Category Archives: Children

Diabetes on the Brain

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For some reason, I have been thinking about diabetes more so far this year than in past years. Not in the day-to-day sense of thinking. Diabetes is lurking around every corner, nook, cranny, part my brain. Always.
I mean as in feeling the need to write about it sense. The blogging bug has hit and over the last couple of months I have been thinking of several people that have been put in my path.
It all collided in one jumbled mess of thoughts tonight in church.
First, on the incourage blog, a young lady posted about diabetes back in February. I commented and she replied to my comment. I copied and pasted it into a blog draft called “John’s Story” and have let it sit.
Last week, I received a call from another mom whose son has type-1 diabetes.
I’m not up on the proper lingo that all the cool people use, but I think in the “DOC”–diabetes online community, we would be called “D-Moms.” I think. I could be wrong. I am occasionally.
Anyway, she is a friend of a friend’s friend, if that makes sense. We were introduced via phone/e-mail a few years ago and have e-mailed, phoned and talked in person a few times. I hadn’t heard from her for over a year.
Her son is 17. John is 9. Both were diagnosed very young. We have done nutrition and diet much differently and John has been on a pump since age 4 and her son is not. I started to say he still is not but that seems arrogant or condescending.
The pump isn’t the be-all-end-all of diabetes care. It has worked for us, but I assume it isn’t for everyone. I’m not sure that I would want one for myself. It is awfully convenient, but can be awfully reminding too. Always there. It never goes away. Well, like diabetes.
Wowza, I’m going off on tangents! Back to the call:
She sounded somewhat discouraged. (Diabetes can do that to you.) She said she wanted to encourage me to make sure that John “owns” his diabetes starting at his young age, as her son isn’t interested in the responsibility of taking over his care.
When we met, I gave her a book. (Amazon just helpfully gave me an instant order update and told me that I had ordered it on December 6, 2010.) That was my second copy, after I let her keep my copy.
She mentioned the book last week and I am thinking, if I work of the courage, of contacting the author to ask if she would Skype with us.
Tonight in church, several verses from the lesson struck me as appropriate for John’s story and I started thinking more.
And finally, tonight this post finished me off. Did me in. Almost pushed me over the edge. I can’t believe it didn’t make me cry. I guess I’m too tired. It is almost midnight. I’m sure it will tomorrow when I read it again.
I have been reading Meri’s blog for a little over a year and it encourages and saddens me, depending on the day.
Well, that was a mess. A big messy diabetes mess. Like my brain.
Tomorrow I’ll clean it up. Maybe. But I’m posting tonight. Just because my brain needed a good dump.

I’ll end, as always, with scripture. This is one of the passages from church:

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Sunday Smiles and Scripture

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Three little boys walking down a hill.

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Three little boys getting closer.

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My three not-all-so-little boys almost to the van.

Psalm 127:3-5 (NIV 1984)

“Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their
enemies in the gate.”

Shared at The Sunday Community.

First Quarter Re-Cap

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Since I am not on the fast-track for any blogging awards, not attempting to woo advertisers with my impressive content and feel the need to document the first three months of the year, I have made a list of what I consider to be the top 25 events of the first quarter.

In some cases, they may be “top”, as in most out-of-the ordinary, in other cases, it would be the fun factor and in others, just because I wanted them on the list.

My List:

Trials:
1. Luke’s seizure
2. Rachel’s pneumonia
3. My bladder infections x 2, wacky hormones and possibly thyroid issues
4. The Superbowl party sickness everyone but me caught and kept for almost two weeks

Books read aloud:
5. Me: Jonathan Goforth
6. Me: Wilfred Grenfell
7. Me: Nothing Else Matters
8. Kyle: Little Britches
9. Kyle: Man of the Family

Educational Activities:
10. Rachel, John and Adam–Springfield Speech tournament
11. Rachel and Adam–St. Louis Speech tournament
12. 4-H group and 4-H Robotics project meetings

Outings enjoyed:
13. Kyle– trip to Denver
14. Almost weekly date-nights
15. Youngest four boys and I–St. Louis zoo
16. Youngest three boys and I–Blackburn park
17. Youngest three boys and I–Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
18. Laumeier Sculpture Park
19. Askinosie chocolate factory tour for my birthday
20. Me–Singing at a nursing home and Miss Bernice’s house with church friends
21. Me and four: Helping with a birthday party at a different nursing home
22. Rachel and I–Overnight trip to Branson

Worship:
23. Good Morning Girls Bible Study
24. Sunday school on 3/31
25. The Easter service on 3/31

I’ll have to add a bonus because I almost forgot one just for me:
26.Finally joining in to write for Five Minute Fridays.

(This list was written for me and by me. Oddly formatted by me. Links and photos left out by me.)

Philippians 4:4 (ESV)
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

An Acrostic For Me

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Sweet Rachel took Paul’s leftover preschool supplies and wrote this for me while I was reading aloud a few weeks ago. Paul smudged it a bit, but it’s still legible 🙂

My eyebrows raised at the last one. Kyle, where has she heard that one? Hmmm…

Titus 2:3-5 (NIV)
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.
Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children,
to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Bedtime Shenanigans and Blessings

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I wrote a long, rambling comment to this post at Lisa-Jo’s blog and decided to do a little editing and embellishing and turn it into a post of my own! Thanks for the inspiration, Lisa-Jo!

Last night, my husband did the bed time herding while I escaped to my room and enjoyed the last of the leftover chocolate banana cake along with some homemade coconut milk ice cream 🙂 I was not interrupted and able to eat and enjoy before it was all melty.
I joined in for Bible time and listened to my husband read “Man of the Family” and after, the usual whispers started from the boys’ room. They stopped suddenly and we wondered what was going on.
Our second son came in a little later to tell us that The Tyrant, aka four-year-old , aka youngest, aka one of the strongest willed boys I have ever known, was asleep.
He usually visits us several times and then stage whispers all sorts of nonsensical things and ends up talking himself to sleep.
The 14-year-old decided that it would less painful to cuddle him to sleep, than to “have his ears talked off.”
We laughed and thanked him, then Kyle checked and his ears were still there!
Fun!!

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Four and 14. Paul and Luke. “Working” together early in the month. Both super busy. Both super blessings.

Psalm 133:1 NIV 1984
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

Five Minute Friday: Remember

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Remember
Start

I remember those early days, both 18. He headed off to school at the end of the summer, on the coast, me staying in the state.
In the dark ages of the late ’80s and early ’90s, pre-cell-phone, texting, even e-mail for me. Expensive, rare calls and lots and lots and lots of mail.
Four-and-a-half of those before marriage, then that number again of early marriage. So quiet, not necessarily productive, just normal work, too much t.v., some travel.
Then, I remember feeling those somersaults of someone inside and nudging my husband to feel. The late night hiccups, just as I was falling asleep. Sometimes late night boxing matches, at least it felt like it.
Then I remember the day that first boy was born, two ounces shy of 11 pounds.
I remember the look on my husband’s face when he finally met someone he was related to.
I have much more to remember, but those early days with him seemed so long and short and I am looking forward to many more years.
End

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV)
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Five Minute Friday

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

The Aftermath of Creativity at Our House

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Origami Guy strikes again! 🙂

Note that he is nowhere in sight. The good things are that #1 He went outside on the nice sunny day and #2 I did not get grumpy, well outwardly anyway and #3 I am actually grateful that he and his siblings are able to keep themselves occupied doing creative, mostly productive things, even quietly sometimes!

1 Chronicles 16:34(NIV)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Five Minute Friday: Home

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Five Minute Friday

Home:

Home is where they are. Those seven who melt me, make me crazy, humble me, get me out of my introverted comfort or uncomfort zone. Those seven.
We homeschool. My husband has worked from home for nine months now. Crazy. We are all together and that’s the way some days are. Just crazy. I couldn’t imagine anything else, most days. Some days, I have to admit the exhaustion the noise. THE NOISE!!! Five boys! It can get chaotic. But then I think, what are the options? Though I may crave a break, I just couldn’t imagine not being all together.

I, the mommy, who had packing on the brain and needed to get home to leave for the big city, doesn’t appreciate what I have, two afternoons ago laughed and told the dental hygienist that she must’ve drawn the short straw to get both of the younger boys. They are like puppies, best friends and very talkative and silly at times.
She, patient and sweet lady that she is, who calls them her friends, got an almost horrified look on her face and said, “Oh, No! They are blessings!”
Ouch! Convicted. I am writing her an apology letter.

She is right. I am home. At the dentist’s office, in a hotel now. God is so good to be and I need to be grateful for the hominess of my home.

Stop

I was on a roll and went the phone went boing, I couldn’t stop, so I went about 90 seconds over.

Proverbs 20:7 (ESV)
The righteous who walks in his integrity—
blessed are his children after him!

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here (Lisa-Jo’s blog) and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Monday Mmm…First Edition

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My breakfast 🙂 It tastes better than it looks, but a little goes a long way!

Recipe from The Thyroid Solution Diet.
(I found the recipe on-line last week and put the book on hold, but may take a trip to Barne’s and Noble to pick it up.)

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And the ingredients for tomorrow’s breakfast. Yum!

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Dry ice ice cream ala Adam. (BTW, That is steam, not blur.)

The recipe for the ice cream base is from Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, by Amy Green. (I was a recipe tester for the cookbook!) We make the dairy-free version, with coconut milk. It is only 8 carbs for 1/2 cup. Great for John and tasty too!!

The dry ice part of the recipe came from Mad Science. (My husband found it at the library, hoping the children would read it and they did not disappoint. It is written by Theodore Gray, a contributor to Popular Science Magazine.)

James 1:17 (NIV)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.