JDRF Walk and #NDAM

Feeling nostalgic tonight, I just saw Love the Coopers.  Go see it.  Such a sweet (and hilarous!) movie.  I'm ready for Christmas now. <3 font="">

I never got to say an amazing THANK YOU to everyone who HELPED, DONATED, and WALKED with us for a CURE for Clay and Mary Claire in the JDRF Walk to Cure 2015!  I'm sorry that life stepped in, and it's taken much too long to express my complete and overwhelming gratitude!

 
It was an absolutely amazing year for our family walk team!  We met our goal.  (I went to check our total, but the site is down right now for maintenance, ha!)  We have some friends who come consistently to support us every year, and we have some new friends who join us when they can, and we are thankful for ALL of them!!  The walk itself is more fun (as is the diabetes journey) when you have someone to lean on and talk to.

What a blessing it's been-the friends we've made, the lessons learned, and the shared purpose we've been given.  It's time to be thankful for the amazingness we have plus the not-so-amazing.  It's kinda funny that National Diabetes Awareness Month (#NDAM) is November..the month of thanks.  When we'd like to have said, "No, but thanks anyway."

So, I'm thankful to have meters to check my kids instead of ketone (pee) strips, insulin in pumps instead of glass syringes, nutrition labels on food for carb counts instead of guessing, for health insurance to pay for our strips, lancets, iv prep pads, sensor and supplies, and insulin.  Oh, and we are thankful for Dr. Banting for his discovery of insulin so that my children are still alive sharing this journey with us.  

Prayers that you are so blessed!  Love you, Holly

Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Walk to Cure 2014, Hooray!

We had an AMAZING walk this year!! : )  Friends, family, tons of fun..it always makes the work in the weeks before SO worth the investment! : )  Sometimes it blesses me more than we bless JDRF.  I guess it's partly because some of our bestest friends are in JDRF with us.  Them, and their kids, that is.  How did we even get here?  Whew.

2014 Walk to Cure Type 1 Diabetes Team: Team CMC! (formerly Clay and Mary Claire's Friends Who Care)

It was with a tent from my parents, balloons from Party City (and they even walk them out to my van, y'all!), Nestle Crunch candy bars (red, white, and blue!), and the people.

They had too much fun climbing the HUGE hill, as all the moms are screaming not to slide down the wet grass on their bottoms! ; )

I can't begin to tell you about THE people.  The people I've known for YEARS that continue to come even when they are on their way back to MD Anderson in Houston for yearly tests (hugs, Carla and Kenny!), new walkers we are so thankful to know (Clay's new nurse, Candace and her family!), and a doctor we haven't seen in a few years (thank you for coming, Murl & Concetta Baker!).
 

Ethan's good friend, Gabe, who also has diabetes!

And all the friends in between.  Clay's friends who came out to support him, Mary Claire's friends who know how this party goes, MY friends who walk for our kids, church friends, girl and boy scout friends, neighbors, my parents, Ches' mom and stepdad, and the list goes on (praise the Lord!). May I sincerely THANK each of you for spending your Saturday morning with US!!

Sweet Girls!

And then, we are SO thankful for our supporters (even the new ones I've never met, Willeen!!).  The ones who make it work, make it possible, help us dream a little bigger.  And brighter.  The ones who make the research and the CURE possible.  In my kids' lifetimes.
 

So this little guy doesn't get it.

I can't say thank you enough, is my heart even deep enough?  I know you work hard for your money, and to part with it on behalf of my kids is sooo humbling.  But know I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
 

A few of the MOMS who rock.  The ones checking blood sugars at 2am.  The moms who listen when you can't handle one more ketone check or pump site change! : )

Feeling blessed instead of stressed in the midst of it all.  31 units left, and she has to hurry off to school?  Praying.  Take one to the doctor and back to school, only to pick him up two hours later?  Thankful I don't have a job!  One going low every day as he has marching band practice for an hour before lunch?  Rocking lowered bolus ratios.  One wanting to see his poo-poos?  Check.  Getting ready for my son's Sunday school class and my AMAZING helper is out of town?  We'll survive!  I can do this.  Every day is hard, but you know what?  Everyone's everyday is hard.  This is when we give thanks for our crosses to bear, 'cause I'm sure yours are too much for me! : )

God bless you as you go out into your day (or your night!) and slay your dragons.  I'm with you, if only in prayer.  Hugs!

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  Romans 8:26

  

Walk to Cure is THIS Saturday!

Illness struck.  It came in like lightning, but stayed like a flood. : (  It has been no bueno with our family this week.  Ethan had the tummy bug last weekend, Carter started Sunday, Mary Claire and Clay on Monday..and Momma on Tuesday.  Blech!  Praying for strength to keep going.

We are getting sooo close to our Walk to Cure Type 1 Diabetes this weekend!  Our shirts got printed today, so we'll pick them up in the morning, sort and deliver!  Here is the front:

And I always order banners for the tent from Vistaprint..and sometimes pay a HUGE super-fast delivery charge to get them here quickly.  But I checked into Staples, and they print them the SAME Day in-house! : ) They are the same (and the website you order the banners from is even IDENTICAL!!).  Happy!  Skipping the $30 delivery fee! : )

I sent an email out to walkers today with all the details (where to park and where to go, when to arrive, when to register, when to show up for pictures! ..what to wear, a map, and all of the fun things to do there, etc.)!

We did get team bows made again, Sequoia is awesome!!  I tell her every year, and she needs to be in big business..but she's all, "It's a side job, I am a teacher!"  Don't let her fool you, she's awesome, and her prices are awesome-r! ; )

:wish I'd bothered to take a picture of all the red/white chevron bows to show you:

:adding it to Things to Do:

We are so thankful for the friends and families who are supporting our family this year!  From scouts to church and school friends, old friends and new friends..we are blessed.  I'm so thankful Clay will have at least a couple friends walking with him.  He felt left out last year right after diagnosis.  In a hot pink shirt.  

We let him make some major shirt decisions this year..from the color to style, etc.  I think he wanted Super Mario Bros. fonts, but Mary Claire just flat out rejected that..so hopefully we met in the middle.  This is definitely making things harder! : )

If you are walking with us, THANK YOU!!  We are so excited!  The high is only 70 degrees, so it may not be so warm on Saturday morning..we are hoping to get some hot chocolate for you!

If you aren't walking with us, please say a prayer for us!  For everyone's safety as we walk (on the UA campus streets!), for a CURE for our kids, and for all the teams to have fun and cheer each other on..no competition. ; ) I love all our JDRF kids, and I can't compete.  

If you'd still like to join our Walk to Cure team this year, here is the link.  If you are feeling generous, you can always donate to JDRF with the same link!! : )

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Philippians 2: 3-4

 

JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes 2011

We woke up to a temperature of 58 degrees, with a forecast high of 79...you'd switch to shorts, wouldn't you?

We'd laid out jeans thinking it'd be cold, but with a sunny day ahead, I made an executive decision for our family.  Ha!  That's the problem with being an executive..fault falls in your lap! ; )  But, might I just say..we have the best time on Walk Day, rain or shine! ; )  And let me say..it rained the entire walk! haha!  But most of our walkers braved the rain-and most with no umbrellas.  L. O. V. E. their spirit! : )

Our shirts and matching bows..only two got stolen off our table = two very sad girls. : (

Girl Scout Girls! : )

We were told to gather for a picture for the news!

Thanks, Sandy and Betty for walking!

Aww..sweet Amy and Claire!

Fellow party organizers: Danielle, Madison, and Dottie! : )

Bless Maddox's heart-she is SO cute!

Love, love, love our pediatric dental clinic-they showed up in rain to WALK!

My fellow PRE teacher: Tiffany with her kids: Gabby, Grace, Joseph, and Ann Marie!  Love them!

I think I took about 20 pictures of Nora's hair-she's a doll, and LoVeS her a Razorback!

Aww.. friends and Razorbacks, nothing better! ; )

Yep, we're number ONE! ; )

Thanks, Taryn, for some awesome pictures!! : )

That is one long sword!

He's twirling them and dancing!

Part of the warm-up: YMCA!

Ready for the balloon release-it was bigger than her!

Maddox with a Razorback cheerleader. ; )

Let the Walk Begin!

..and the Rain Began.

One lucky little boy!

Carol and Madie, Emily, Sandra, and Nora!

..after all our shirt drama...we won third place for our shirts! : )  and a Jump Zone party for ten!  WooHoo!

Allson, Kylee, Ashley, and Caroline, Ches' sister!  Thanks for coming! : )

The only way to ride a Razorback-with him encased in bronze! ; )

after the rain..we look a little rough. ; )

Sweet cousins: Allison, Kylee, Emily, and Ashley

..and with Ches' mom!  (minus Mary Claire!)

They were so adorable-pulling Mary Claire around!

..and pushing! ; )

Her turn to pull Andalynn!

Here was a picture of my mom and dad with me.  But they requested it be pulled.  Can you imagine?  Oh, the censorship I endure.

with Angie-love you!

oh yeah...forgot that was in here!  The beginnings of our 25 bows! ; )

Candace's students from Greenland-LOVE that they came out to support us-Thank You!!

And..our team picture.  Looks a little lighter than last year, but we were still minus some people. ; )  8:30 comes really early in the morning!  Love you, walkers! : )

Christy-always brings her best friends! : )  thank you for bringing your family too!

Her kids-Katie and Courtney!

Love me some Leigh! : )  We loved seeing our friend-teams this year-I want no more competition-I love them!

Me and my girl.  We were supposed to wait by this tent till it was time for her to go on stage.

On Stage?  Not her favorite.  That's her with the yellow balloon!

Those big fat balloons could be seen so high, and made me cry.  I'm a poet and didn't know it. ; )

The BEST part about our day?  Friends!

Rain or Shine.

Emily, Mary Claire, and Nora-cutie patooties!

A surprise Flash Mob danced-and they were GOOD!

Mary Claire and Chandler-with their goodies! : )

Mary Claire with Aiden's sister, Emma!

God bless our friends.  For sharing their umbrellas, for walking in the rain without one, for donating for our girl, for praying for a CURE, for holding our hands through this.  We love you.  We can't say thank you enough.