Pouring My Brain Out

Do you remember taking a test in high school or college and studying really hard then pouring your brain out with all the information that you could on the test?  Or researching for a paper all semester then sitting down to write it and having trouble making sure all the important stuff is in there?  Has anyone else felt this way?

I'm beginning to feel like this and its been a while since I've had to take a test or write a paper!  As we prepare for the arrive of our third child, I'm trying to train the family members that will be taking the girls when I go into labor as well as those that will take the girls for a long weekend camp at "Grandma and Grandpa's."  The amount of things to think about for caring for Marian for more than a few hours is mind boggling.  I'm not sure what is important and what is something only Mark and I need to focus on because what if...  Ahhh gotta love worries and fears.  If I was honest Marian would probably be just as happy telling everyone else how to care for her than for her mom to write instruction sheets for how to do it ;)  I guess I can be grateful for a very independent 3 year old!

If anyone wants some of the items I've found useful online here are the links:
My Child Has Diabetes-Childcare Checklist
JDRF- Emergency Checklist

I've made a bunch of checklists and instruction sheets, if anyone would find them helpful I'm happy to email them to you! 

Off to keep packing because we leave in 2 hours!  (That means I probably shouldn't be typing a blog entry).

Gratituesday- Music

I haven't done a post about something I'm grateful for in a while.  This morning I'm grateful for music.  Both my girls sing all....the...time.  I can't say I get tired of it.  They sing quite a variety too, kids songs, Bible songs, hymns, and songs of their own creation.  I had read somewhere when Marian was a baby that having music in the home helps everyone to keep a joyful attitude and it helps to show kids your joy in Christ when you're expressing it through song while working.  Now, my singing is NOT something that most people enjoy, however, I do enjoy singing, I just need some assistance from those more musically talented.  I'm grateful at how much Truth our kids have soaked up through music.  It's amazing.  I've also loved seeing them express their love towards babies through singing.  Their baby dolls are always getting sung too.  Their little brother while in-utero has has quite a few songs sung to him as well.  Sofia sings "Jesus Loves Me" to her baby brother at least a few times a week.  While she sings, she holds my belly.  This morning as she sang the baby kicked.

Sofia "holding" her baby brother.



  Picture by Photography by Susie.

Don't Stand Near Me

Tonight I had a bit of a mix-up with my youngest and oldest.  We arrived home way past bedtime and I was trying to get the girls ready for bed quickly.  We walked into the house I said "Marian let me test your blood sugar" for probably the millionth time.  I sit down to test her with both girls standing around me.  For some reason Sofia had her little finger out too so I grabbed it and pricked her with the lancet (little device that pricks the finger to draw blood for a glucose reading).  Needless to say the scream and look of confusion on her face brought me to my senses and made us laugh pretty hard.  It took a while for Sofia to get over the shock of what just happened to her, but thankfully she survived.  My guess is she will not stick her finger out anywhere near me anymore.  This is also a warning to anyone else that might be brave enough to stand near me when I have a lancet in my hand. 

Diabetic Supplies Bag

I love to sew and I have an absurd amount of fabric. I figured I'd experiment with a diabetic supplies bag for the diaper bag, since I have a ton of free time ;). I like the little kit that the blood glucose meter came in but since putting a rubber safety cover on it, it doesn't fit easily and drives me crazy. I wanted to be able to fit all the supplies I normally carry in the diaper bag pockets into the diabetic bag so that I can easily switch to a book bag or another bag if Marian is going someplace without me. We're going away this weekend so I guess I'll try it out and see what needs tweaking or if I just need to go back to the old blood glucose meter bag. I will say this one is much cuter!

BG Meter Bag

My new version.  Room for extra batteries, insulin pen with extra insulin, snacks, and pump supplies.

All rolled up

I'll check back next week to give an update on whether or not this works and some directions on how to make your own.

B is for Boat

Fun little project for a rainy day to review the letter B (and work on fine motor skills and shapes...its the teacher in me).

Such concentration

Sofia decorating the "b"

Marian's finished project

Materials: macaroni, glue, marker, crayons, and large paper

1. Draw a picture in permanent marker

2.  color the picture

3.  Put glue on various shapes to be lined with macaroni.  Marian wanted to add lines to her original triangle.

Original idea from Art Projects 1 from A Beka Book Art Series.  As a note I have NOT looked at this series, someone just gave the book to me when I was teaching art a few years ago.  I use adapted projects for the girls sometimes. 

So Excited!

Last Thursday I had a wonderful blessing.  I went to the introduction for the Bible Study Fellowship for next fall.  Oh, I'm so excited!  I wish I would have done the study this spring, but I was so nervous about leaving Marian I just couldn't do it.  God knew I'd need some help leaving her in a larger class and not just with friends so he provided a lovely lady named Ms. Clemens.  She is the assistant children's program director and she has type 1 diabetes!  She called me last Tuesday before the introduction class to go over Marian's needs and tell me the carbohydrate counts of the snack. 

I was blessed by the welcoming attitude of everyone I met and how they reacted to joyfully looking out for Marian.  That would have made my day if that was it, but then the lecture was so encouraging!  It was based on 1 Peter 3-5.  The teacher went over submission in suffering, refinement in suffering, leadership for suffering and service.  The topic was suffering!  A topic that Mark and I have spent a lot of time talking about in the last 6 months.  I was so refreshed after this 45 minutes, but then I went back to pick up the girls and they were so excited.  Marian talked for two days about all she did in her new "class."  I am so grateful for a place that I can look forward to digging into the Word, but also for a place that the girls are learning and growing in the Word as well.

Thank you to the ladies that were so welcoming at BSF and for my friends that are already involved and encouraged me to join!

One Week Down

Week One is complete!  It's had both highs and lows. 
Highs:

• Less low blood sugars
• No more injections! (except when Mom forgets to bolus after dinner and after we removed her infusion set for a change)
• Giving insulin at night without even waking her
• Being able to give a snack in the car without pulling over, taking her out of the seat, getting an injection ready, giving it, then rebuckling her. 
• Lots of information and record keeping thanks to Diasend

Lows:

• Infusion set changes- these are not fun!  I didn't realize they would be way worse than giving injections, thank God they are only every 3 days!  I have hope that they will get better with time. 
• Still don't really understand how to read Diasend so we have the information but not really the ability to understand it. :P
• Changing our way of thinking about insulin, feel like I'm walking blind. 
• More highs than we like to see, although we're told it will take a while to figure out basal levels.