everything was going along just fine,

we were actually going to be on time,

and now I'm staring at a gold nugget that glistened back at me every time the light of the flashight hit it.

I tried everything to get it out....

we blew and blew and blew.

Nothing.

She sneezed over and over and over.
Nothing.

I tried grabbing it with tweezers,

but that nugget was wedged in so tight that I only managed to push it up farther.
So I hurriedly called our pediatricians office and snarled out my predicament.

The gracious nurse encouraged us not to do
anything else

because if she aspirated it into her lungs

we would have a much bigger problem on our hands!

She told me that doctor had not come into the office yet,

but to bring her in so when he did arrive,

he could assess the situation and decide if it was something he could address....

or if we would have

TO GO TO THE ER!!!

{more howling at this point}

So I threw these four children into the van

and sped off to the doctor's office.

It was a pretty quiet, 5 minute ride.

And what happened next was straight out of a comedy routine.

I pulled into the parking lot of the office,

and as I put my foot on the brake

Aryn started whimpering.

My immediate fear was that she had tried digging that nugget out herself

and had shoved it all the way in!!

I hollered at her sister to keep her from digging in her nose,

when the sister yelled:

"Mom!! It's coming OUT. I can see it!"

Sure enough,

that booger {literally}

was just hanging right out in plain sight.

I hurdled over the seats and children in my way,

and popped that thing right out.

I ran into the office and slapped it on the counter,

and told those nurses we wouldn't be needing the doctor after all.

They seemed as relieved as I was.

So off we went back home to put the rest of our stuff in the van

to get over to that garage sale.

We raised a couple hundred dollars

but hardly put a dent in all the stuff that was there to sell.

I decided that we would try to have just ONE more sale the following weekend....

at my house.

And I have already told my husband to just shoot me in the face

if I ever mention to him what a fun idea it would be to have another garage sale!!

3rd and 4th weeks of summer fun!!

2011-07-06T14:37:00.000-05:00

The last several weeks have been such a blur of activity that I've lacked significant slots of quiet time
to lay down some words describing our days.
The week following "Art Camp," my children attended not only a morning VBS, but an evening one as well.
Here's what our eventful days looked like:
8 am - Rise and shine, breakfast, get dressed
9 am- 12 pm - VBS for 4 or 5 of the children
- Cleaning time for mommy
12:00 pm - Pick up time and head to the local high school for free lunch with all our friends!!
1:00 pm - Home for quiet afternoon of reading, or playing video games or watching a movie
- Some afternoons we went swimming
5:00 pm - Daddy gets home. Dinner for him
6:00 pm - 3-5 children get dropped off at another evening VBS where they are served dinner
- Mommy either goes shopping or for her 1 hour walk
8:30 pm - Pick-up time
9 - 10 pm - Bedtimes

During our 4th week of summer fun we traveled every morning to our home church 30 miles away to participate in VBS there!!
We even borrowed a 15 passenger van from our former church so we could take visitors.
Our high day was 11 visitors on Wednesday morning.
It even worked out that we could make it back to our local high school for lunch too!!

We also threw in a garage sale on the Saturday between those two weeks as part of our "summer camp fundraising."
But that day deserves a blog entry all on it's own!!

Nevertheless it has been really busy.
I have loved nearly every minute of it, but we're all ready for this 5th week of summer to just relax and be home more.
We hit the pool on Monday {the 4th of July} and got terribly sunburned {again which deserves it's own blog post!}.
Because of this, we've all been laying around trying to keep cool.

We've had an unusually ~~warm~~ HOT summer this year with temperatures in the triple digits nearly every day
for several weeks now.
We don't usually see triple digits until July, MAYBE, August......not as early as June.
And to exacerbate things we've had little to no rain.
For some reason, this year, our A/C hasn't been able to keep up and it's getting up to 82 degrees in our house
every afternoon with the A/C running!!
Obviously we need to address this issue too, but we're afraid we won't be able to afford the fix.

And then there's Ashlyn's blood sugar numbers.
All summer we've done nothing but chase down highs.
Very high highs.
Sometimes accompanied by the dreaded ketones.
We have to get this figured out.
We have to do something different.
I got in touch with one of her diabetes educators at the hospital because our insurance changed at the beginning of June {again....which will get a blog post all it's own.....nightmare!!}.
During the conversation about needing her prescriptions rewritten for the new mail order supply company,
and the fact that I can't keep on top of charting her numbers, I asked about this amazing technology called:

Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Long story short, I got in touch with a representative for the Dexcom 7 CGM System.

We're waiting to hear what or if our new insurance will cover of this.

Next week???

SUMMER CHURCH CAMP!!