Food Friday

My kids often eat the same things for breakfast and lunch.  Eeek.. I can't say it's perfect.  Clay generally eats cereal (either four servings of mini-wheats or Raisin Bran Crunch lately=either are 92 grams with milk, minus fiber), a yogurt or two (Chobani individual coconut-16 grams each), and sometimes an apple (15 grams).  Mary Claire usually has two instant waffles (31 grams), sometimes 1/2 cup orange juice (27 grams), or sometimes cereal (2 servings mini-wheats, 46 grams).  I know they need protein, and they get 6 grams from each serving of mini-wheats..I just hate making bacon or sausage.  If the kids are high (over 240), they have eggs and veggies.

For lunch, they usually have a chocolate milk (25 grams), fruit or applesauce (25 grams), sandwich (26-28 grams), and some chips (11-16 grams).  Today (and sometimes when we have time) they have cut up bell pepper strips, carrots, and cucumbers with ranch dressing.

Dinner is always whatever we are having, no special diet!  Sometimes lasagna (about 41 grams per serving), broccoli and chicken casserole (about 25 grams), tacos or taco salad (about 15-18 grams) with black beans (9 grams), roast beef with carrots and mashed potatoes (about 35 grams), the list goes on!

Snacks are either a treat/dessert like strawberry shortcake (white cupcake, fresh strawberries, cool whip=30ish grams), banana pudding (banana, pudding, Nilla Wafers=31.5 grams), 4 c. popcorn (22 grams), or graham crackers (19 grams).  This is not to say they don't add another bowl of cereal, a soda, some cookies, peanut butter crackers, banana, cherry tomatoes, etc. after school or as snacks!

The kids kinda got in trouble last week for eating foods in their rooms and sneaking food.  We are trying to "eat in the open", and momma promises not to judge.  It's hard on us all...we just don't want to create a bad habit.  The desire to eat as comfort and sneak food could continue into adulthood causing more problems.  Prayers for all of us.

**I'm participating in Diabetes Blog Week!  Today’s topic is Foods on Friday.  Taking a cue from Adam Brown's recent post, write a post documenting what you (or your children) eat in a day!

Hope you are having a good week.  I lost a sweet friend this week, so I've been out of sorts.  Trying to pull it back together.  Today is Mary Claire's birthday, so I'm busy preparing food and decor for a sleepover after the school dance tonight.  Big week.  Prayers that your friends and family are healthy and happy.  Hugs!

What I Don't Tell

I don't tell the horrible, awful, scared-my-kids-will-die-stories.  There is no reason to give life to these.  If I obsess, it's private (and usually driven by fear, not reality).  I don't need attention, I don't need my kids to get special attention.

yep, new pump today after a failure yesterday.

I don't complain about how hard it is to manage their diabetes.  If I've learned anything, it's to bear my crosses.  I don't need to whine about it.  Not just for me, but for my kids.  You write things online..and there could come a day when my kids read about my life-all these crazy things I've put out there.  I don't want them to think I hated dealing with diabetes (read: them) for even one day.  They are a joy, and it is not their fault.  It's just a part of our life. 

I keep a lot of the kids' highs and lows to myself too.  They're just numbers.  They don't sum up the kids' value, or mine.
Even when I've tested basal rates, bolus ratios, correction ratios, adjusted for exercise (or lack of), and know there is no illness..there are still other random factors.  Age of the insulin, length and quality of the site, air bubbles in the tubing, how long they had their site off for their shower, if any insulin dripped out..it goes on and on.  I have to have a mental notepad constantly going for both kids, and why invite others into that chaos? ha!

I don't tell about every time I change a site, when I fill prescriptions, how much our pumps, pump supplies, and glucose monitor and sites cost.  I don't "check-in" on Facebook at our endocrinologist's office.  I guess I don't see what good it would do. : )

Here is a meditation my sweet friend, Tiffany, happened to send me today..I feel like it explains my thoughts on not sharing every little detail:

Then I saw the Lord Jesus nailed to the cross. When He had hung on it for a while, I saw a multitude of souls crucified like Him. Then I saw a second multitude of souls, and a third. The second multitude were not nailed to [their] crosses, but were holding them firmly in their hands. The third were neither nailed to [their] crosses nor holding them firmly in their hands, but were dragging [their] crosses behind them and were discontent. Jesus then said to me, Do you see these souls? Those who are like Me in the pain and contempt they suffer will be like Me also in glory. And those who resemble Me less in pain and contempt will also bear less resemblance to Me in glory. (Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, pg. 446)

 

Hence the not dragging my cross/sharing every little trial.  If you have a child with diabetes, you know it's hard.  We are in it together.  I'm praying for you, for an easier life, better numbers, for a CURE.

So we can stop depending on these silly things already.

 

**I'm participating in Diabetes Blog Week (go here and click to see the other posts here!).  Our theme today was "Keep It to Yourself" : )

My Voice

I can honestly say I've met some of my very best friends because my kids have diabetes.  I couldn't have said that ten years or even five years ago.  But now, they are the biggest blessing.  They get it.  This crazy, roller coaster life with its highs and lows, pump failures, doctor stress, prescription limits, high copays, kids' rebellion, exhaustion over late nights (or middle-of-the-nights), and the way we feel pulled to fight for good days for our kids vs. fight for funding for research for a cure.

Just a few of the the awesome moms! : )

I have found a voice.  To speak up for my kids' health and their safety.  I've written letters to our superintendent (of our school district), to my kids' teachers, to our senators and representatives, and I've tried (ha!) to speak at our state Senate Committee on Education.  I speak to principals, all the classroom teachers and special teachers, coaches, camp coaches, scout leaders (the list really goes on and on..) about what my kids need and what they can do.  I feel like I'm the educator, the advocate, the nurse, the counselor, and the cheerleader all rolled into one.

I didn't necessarily want to be an authority, but I feel like I'm becoming one.  At least to newer moms to diabetes than me.  It is something that grows on you, like a language.  The more you speak it, use it, the more you understand it.  It's like an appendage that I've figured out.  I still hate it, but I can work it, and I get it.  Maybe I don't even hate it anymore really.  I've just learned to live with it, like the frog who keeps coming in my garage.  (You just shoo him away or use someone else's baseball glove to move it out of the way.) (So he doesn't pop and become splat I have to clean up.  Who needs one more thing to clean?) 
 
I used to be afraid for Mary Claire to go to gymnastics, volleyball, dance, or cheer (she's done it all over the years!).  Or for Clay to run track or play baseball, or go camping for a week.  Heck, I worried when he walked down to the lake to fish!  But, I'm working on my confidence.  ..or God is working on my faith. : )  The kids take their meters, snacks, water bottles, and they are growing up.  Taking care of themselves, so I can breathe.  I never actually thought I'd get here.  I'm still so worried about college, about letting them go.  Lord have mercy, they'll be driving before long!  I'm growing up right along with them and these babies we call Diabetes. 

I can do this mothering thing, this diabetes thing-I have help.  I have other mommas who get it and who are loving me right through it.  I'll forever be grateful (since that lonely feeling from the beginning has forever seared me).

back when it was just me..and Diabetes.  Going it alone.  At least I did have this super cutie to keep me inspired.

**I'm participating in Diabetes Blog Week (go here and click to see the other posts here!).  Our theme today was "I can.."  What can YOU do? : )
Hugs,  

Happy Mother's Day!

playing the burrito game.

Happy Mother's Day!  To MY momma and momma-in-law!  To the mamas in my life, to my mama friends, to my babies' godmothers, to those who've wiped my kiddos, or even blown my nose.  Thank you for giving your hearts away.  The world is a better place with you.

Today my sweet husband made French toast, and then cleaned up while I got a shower.  Mary Claire made a "schedule" for Mother's Day (that I dictated!) for all we hoped to fit in (hahahaha!).  We did about..13%.  Not bad!  Totally my average daily ratio. : )

We got to go to my mom's house to give her the white tablecloth and pale blue linen square (to go on top) that I'd made.  I just couldn't find an exact size for her unique table!  It was a family project, pinning the center, and cutting a string to the measurement (including seam allowance for the edges) that I needed.  I should have gotten pictures of us all penciling, stretching, and holding.  It was probably the best mothers day gift (for me!)..all that working together and respect (of the "work" I was doing).  I do love a good project.

After hearing screaming..I find them like this.  Double-swinging?

And I got to rearrange some furniture (yippee!), and change out to her new purse (a gorgeous new Michael Kors she's been saving for months!).  She still has her passport with a million stamps and her second library card (card stock with the metal insert).  Sweet, memory-filled treasures.

Then we went to Starbucks since it was Frappuccino (half price) Happy Hour! : ) Apparently, my daughter feels mucho left out since her friends seem to go all the time.  We just make boring coffee at home.

And we had exactly one hour to spend some bucks.  We had two JCPenney coupons to spend $10 with a $10 purchase..and when you are looking for something to buy..it's hard!  Then we had a 40% off everything at Gap (Gap Kids too!), so we ran down there to speed shop.  Coffee came in super handy.  We got Carter the cutest washed rosey-melony red shorts and a braided leather belt and some other cute clothes.  It's really fun dressing your tiniest to be a mini hipster.  Little t-shirts, skinny jeans..baby blue, navy, and chambray.  Then dinner with the fam and a grocery run.

A lovely, full day.  Just the way I like it. :o) 
and BONUS?!  Those Sarah Bernhardt peonies Ches ordered me in January?  They got shipped in late April, planted..and those dead dry sticks that were breaking my heart?  They are showing signs of LiFE!!

Sarah Bernhardt are the light pinks..gorgeous!  (Picture from here.)  Can't wait to see them at MY house!

Love these sweeties!

Love, love the ones God chose just for me.

Praying you had a wonderful Mother's Day, full of coffee, swings, masks..and burritos!  Or flowers and time to yourself.  Whatever you are needing lately, ha!  Hugs!

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  

"Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise--"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."  Ephesians 6:1-3