9 Months of Strips

Ever wonder what 9 months of test strips looks like? Well we have pictures!!Kacey saves every single test strip (unless one disappears...we all know they grow legs!) She started saving them when she was diagnosed and she was making pictures with them all. She hasn't made pictures in a while but she was still saving. For the last 9 months she's been putting them in a JDRF can and... her can was FULL! We had to find something else for them to be dumped into so I found this metal pitcher that she could use. She's planning on making more pictures soon. I was shocked at how much that little can held! We haven't counted them yet but I'm sure she'll sit and do that before she makes her pictures. As I looked at the strips, it made me really sad. Every single strip is a finger prick. I'm surprised her fingers don't hurt more than she says they do. I'll post test strip pics as soon as she does them!

***Edit***
She counted them and there were 2238 strips!! (And thats not counting the ones that grew legs)

Christmas MeMe

(Our Christmas tree all decorated...some spots look bare but thats because my lights are twinkling...LOL and thats how I captured the pic)

I'm sitting here wondering if this is the calm before the storm? My house is so peaceful right now and the girls haven't fought a single time this morning and it's nearly lunchtime! Could I have gotten my Christmas wish early? Naw! Say it isn't so! I know Santa didn't bring me the peace I asked for just yet...haha! Frankie is gone hunting for the day, Kayleigh is in the kitchen baking for tonight, Kacey is playing her DS, Nemo is laying in his bed asleep, the tree is lit and the Christmas music is playing. All the presents are bought, wrapped and awaiting inside of a big black garbage bag for the right time to place them. As I sit here, everything is done. It's all ready! I can't believe I'm not rushing around like a mad woman. Nope, not this year! This is REALLY nice. Tonight starts the wonderful festivities and several traditions that we started years ago. My Mom and Brian will come up to our house after they get out of Christmas Eve church service. I usually make something like chili & rice or spaghetti for dinner but this year we decided to take it easy and just do pizza. Yeah, Kacey will already be on a Christmas high ....so whats a little pizza gonna do? LOL! We give Mom & Brian their gifts and then we watch a new Christmas movie. Before the movie starts, we give the girls one gift. They know every year what this gift is but they don't know what they look like....new jammies! This year, the chosen movie is "Santa Buddies". The girls have no idea they are getting it! After the movie is over, we tell Mom & Brian goodbye and then the girls go right to bed so Santa can come.

I'm so excited for the festivities to arrive! So I decided to waste some time doing a Christmas Meme. I won't tag anyone since some of you are really busy this time of year but if you wanna do it then I'd love to see your answers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper all the way!! Unless the gift is something that just cant be wrapped.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
We've always had artificial. This year will be the last year I can use the tree we have because the needles are starting to come apart and it just needs to be thrown out or possibly donated to a family in need of one. I've always said we'd go buy a real one so we could plant it outside after Christmas but we haven't done that yet. Maybe next year? LOL!

3. When do you put up the tree?
Growing up we always put it up the first Saturday in Dec but since I've had my own house the last 11 years, we decorate everything the day after Thanksgiving when all the crazies are out shopping...LOL!

4. When do you take the tree down?
By the time Christmas is over, I'm ready to get my house back to normal so I usually take it down the week after. Growing up, we always left it up til Jan 1st but by then I'm so over my house being a mess...haha!

5. Do you like eggnog?
I used to LOVE it but now I will have a cup and usually thats all.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Hmmm.. I would have to say the year I got New Kids On The Block tickets...5th row!!! I didn't know I was getting them and it was a true surprise caught on video!

7 . Hardest person to buy for?
My Mom. She's one that buys everything for herself when she needs it and so when its time to shop, it's hard to find stuff for her. This year was a bit easier ;) I did get her things she wanted and needed!

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Frankie. I always know the things he's needing or wanting so when I shop it's easy to grab stuff for him.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
You bet! When I moved out, my Mom gave me the nativity that we had under our Christmas tree every year. It's so old and it's seen it's better days but I can't part with it. I've glued the pieces on so many times but it's so worth it. When I pull it out each year, it reminds me of my childhood and I have an appreciation for the sentimental value it holds that my girls won't ever feel for it.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
MAIL!!! We get so caught up in email through the year that Christmas seems to be the only time we get snail mail and my girls LOVE opening the cards!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
This is a tough one! I'm sure I've gotten some rotten gifts but I'm so appreciative that I'd never admit that they were awful :)

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
The Christmas Shoes- If you have NEVER seen this movie then it is a MUST see!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Usually after Thanksgiving but only because it's hard to hide presents all year long! My Mom starts shopping the day after Christmas for the following year. Crazy!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes (hangs head in shame) LOL!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas ?
Each year my Mom bakes Christmas cookies for trays she makes to give as gifts. We get one of those trays each year filled with yummy goodness :) My favs!

16. Lights on the tree?
Of course! Make them colored and twinkle too!!!!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Oh Holy Night - Something about that song gives me this warm feeling all over and I love Celine Dion's version of it :)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I wouldn't call it traveling. We go visit :) The girls wake up Christmas morning at home and then we used to go to Granny's house for lunch and then to my Moms for dinner. This year, we are going to Frankie's Moms in place of where we went to Granny's. It's gonna be a rough day for all of us this year with Granny gone.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Sure can! Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Doner, Blitzen… and Rudolph, of course.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We have a star. Growing up there was always an angel.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Both! LOL! We have Christmas Eve with my Mom and they open their presents from us at our house and the girls open their new jammies. Then Santa comes and we open everything else on Christmas morning and then when we go visit the girls open presents there.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Traffic!!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I love the ones the girls make for me each year. My all time fav ornament is the one I still hang with Donnie's (NKOTB) pic on it...hahaha!

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Homemade mashed potatoes!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A new laptop and the Creative Memories software :)

26. Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Neither...gimme some COFFEE!!

27. Does Santa wrap the presents or leave them open under the tree?
Everything gets WRAPPED!

28. Colored lights on a tree or white?
Colored....and twinkling!!

29. Do you hang mistletoe?
Yes :) Gotta have a reason to stop my hubby in the hallway and kiss him ;) Haha!

30. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Colored lights that twinkle and ornaments of every shape, style and color!

32. Can you ice skate?
I have enough trouble walking so why in the world would I put my fatass up on a blade? LOL! No I can't!

33. Candy canes: yum or yuck?
YUM!

34. Favorite Christmas decoration?
Hmm...probably my ceramic tree that my Mom made for me. I had one growing up and I loved it and so when I moved out, she made me one of my own and now it can be something I hand down to my girls. It plugs in and all the colored bulbs light up.

35. Stockings- Stuff or Just decoration?
STUFF!!! Thats where all the "little" presents go! :)

Kacey's 12 Days of Christmas

Kacey's favorite Christmas carol has always been "The 12 Days of Christmas" and I've got her on video and recorded on my phone because the way she used to sing it was hilarious. She used to say:

Fiveeeeee golden rings
Four singing birds
Three French men
Two humming birds
And a parkridge in a pear tree

HAHAHA! I still laugh when I vision her singing it! So, this year she decided to write her own diabetes version. I shared one with her that I saw on another blog and she thought it was hilarious. She's really into music right now....what am I saying...she's always been into music. She sings all the time....in the shower....in the car...in her room alone....and even in the classroom. She loves music class and she really wants next year to rush by because once she gets to the middle school, she can play an instrument. She's got her heart set on playing the clarinet but that could always change! So...without waiting any longer....

Kacey's 12 Days of Christmas (sing it out loud)

On the first day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
A cartridge in my Herbie.

On the second day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie.

On the third day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Six triple A batteries
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Seven packs of Skin Tac
Six triple A batteries
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Eight pricking lancets
Seven packs of Skin Tac
Six triple A batteries
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Nine extra test kits
Eight pricking lancets
Seven packs of Skin Tac
Six triple A batteries
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Ten glucose tabs
Nine extra test kits
Eight pricking lancets
Seven packs of Skin Tac
Six triple A batteries
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Eleven small syringes
Ten glucose tabs
Nine extra test kits
Eight pricking lancets
Seven packs of Skin Tac
Six triple A batteries
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my doctor gave to me
Twelve low carb snacks
Eleven small syringes
Ten glucose tabs
Nine extra test kits
Eight pricking lancets
Seven packs of Skin Tac
Six triple A batteries
Five infusion sets
Four insulin pens
Three used up test strips
Two vials of insulin and
A cartridge in my Herbie


LOL! She's just too funny!

Playing Nurse

I'm sure every diabetic would love the chance to stick someones finger other than their own. How many kids get to play nurse with a REAL needle? LOL! Last night, Kacey got that chance! Kayleigh was laying on the couch when she said, "Mom, I feel lightheaded." Kacey immediately jumped up and shouted, "Are you low?" (first instincts...lol!) So I asked her if she had any other symptoms? That "Mommy gut" always grabs me when she gets a symptom out of line. She said her tummy wasn't feeling too good and she was tired. Kacey jumps back in with, "Mom! She might be low!" and she runs to get the extra test kit. I used this as a moment for Kacey to stick someone elses finger instead of her own for a change. Kayleigh wasn't too thrilled about it at first but then when I explained that Kacey had more "experience" than I did, we all got a chuckle out of it! She told Kayleigh that she would set the lancet on a number 1 so it wouldn't hurt. She tested her and Kayleigh barely got stuck. So Kacey cranked it up to a 3 and used the other hand...LOL! She got her that time!

I just couldn't resist the moment to capture this memory on camera. Kacey wants to be a nurse when she grows up so these pictures will be fun when she finally achieves that goal. Final diagnosis: She was a 97. No, it wasn't a low blood sugar but she made herself a snack and she felt better.Personally, my heart kind of did a flutter when I was watching them interact. Kacey took charge and was saying things like "Sissy, it's ok, I do this 10 times a day and it gets easier." and "Sissy, don't be scared. It won't hurt too bad." Just listening to the caring and compassionate nature in her voice reassured me that she's going to be one of those RN's or CDE's that REALLY make a difference in the life of another child with diabetes. This was also one of those moments that they will remember forever. The Sister Bond. Years later when they are having coffee and watching their kids play and Kacey says "Hey, you remember when I checked your blood sugar for the first time?" they are going to sit back and laugh.

Yes, my heart smiled!

THANK YOU SECRET SANTA!

THANK YOU KATHY & KAITLYN!!!!

OK...so I finally gave in and let the girls open the Secret Santa gift. It arrived several days ago and we've been so busy and I wanted to get some proper pics so I wouldn't let them open it. They've been so good today and we've got some nasty weather outside so we've been stuck inside all day so I finally let them open it!
They read the note first and Kacey was thrilled with the postcard showing the hospital! They were THRILLED with this puzzle. Over the summer, I got them one at Busch Gardens with fish on it and it took them weeks to figure it out....so they're busy working on this one as I type this!
Kacey was tickled over the wrapping of this present and she shook it like a pompom while Kayleigh opened one of the other presents.

I'm sure you can see how much she loved the next present!
One of the coolest presents was a corn cob that you actually pop the corn off of and make popcorn. They thought this was the neatest thing and they can't wait to try it :)

The "hawk food" was a hit! I've never seen candy coated sunflower seeds. The candle smells YUMMY too!!! And the dice game is a perfect "on the go" game for them and Kacey can stash it in her diabetes bag to help them pass the time when we have to wait somewhere. Perfect!

Thank you again for shopping for us :) We're so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful D-Family! I'll share more pics when they make the popcorn!

Where Have I Been?

Holy Moley Batman! It's been a while since I've been able to get on here. I've got A LOT of explaining to do...hahaha!

Well...for starters....it's called W-O-R-K! Yep, I said it! The "W" word! I've been substitute teaching so much lately and nope I'm not complaining one bit. I LOVE being at Kacey's school. I LOVE the atmosphere there. I LOVE the teachers. I LOVE the principal. LOL...you get the idea! I'm lucky enough to be able to work at the same school Kacey is at and they keep me as busy as they can. So I'm very greatful! Unfortunately when I work, I'm exhausted when I get home and I end up wanting to go to sleep when the girls do so that leaves my blog a bit neglected.

On Wednesday 12/9, I was asked to go Christmas shopping with one of my besties, Jill. She and I went to the same high school but she graduated 2 years ahead of me. We both played softball together though so I've known her....ummmm.... about 18 years now! I've always done Christmas shopping alone since I could go during the day and wipe it all out and then hide it all without having the kids with me. This year, Jill invited me to go and I happened to be off that day so I said "YES!" to some adult Mommy time without kids. That morning, it was pouring rain. When I say pouring....I mean the rain so hard when you run from the house to the car you're soaked kind of rain. I told Jill that I would meet her after I dropped Kacey off at school and we were NOT going to let the rain stop us. As I was getting in the car to take Kacey to school, my foot slipped in the mud along the side of my driveway and I hit my forhead on the corner of the door. I immediately saw *S*T*A*R*S*!!! I managed to get in the car and when I took my hand way from my head....blood! CRAP! Kacey was frantic because she thought I cut open. As I examined myself in the visor mirror, it was a surface scrape but I had a goose egg that was already coming up. Great! Just great! I drove Kacey to school with a napkin pressed to my forehead because of the bleeding. When I got there, I went right to the nurse...LOL! The bleeding had stopped and I got ice for it but it looked horrible and I had an instant headache! Did that stop me from shopping and enjoying my day? NOPE! It's now over a week later and I've still got a small knot...LOL! Just call me "Grace"!

Last Sunday 12/13, I had my very first annual Cookie Exchange party. I'd been planning for it for 2 months...had 12 people confirmed coming....then in the 24 hours prior to the party, several got sick and so it ended up being 7 of us. On the way to the party, I was so bummed about the cancellations and told Kayleigh this would be the FIRST and the LAST party. Well...when I got there, we ended up having so much fun!! So there WILL be another one next year and I've learned what to do at the next one.


On the diabetes front, Kacey's still having tons of highs. Is it the cold? Is it the sinus infection she was battling? Is it another growth spurt? Is it the excitement of the holidays? Who the heck knows?!?!?! All I know is we're back to adjusting again! I started with making a midnight basal change to see if I can get her lower in the mornings. Right now, she goes to bed between 120-140 and at 2am she's hitting the 300's and then by 6am she's only down to mid 200's. It's times like this that I wish we had a CGMS :( Then I could see what was happening without having to prick her finger 6 times through the night.


Both girls got their progress reports. Kacey got all S's and Kayleigh got Honor Roll :) I couldn't be more pleased with their progress this year. Have I mentioned how much I absolutely adore Kacey's teachers this year? She has a team of 3 and they are just AMAZING!! She's doing unbelievably well compared to last year. Most parents see the "change" in their children around 3rd grade. They seem to just "get it" by then. Well I think last year, Kacey had so much to deal with on the diabetes front that she didn't have time to really focus on school and learning...or even having fun for that matter. This year, I've seen such a change in her. She's still so responsible but she's actually taking in the things shes learning. She knows how to focus when shes running high...and if she can't focus then she tries pretty dang hard! Kayleigh has surprised me with how well shes doing in Spanish 3...her hardest class! Shes keeping a B in the class and really has become fluent. She's becoming more "social" and actually making friends outside of her small circle. I've always been worried about her limiting her friends. I did that as a teenager and I had 2 friends that I was best friends with in school and now I only catch up with them a few times a year. I wish I had been more social and talked more. So I've always had to give Kayleigh a little push when it came to that. Kacey on the other hand, would talk to a stump...just like her Daddy! LOL! They're so opposite! :)


Kacey had her Christmas party at school. Can you say E-X-C-I-T-E-M-E-N-T?!?! The day started with me being called to sub in the office at her school on my way to driving her to school. Thankfully I was prepared to work anyway because of the situation I knew was happening in there. So we arrived at school bearing teacher gifts and hurrying around to make sure everything made it to the right classroom. I know I've said this before but this group of teachers are just amazingly fun and outgoing! It's exactly what Kacey needed this year! One of her teachers taught my husband when he was in 2nd grade....and he's gonna be 42....if that tells you how long shes been teaching. LOL! Kayleigh had her and she was the only teacher we've ever had a personality conflict with. So when Kacey came along, I wasn't sure how well they'd mix? She now happens to be Kacey's favorite teacher! Although in all fairness to the other two, she loves them all but she jokes around with Mrs. B much more than the others. For instance...about 2 weeks ago, Mrs. B saw Kacey take her purse off and put it in her cubby. Kacey's purse carries her test kit, supplies, glucose tabs, glucagon...everything she'd need for testing or emergencies. This purse is a Vera Bradley hipster so it's not too little but not too big either. Well when Mrs. B saw Kacey take it off, she got scared and asked Kacey if she could speak to her in the hallway. She told her she had to ask her a silly question. Kacey laughed hysterically when she asked her....Why did you just take your insulin bag off? Don't you have to stay connected to that? HAHAHAHA! All this time her teacher was thinking that Kacey's pump was in that purse!!! So Kacey showed her where her pump was and they went back into the class laughing. When Kacey came to me that afternoon, she was laughing so hard and told me what happened. So I told Mrs. B that I was stay some extra time and show her the pump. We went in the office and I showed her the pump, where the tubing connects to the site and then....I nearly scared the woman to death when I showed her it disconnected!!! HAHAHA!!! She screamed and put her hands over her mouth and asked me if Kacey would die if I did that. Ummmm....you think I'd disconnect her if she was going to die? LOL! So I explained she could disconnect for up to 2 hours, she disconnects in the bath and she'd be just fine during that time. She was fine after I showed her everything and we still giggle about it. So ever since then, Kacey's played little "tricks" on her...just to keep her on her toes! It didn't surprise me when we were out shopping and Kacey saw a gift that was perfect for Mrs. B. It was perfect! Back to the morning, Kacey took Mrs. B her present. A nice red satin box with a bow. She handed it to her and I had my camera ready. She thought something was going to jump out but once I assured her it wasn't, she opened it. Inside was a small, red felt drawstring bag. As she opened it, she started to laugh because she knew what it was......COAL! Kacey gave Mrs. B some coal (plastic, of course)!!!! She could not stop giggling and she hugged Kacey and told her that was something Frankie would have done to her. Too funny! So we gave her the real present and went on back to the office. It just makes my insides smile that Kacey is so happy in school this year. We struggled so hard last year and it's so much more relaxed this year. Not that we didn't love Mrs. M last year, it was just so much on Kacey with her diagnosis and she struggled hard. I dread for this year to end! I'm going to take in every moment of the next 6 months!

I also got my first few Christmas cards! THANK YOU Meri, Tracie & Shamae! Something about getting a Xmas card from my fellow D-Mom friends just made me smile! Kacey was excited to see the pictures too! I'll be sending mine out today since I've been so busy and havent had time to get them out.

To my Secret Santa Family.... I'm not sure if you got my message on elfster but the package was mailed on Tues :) so it will be arriving soon!! I won't say much more so I don't give myself away ;)

THEN..... our SECRET SANTA PACKAGE ARRIVED!!! The girls haven't opened it yet because I was making them wait but they can hardly stand it much longer so since we're having bad weather today, I might let them tear into it :) I'll post pics and do a proper thank you in a post this afternoon but I wanted our Santa Family to know .... WE GOT IT!!! THANK YOUUUUUU!!!

I think thats about it for now. Gosh, I feel terrible for not keeping this updated but between work and battling this cold, I just can't stay awake past 8pm. Now that the girls are out for 2 weeks, I hope to be back everyday! I've got A LOT to talk about ;)

My First Blog Award

I just received my first award from Lora over at My Diabetic Child. I'm so excited! THANK YOU!! Now I have to fulfill the job of this award. I have to list 5 things that I love in no particular order.

1. Frankie~ He works so hard to provide for our family just so I can be a stay at home Mommy. When I got pregnant with Kacey, he didn't want her stuck in a daycare all day and he worked long hours so we could have the things we needed and wanted. He drives a tractor trailer and hauls heavy equipment so 90% of his job is spent doing hard labor work. This means he endures the nasty rain, cold weather and hot humid VA summers just so I can be there for my girls when they need me. Thank you hunni!

2. My girls, Kayleigh & Kacey~ Without them, my life would be so dull. I know I get frustrated when I'm swamped with things to do for them but I couldn't imagine my life without them. I've always lived for them and they come first, no matter what! Kayleigh is now 15yrs old and I'm starting to think about how my days are going to be without her at home with us. It makes me so sad sometimes! Kacey tells me that she's never moving out...LOL....that'll change! I love them both so much!!

3. Scrapbooking~ This has become such a great outlet for me. I enjoy the days I've set aside (one weekend every month) and I've finally organized the last 15 years of pictures and now it's time to work on putting those into albums by year. I like being able to sit at a table from 9-5 and not have a care in the world (ok...I care...and I still answer the phone when it rings and I'm asked how many carbs something has in it...LOL!) but for one whole day I don't have to worry about doing any chores or cooking ;)

4. My Blog~ If Kacey had not have been diagnosed with diabetes, I never would have started blogging. When we came home from the hospital, I needed some way to put my feelings down and so my blog was born. I never expected anyone to read it....never expected for people to comment....but when it happened, I felt like someone was hearing me! I started to use it as a voice. It wasn't long before I started to learn what a Blog Roll was and started connecting with other Moms going through what I was. And....they GOT IT! They knew how I felt...and it made me feel like I wasn't so abnormal for feeling the things I was. I'll forever be thankful for finding them all :)

5. My Mom~ I don't know what I'd do without her. She's been my rock so many times. Days when I felt like I just couldn't do it....she said YES YOU CAN! I got pregnant at 18yrs old with Kacey and telling her I was pregnant was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do. I knew she'd be so disappointed in me...and she was. But...the silence only lasted 2 days ;) She kept telling me....whats done is done and now we have to move on and figure out how to do it. She went to every single doctors appointment with me and was there for the delivery. She has NEVER left my side and I'm so greatful for her. Every Saturday, I still get my girls up at 7am and we go meet my Mom for breakfast and spend the morning shopping til around 1-2pm. I can't imagine my life without her.

Ok...now for the tagging...I'm gonna try and tag ones that I haven't seen tagged yet.

Penny at My Son Has Diabetes

Sheri at No Sugar Needed

Lynnea at The Diabetes Diary- One Moms Story

Jennifer at Sweet, Sassy & Sugar Free

Tracie at Such Is Life

Funny For The Day

A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed home.
He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:
'Dear Lord:
I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through. So, please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. '

God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish. The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman. He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, Awakened the kids, Set out their school clothes, Fed them breakfast, Packed their lunches, Drove them to school, Came home and picked up the dry cleaning, Took it to the cleaners And stopped at the bank to make a deposit, Went grocery shopping, Then drove home to put away the groceries, Paid the bills and balanced the check book. He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog.. Then, it was already 1 P.M. And he hurried to make the beds, Do the laundry, vacuum, Dust, And sweep and mop the kitchen floor. Ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on the way home. Set out milk and cookies and got the kids organized to do their homework. Then, set up the ironing board and watched TV while he did the ironing. At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad, breaded the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper. After supper, He cleaned the kitchen, Ran the dishwasher, Folded laundry, Bathed the kids, And put them to bed. At 9 P.M. He was exhausted and, though his daily chores weren't finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love, which he managed to get through without complaint. The next morning, he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said: -

Lord,
I don't know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife's being able to stay home all day. Please, Oh! Please, let us trade back.. Amen!'

The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied:
'My son, I feel you have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. You'll just have to wait nine months, though. You got pregnant last night.'


HAHAHAHAHA!!! Sooooo worth sharing! ;) Enjoy the giggle ladies!!

Attitude

I came across this piece of paper that was stapled to a piece of construction paper. The words on it rang so true and I felt like I needed to share.


"The longer I live, the more I realize
the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than
education, than money, than circumstances,
than failures, than successes, than appearance,
giftedness or skill. It will make or break
a company, church or home.
The remarkable thing is that we have
a choice every day reguarding attitude
we will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past.
We cannot change the fact that
people will act a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one
string we have, and that is our attitude.
I am convinced that life is
10% of what happens to me and
90% of how I react to it.
And so it is with you.
We are in charge of our attitudes.
~Charles Swindoll

You know, after reading this a little light bulb went off. There have been so many times in my life where my attitude toward something made things worse but then there are the times in my life where it made things better. Diabetes is one of those times. When we came home from the hospital, there was that moment when I said "This is how it's gonna be so deal with it!" and thats how I put it across to Kacey. I think it was our attitudes that made things easier when they could have been much worse. She ended up turning out to be so responsible with her diabetes and learning to work "Herbie" as if he was a video game. Believe me....if your child can work the VCR/DVD or play a Gameboy/Wii....then they CAN work their pump. They are capable of learning how to do it. Diabetes is such a negative disease and if we take a negative attitude with it then we're just going to be the ones hurt in the end. Sure we all have our days....sure I still hate Diabetes with a passion....but I've got to keep a positive attitude for Kacey's sake. When I'm positive then she's positive. I can't tell you how many times I've had parents in her school say...."Wow, she's just so open about her diabetes and when she talks about it she's so upbeat." ....or "Gosh, I didn't know what all was involved in her caring for herself at school until I saw her in the lunchroom. I could never stick my finger while I'm laughing with friends." Yes you COULD! Diabetes might be the first thing on my mind but that's because I'm an overprotective and worrysome Mommy. But I'm here to finally say....Diabetes is NOT the first thing on Kacey's mind and for me, it just proves that her positive approach to such a negative disease is the way to go.

I'll close this post with a question I asked Kacey the other day when her blood sugars were over 400 and we were making the correction factor change. I asked her..."Aren't there times when you just hate diabetes?" and she looked down at the floor and then looked back at me with such a serious face and she replied... "If I hated diabetes then I'd hate myself because it is part of me." W-O-W! Ummm...ok. What do you say to an answer like that? Diabetes is a part of who she is....just like an arm or a leg. Herbie is like another body part to her and she doesn't look at herself the way that I do as her Mommy. So yes....I love every part of her!

ATTITUDE....you can choose the positive way or the negative way.

Long Overdue Thank You

I've been wanting to put up this post but I wanted to wait til all of the Mom's got their present before I posted up pics. I was worried about ruining the surprise for others.

So....without waiting any longer.... Nicole, THANK YOU for the beautiful necklace for World Diabetes Day. I let Kacey open it with me and before I could even finish the letter, she had it around her neck! So she got to wear it before I did :) This piece of jewelry will have a special place in our hearts. Thank you so much for having these made for us!

Christmas Cards

When I was little, I remember watching my Mom sit at the table and sign Christmas cards. She'd spend hours addressing them and we'd go to the post office and mail them. I would get so excited about putting them in the mail box. Then I'd spend the coming weeks rushing out to the mailbox to see who sent one in return. Mom always let me open the cards. It was like Christmas every day leading up to the big day. We hardly ever got the same card, some of them contained funny letters, some of them had pictures and others included a nice handwritten note updating our family about theirs. After Mom read them, she'd let me help hang them from the wooden strips that led up the stairway. By Christmas day, all of the wooden slats were full and it added to the decoration of the living room. Each card signed by someone we knew and proof that our family was thought about during the holidays.


This was a tradition that I continued with my family. I love sending Christmas cards, pictures, letters and just letting other families know they're thought about during the season. My girls get excited when they know we're making the trip to the post office to mail things out and then they wait to find what comes back in the mail box the whole month of December. We don't have stairs but we do display the cards around the doorway and they take turns hanging them up each day.


I know we're already doing the Secret Santa exchange but I'd love to add all my D-Mom friends to my Christmas card list this year. So if you're little ones love getting mail....then email me at mom2knkc@inna.net with your address so we can send out a little Christmas joy to your family from ours.

Correction Change

I got an email from Kacey's CDE today. I emailed blood sugars from last week and she emailed me back and said she discussed things with Dr. R and he thinks that Kacey's correction factor needs to be changed because she's not dropping enough when it's used.

So why am I so sad? Why did this email feel like a punch in my gut? I've sat here with my eyes welling up with tears. This is the first time we've had to change the correction factor before. I'm used to changing ratios and basals. Thats something we've done every few weeks since diagnosis but we've never messed with the correction factor. Her correction factor was 75 and now it's changed to 60.

So what does this mean? It means she's needing more insulin to bring her blood sugar back down to a safe number. So basically she was getting 1 unit of insulin for every 75mg/dl over 150. So if her blood sugar was 225 and she gave herself a correction then she'd get one unit of insulin and it should bring her back to 150 which is her target. In order to figure it out we'd do 225 (her current blood sugar)-150 (her target blood sugar)=75 divided by 75 (her correction factor)= 1 unit. So now they want her using 60 instead of 75. So if shes 225-150=75 divided by 60= 1.25 units...instead of just 1 unit.

But still....why am I so sad? I know her pancreas doesn't work. I know she needs more insulin at different times. But it still has me feeling upset. I think it's because this was really the last change that we'd not made and now we've adjusted everything at one point or another. It's also the reality that my baby, isn't so much a baby anymore. I've noticed some "changes" in her body and it just makes me sad because both my "babies" are growing up so fast right before my eyes and there will never be anymore babies for me. The increases in her insulin are probably the "changes" her body is making and the start of puberty as well as more growth spurts. So I guess I'm happy that she's developing like a normal little girl but I'm sad because I know she's growing up.

On a happy note....I did some shopping for my Secret Santa. YAHOOOOOO! I'm so excited about this exchange and look forward to shipping everything off soon! :)

MeMe- 40 Things About Me

OK...I think I'm the last one to be tagged in this MeMe ;) (Thanks Nicole!!)

1. Do you like bleu cheese? Blech! No!
2. Have you ever smoked? Tried it, choked and now with asthma it isn't something I can even be around!
3. Do you own a gun? Nope but my husband owns 7 of them and I don't know how to use them!
4. Favorite type of Food? Pasta....yummy!
5. Favorite type of music? If I'm alone then I usually listen to country but if the girls are in the car then Kayleigh plugs in her iPod and we listen to Top 100.
6. What do you think of hot dog? Well...since I'm a vegetarian....EWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! I can't get past the fact that they're made from ground up piggy parts! YUK!
7. Favorite Christmas movie? The Christmas Shoes
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? *coughs* Ummm....Starbucks venti peppermint mocha! I tried this for the first time last Christmas and I've been stuck on them since ;)
9. Can you do push ups? Uhhhhh....can I put my knees on the floor? HAHA!
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My family ring- It's got birthstones for Frankie, Me, Kayleigh & Kacey and it's got our names engraved in the gold. I also like my SHMILY band. Its a gold band with the letters SHMILY engraved in it and it stands for See How Much I Love You. OK....and one more....my pandora bracelet that my girls started for me over a year ago and I've got 14 charms now :)
11. Favorite hobby? Scrapbooking!!
12. Do you have A. D. D.? Not that I know of...LOL!
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Yes :( I just got them
14. Middle name? Marie
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment:
~ I can't believe my husband got the tractor trailer stuck in the yard!
~ That cake Kayleigh is baking smells really good!
~ I love seeing Kacey still play with Barbies. She's so imaginative! (She's playing on the floor with them now)
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink: Coffee, Sweet tea and Crystal Light
17. Current worry? I've really gotta get those presents wrapped and hidden before the girls figure out the black trashbags piled up in my room are NOT for the Goodwill....hahaha!
18. Current hate right now? Nothing right now....D is laying low.
19. Favorite place to be? In a hot bubble bath :)
20. How did you bring in the new year? At home :)
21. Someplace you’d like to go? England <3
22. Name three people who will complete this. LOL! I think I really am the last one to do this!
23. Do you own slippers? Yep :) we have hardwood floors and they get cold!
24. What color shirt are you wearing? Black
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Noway! I hate slipping and sliding in them. I'd much rather have 800 count cotton ones ;)
26. Can you whistle? No :( I've tried and still cant
27. Where are you now? In the living room
28. Would you be a pirate? Nah, I don't like being on the water
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Sometimes ;)
30. Favorite Girl’s Name? Kayleigh Breanne & Kacey Brooke, of course! ;) If we would have had a 3rd then I like the name Karissa Bailey
31. Favorite boy’s name? No boys here...but if we'd of had a 3rd then we would have used Keith Braxton
32. What is in your pocket right now? My cell phone, $1.65 and a walmart receipt
33. Last thing that made you laugh? Telling a few of the teachers I work with about going out shopping for 1/2 day and not realizing I had my slippers on til I sat down on the bench and waited while my best friend tried on clothes. OMG! It was a hysterical moment and I thought we were both gonna laugh til we pee'd ourselves!
34. What vehicle do you drive? On which day? LOL! I've got a 1997 Mercury Sable (which I drive most) and a1991 Mercedez Benz (Frankie's dad just gave it to us a few months ago and the girls love it!)
35. Worst injury you’ve ever had? LOL! I'm so accident prone...I guess I'd have to say either my fractured wrist or fractured foot.
36. Do you love where you live? I love my house and I love the fact that I have 5 acres of land and no neighbors within 1/4 mile....but I hate the fact that we're in low land and a flood zone :( It sucks when it rains or we have storms.
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? We have 4 ....living room, Kaceys room, Kayleighs room and our bedroom
38. How many computers do you have in your house? 2, the laptop and the desktop. I asked "Santa" for a new laptop for Christmas since I want to try digital scrapbooking ;)
39. If you changed your job, what would it be? I don't know? I like my job ;) ....most of the time! LOL!
40. If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?
1. A CURE!
2. A bigger, newer house on higher ground
3. Unlimited money supply ;) Then that would grant every other wish I would need! LOL!

That was fun!