The 1st day of school

What a day today.

Yesterday, the kids seriously could not wait for school to start. Even before picking out their church clothes, they picked out their school clothes for today, shoes and all, and laid them on the couch for this morning.

They went to bed great last night.

And were up this morning at 6:10. 50 minutes before they needed to be up!!


What a perfect school morning also!! It was a little chilly and wonderfully sunny!!

I was a little sad today. I had my last day of my state training today and was out the door by 7 this morning. So I wasn't able to take the kids to school and walk them to their classrooms. See where their desk is....you know....make sure they are ok.

I missed Brothers 1st day of 1st grade, and Dada's 1st day of 3rd grade. I wanted to be there.

Anyway, I know I'm crazy. But it did make me sad.




I'm glad that Daddy was there for them today. He even took pictures of the kids this morning for me!!





About my class........I was very nervous going into today. I have studied more then I EVER did in school. And I mean EEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR!!

This whole weekend was put towards studying. Studying about food borne illness, and bacteria,viruses, molds, fungi, and who could forget the lovely parasites.I learned about binary fission and the 4 stages of that....which wasn't on the test. I learned about the proper temps of food, and how long to cook something. I'm telling you .....OVERLOAD!!!

Anyway, I was totally trusting in God, and that he would lead me through to the other side of this test.

I won't find out if I pass for about 2-3 months. I think I feel confident about passing the test. :) But in the meantime, I am in the kitchen tomorrow cooking for the school. YEAH!!!!

I am excited about my new job. I actually cooked 2 days last week and thought it went well.

Dada

After a long, VERY busy week, I was looking forward to spending some time with my family tonight. I haven't really been able to see my kids a whole lot this week. When I was pulling into the driveway, this is what I saw.


Dada just looked so cute in her pink cowboy boots and pink and white diamond v neck sweater.......mowing the lawn.



I hope you have a good weekend!!

An exciting challenge

I have been hired on as the kitchen supervisor...aka...the lunch lady, at our school. I am totally excited about this. Although I am a little nervous just because its a new job, and there is a lot to learn. But I am excited to about the challenge.

An update on a diabetec day

Just an update. Dada did end up staying at the play. I had told Janelle to check her sugar in 1/2 hr and if he hadn't gone down, then they would need to leave.

I so did not want her to miss seeing the play.

Janelle said that they prayed right before the play started that her sugar would come down. And it did.

When they check it it had come down to around 300. Still high, but at least lower.

So they were able to stay and watch the play.

By intermission it was 200 something.

I cannot begin to tell you the relief I felt when I heard that it had gone down.

Thankfully, it wasn't the pump that messed up. I think that the excitement of the day, mixed with not enough insulin from her last meal, was a major factor in her high sugar. I have known that when she is excited it messes her sugar up.

Hopefully soon I will have pictures to post so you can see her big day.

Thank you all for your prayers!!

Another Diabetec day

Most days,or weeks, or months, I am okay with Dada's diabetes.

I think I handle her disease well. I am not angry, I have excepted it. It is our way of life.

We do things differently then "regular" families, out of necessity. We eat regularly, plan snacks. Measure food, always, measuring food, count carbs. We think about where we are going, how long it will take, etc. We try to plan for the unexpected. And I am OK with this. It is just what we do. And most days, everything works out.

But then there are days, like today, when the very thought of my sick child makes me angry and resentful for a normal life. For freedom to not think, to just be able to go and not have to try and plan for the unexpected. To not be racked with guilt every waking moment for what you aren't doing, and what maybe you should be doing.

You see Dada is in love with the Phantom of the Opera. She has watched the movie 4billion 300 and 76 times. Added on top of it that she listens to the soundtrack ALL the time. She can probably sing every song by heart.

So Janelle thought for Dada's birthday, that she would take her to Milwaukee to see, on Broadway....Phantom of the Opera.

Maddie has been SOOOOOO excited about this. She left last night to spend the night with Janelle.

We changed her site before she left. We should have done it sooner to make sure everything was working. But we didn't. (Guilt.) But, we sent her supplies with her so Janelle could take care of it all, if something happened.

It happened.

Her site wasn't working properly, so at 12:00 last night, Janelle calls us saying that her sugar is 500 and won't come down.

She gets a chot, and I walked Janelle through how to change the site and how to put the new insulin in the pump.

I talked to her this morning, Dada's sugar was down, and normal. Good, the site and the pump are all working. Relief. What a good day, Dada will have.



I get a call at 1:15 this afternoon from Janelle saying that Dada's sugar was 300 an hour ago and it is now 400 and it won't come down. So the pump isn't working properly. What?? This has NEVER happened before!! And her needle and insulin are back at Janelle's house.

They are at the theater an hour away from Janelles. The play is going to start any minute.



I think at that moment, I was instantly angry. Not at Janelle, she did nothing wrong. But at the diabetes. For ruining this special day for Dada. Why can't she just enjoy these days? Without the fear of high sugar and vomiting and diabetic coma? I just DON'T UNDERSTAND. Why today?!?!?! Can't she just enjoy this day with her Aunt?



I will be ok. I will be. But today, I am angry. Today, I want this cross she has to carry gone from her life. I don't want her to have to be so strong and brave. I don't want to be racked with constant worry and guilt.

I want her to be the healthy, care free 8 yr old that she should be.

Better is little

Proverbs 15:15b ~ but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
This verse just popped out at met the other day, and it has been on my heart ever since.

This summer it has been easy to think about the things that we do NOT have or we can't do, or can't get. And all that ever does is make me disgruntled and not at peace. I can't live like that. Who wants to live like that??

Proverbs 15:16-17 ~ Better is little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

But the more I thought about our life and our home, I realized that I am happy. I would rather be walking with the Lord and have the love of my husband, then all the wealth in the world.

So I go back to a merry heart. I think for the most part I have a merry heart. Yes, there are times when fear grabs ahold of my heart, and I look to the what ifs. What if we loose this, or what if this happens. I will admit that I have woken in the middle of the night and my mind wanders and I start to worry and fear about all the bad things that could happen.

2 Timothy 1:7 ~ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

But fear is not of God. During those times of gut wrenching fear, I must turn it all over to God.

Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

He is not going to let us fall, to be broken.

It has been so exciting to look back at the last year and see how God has supplied for this need and that need. I serve an amazing God.

We had Zach and Sara Bruner....missionaries to the Amazon Basin, at our church a couple months ago. I can't recall what he spoke on, but I know they sang a song that spoke to the very core of my being.

It's called God's been Good
I had never heard this song before. I love the 2nd verse......

Times replay and I can see that I've cried some bitter tears,
but I've felt his arms around me as I've faced my greatest fears
I've had more gains then losses and I've known more joy then hurt
as his grace rolled down upon me undeserved.

God's been good in my life,
I feel blessed beyond my wildest dreams when I go to sleep each night
though I've had my share of hard times, I wouldn't change them if I could
cuz through it all, God's been good

Holy Rollers

Last night our church had its 1st ever roller skating night. What a fun time we had.

This was the 1st time my kids have ever gone roller skating and I can't begin to tell you how much they were looking forward to it!










Joanna and Tancy were having quite the time!! Happy times!


Most of the kids used the walls to hang onto. Finally by the end of the night, some kids were getting braver. I took a lot more pictures but most of them just didn't turn out. I was kinda bummed!!

Things I Love

ANOTHER Pampered Chef party

Since Jp is finally feeling better, Tancy was finally able to have her Pampered Chef party last night. It was a fun time had by all.

As some of you know, Beth is selling Pampered Chef now. So Tancy had a party to help her get her feet grounded. Plus....who doesn't love free Pampered Chef stuff?!?!

Tancy had a GREAT (said dripping with sarcasm) idea of playing a game during the presentation. If you know me, you know I don't like to play party games(.....or banagrams.)



So I designated myself the photographer, since I LOVE taking pictures.



Beth divided everyone up between 2 teams and they had to slice and chop the ingredients to finish the pizza. Team 1 won even with a mandolin malfunction.





I love having these girls. They mean so much to me. I am free to be me, and be loved in spite of myself.




P.S. If I had to admit it, the game was pretty fun. But don't tell Tancy or she would get a big head.

P.P.S. If anyone is enterested in having a Pampered Chef party.....see Beth!!

P.P.P.S. I still want that apron. Wink wink.

P.P.P.P.S. I forget what P.P.S means anyway.

A day at the Pool

Last night, Joanna and I switched kids. She had the girls and I had the boys. The boys went to bed late and got up early. ( Who wants to sleep right??!!) Since it rained this morning, they had been in the house most of the day. By 1, they were bored out of their mind!! So what better way to spend a hot, humid day then at the pool?





This is 1 of my favorite pictures of the day.

Hunny would throw the kids up in the air and they would fall into the pool with a huge splash. They would come up gasping for air, laughing the whole time. They loved it!!

I love this picture of Brother. He is growing up so fast. It seems like just yesterday when he wouldn't even get into the pool let alone jump and dive in!

I think everyone is officially exhausted tonight!! They will all sleep good tonight!

My daughter....the baker

Dada made her very first batch if Chocolate chip cookies ALL by herself tonight. I was there to help her read and understand some of the recipe, but she did the rest by herself. I baked the cookies, but that was it. She did a fantastic job and I was so proud of her.

HaPpY AnnIverSarY

11 years ago

I married

The man

of my dreams.

For richer or poorer,

in sickness or health,

Forever.

Summer fun.............

Yesterday, we went to our local water attraction with my friend Amy. Amy and I went to high school together. We got along very well then, and still do now. What fun I have had reconnecting with her.

Our kids have gotten along so well also!! Dada loves to be a little mother to Amy's little girls!! :)

A good Sunday

On Sunday we went to my parents church. My dad has been an interim Pastor at this church for a couple months now. It was nice being with the family on Sunday.

For the special music, all the men present had to go up front and sing a special. So Hunny and Mike went up as well. Brother and Micah also went up and sang. You can see Micah in the front, and Brother is standing by Hunny. But you can't see him.

When they got done singing, Brother walked back and said.....that was soooo boring. And Hunny walked back and said.....that was the 1st and last time I have sung in a choir.


When I was growing up, my Dad was a Pastor. When the service was over, he would stand outside the auditorium and great people as they left. I remember sneaking between the people he was greeting and reaching into his pocket for a mint that he always had in there.

When I saw him standing there greeting the people on Sunday, it made me remember what I did as a child. I ALMOST snuck up and reached into his pocket to get a mint. :)

On our way to our church that evening, it had been raining pretty hard. We looked up at the sky, and there was a beautiful rainbow. When we got to church, I snapped this picture. I thought it turned out pretty cool.