Elijah's 3rd Birthday

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The Pumpkin Patch

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Rosy

Pinky De Hearts

Sometimes you learn the darndest things from your kids. Last night I was talking to my little munchkin red head when she mentioned the name of her pink frog to me "Pinky de hearts". I was cracking up thinking she was a "Pink Lady" from Grease or something saying it to me in her deep 4 year old voice. As we sat on the couch for bedtime stories, she proceeded to show me how Pinky de Hearts wears "just a wittle bit" of wipsmackers wipgloss that is rubbed in ever so gently.

Little Red also has a very fond attachment to a small stuffed Chihuahua named "Rosy". Unfortunately for Hope the other day, our male corgi Brumley who is also attracted to small stuffed dogs got to spend some quality time with Rosy. After a bath in the washing machine and some TLC from Hope, this is Rosy with her "new" do. See the picture posted above.

Here are some things my kids have said that make me laugh.

According to the little munchkins we drive a "bourbon". When something is missing that took a road trip it is "in the bourbon" or the "red Bourbon."

The Pear trees that bloom in the spring are "popcorn" trees.

During school time, one of my dearies was answering a question that required measuring with a ruler. Apparently, the ruler they were using didn't measure inches correctly. According to them, only the blue ruler we have measures inches correctly. Now that I think about it, I am sure my tape measure that I use to measure my hips isn't correct either.

Little Red tells everyone that we are not allowed to eat at Old McDonalds.

And finally a question from out of nowhere!
From Little Red at the dinner table "Mommy do babies come out before the wedding sometimes.?" Hmmmmm

Job Description: MOM

Position: Mother, Mom, Mommy, Mama

Job Description:

Long term team players needed for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings, weekends, & frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends, endless sports and/or dance tournaments, & theater plays. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

Responsibilities:

The rest of your life you must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite your tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule & be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, "this time", the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets & stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars & coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan & organize social gatherings for clients of all ages & mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly & product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, & battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance & janitorial work throughout the facility.

Possibility for Advancement & Promotion:

Virtually none...Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining & updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you. When they grow up & get married you eventually get a new title...which you may get to choose unless your new charge comes up with something original. However, common titles are "Grandmother", "Grandma", "Nana", "Meemaw", or "Grams".

Previous Experience:

None required! On the job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

Wages and Compensation:

Get this! YOU PAY THEM! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

Benefits:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered, this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth & free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

Retirement Package:

None. Just when you think you are done you start all over with grand kids!

Author unknown but whoever she is I love this woman!

JDRF Walks

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Carter's Crew and Forest's too

I am always amazed and humbled to the point of tears at our amazing family and friends who gather to support us in this walk every year. Whether you donate money to JDRF, wear a Carter's Crew T-shirt, walk with us, or simply live life with us, from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU! I can never tell you what it means to my little man and our family to see people wearing shirts and standing beside him. In situations that you can't "fix" standing quietly beside your friends means more than anything.

Today more than ever, I am wanting a cure. You get to a point where you become a little "numb" in order to maintain any sense of "normal". However the reality is this disease NEVER goes away, NEVER takes a break, and at ANY moment can get out of hand with NO warning. Our reminder of that came this morning when Carter's pump crashed. The battery part of it continued to power down sending out this unnerving alarm that could be heard over the entire house. I replaced the battery and it started up again only to do the same thing within 5 minutes. After a phone call to the pump manufacturer who asks very intelligent questions such as "Did you check the battery?" and "Has the pump been dropped?" (Um let's see to the first question YES and the second I am sure it has been dropped a million times as he is an 8 YEAR OLD BOY!!!) Needless to say a quick refresher course must occur as I had to fall back on shots. After the first injection of 6 units of Lantus and then trying to configure the insulin ratio to his carb ratio that literally changes 10 times a day, I am already worn out. I spent half the morning on the phone conversing with the diabetes care team. Carter is asking for Apple Juice and other food and I am losing it with my patience....thinking and impatiently saying WAIT... you can't eat anything yet until I add all the carbs, find the syringes, check the date on the insulin bottles, find the inject a pen, and then give you a shot. Thinking all the time to myself, and Laura if you screw this up he is going to crash (go low and have a seizure) or get really high. The irony to this thought is that can happen even if I do everything "right". So he did indeed crash after the first long lasting insulin injection. We got juice and food down him and got his blood sugar back up. This afternoon he was running in the 360 range with a headache. I drew up another unit and a half to correct him. We will be seeing a lot of each other tonight as I will sneak into his room, turn on the flashlight and prick his finger just to check his blood sugar and make sure that he will wake up "okay" tomorrow morning. Tomorrow I will sign for the pump that is being over-nighted to my house and we will get hooked back up to our "artificial" pancreas. I will take a deep breathe and thank God again for the research that has been done and the fact that a mini computer can figure out all of these things instead of me for another period of time. I will grieve a little bit longer tonight with the reminder that this is continuous and does not end until we are home. Then I will rebuke myself of my self pity and say a prayer of gratefulness for God's amazing provision and faithfulness to meet me right where I am at. I will also pray that somehow, I will be changed from my sinful, selfish, angry ways and that God will use this all for His glory in spite of me.

I am a desperate housewife

My week has been a continual reflection on my brokenness and need for my Savior. I am reminded of the fact that I often run free on my own, then fall down, become broken, crawl on my hands and knees, and am lifted up time and time again by my loving Father. Here are two songs that have ministered to my heart this week. The first by Shawn McDonald "I Need You"

Take my hand to the promise land
And on You I want to stand
‘Cause I cannot do it on my own
You're what I need and I need to be
Right by Your side ‘cause I cannot hide
Lord, I know that I need You
Na na na na na na na na na, I need You
Na na na na na na na na na, I need You
Without You I'm so alone
I am weak but You are strong
You pick me up when I'm falling down
And I am crying
Out to You inside of my heart
I need You, Lord, oh so, for the part
I want You to have my life, Jesus
I fall to my knees
And I'm begging You, please, oh, Lord
Won't You change me
Make me new from the inside out
I want to shout out Your name

Second is this song by Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I dont know the reason why you brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I will go through the valley
If You want me to

CHORUS:
Now I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to You
I will go through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my own
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'll never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the valley
If You want me to