Bad. Site. : (

I think she thinks it's my fault sometimes.  I got ready to change Mary Claire's pump site last night, and the first site (needle) I put in...slid right out.  They never do that. : (  Of course..it bled.  And she cried.  Then, I opened another (really expensive) package (wasting the set of tubing that comes with), and tried again.  This time, the needle bent straight down-I'm guessing she squeezed her bottom in anticipation, and when you hit muscle...forget it.  I couldn't get the needle out of the tubing to save my life..so we pulled the site again.

This time, I had to hold a tissue over the blood, and comfort her.  Bless her heart.  This is when the sadness comes out.  She asks the barrage of questions (the same ones I ask God about): Why does she have to have diabetes?  Why does she have to wear a pump?  Why does she have to change her site?  Why her?

Our medical waste.  For one site change.

We had to wait a while to try for the third time.  I had to convince her it would work, and we'd try something different (as opposed to the last 864 times I've changed her site).  She psyched herself up, and we opened another set, and got another site ready (had an IV Prep emergency: whoever stocked our last Medtronic shipment mixed up the new IV Prep pads with the old-and recalled-alcohol pads!!  Stress. and Guessing.).  Finally...we got a good site.  I also had to set her temporary basal UP after that awful drama, since adrenaline drives her blood sugar skyward.

Then she laid on the bed with me listening and feeling the baby move.  I knew she just needed some time and attention before bed-what we all need.  But today?  Most especially. 

I hate that those bad moments can overshadow our good ones.  We've had some sweet memory making despite all our bad lately (we won't even go there-I don't need the stress!).  She had her fourth grade musical (and I made her a shiny "M" shirt last minute to match her Eastside High cheer skirt-that's no longer so cool):

Right in the middle, looking at me! ; )

We made her an ornament to trade at Girl Scouts:

It was only about 2 inches after this Shrinky dink shrank!  LOVE these things!

And..she had a patch ceremony and got new patches for her uniform!

Thank you, God, for the good things we get to experience.  ..and Thank you for a pump to better control blood sugars, the supplies we need, a beautiful 88 this morning, and a daughter who'll let me try it-even a third time.

Waiting Princess

Ahh..precious days.  Makes all that crazy running around a joke! (but not really.)  Here is his newest track set up.  In my room.  I think he prefers it small and manageable.  He can reach everything.  He also likes it at my feet (and I do too-he plays better and longer!).

Mary Claire lost another tooth-this was for the Tooth Fairy to take a rest and have a snack!  (Umm..we are assuming she eats plastic food?)

And she was OvErJoYeD that we were in her room playing Barbies yesterday!

She even wanted to take my picture..but guess who didn't want their picture taken??  Hahahaha!

And we found Isabella a perfect game!  She loves princesses, her real birthday is today, and she's a big FIVE years old. I just adore her!

You are traveling to the enchanted castle, collecting gems and drawing friend cards.  Sounds fun to me!

All wrapped up, and guess what I added to the bow...

A Shrinky Dink!  I just went into Microsoft Word, typed a capital "I", made the font huge (350 pt!), printed, and traced it.  (and decorated it, of course!)

More sending love to my kids..I photocopied more of my "stationery" Mary Claire and I made, and colored them!  They are going to school in lunch boxes tomorrow.  Love those little people! : )

We worked on Ethan's thank you notes today-he gave me some words to say, picked out paper and bows, and wanted green writing, but didn't write in them!  I even told him he could scribble in green, but he's left-handed and not so good at writing.  We are working on how to spell his name, and he can get as far as "E, Cross" and knows it ends in "N".  Only two more letters to go! : )

Totally a side note.  I got frustrated at my desk today (messy is not an adequate word), so I got crafty.  I needed new pencil/marker/pen cups.  I dug through two trash bags to find three cans (yes, really) and washed and dried them really well.

I wrapped coordinating papers around them, some ribbon and jute string, then added labels with scripture and my favorite, Philippians 4:13!

I'm still working on my desk..it's a work in progress.  To make a short story long (which I'm really good at), I'm trying to clean my slate to start fresh (January and all), and I have been trying to think what I could do to take away all my twin memories and let it all go.  Forgive I guess.  I took down all my ultrasound pictures, put away my calendars, and shelved all the twin and baby books out of sight.  They've been on a shelf above my desk for almost a year, and it's time to move on.  I bought a new (pink!) Bible for me (I haven't had a new one since before Mary Claire was born, and it's all marked up-I need to start really fresh.), and we are starting a new Bible Study on February 1.
We've decided to go ahead and enter a Waiting Child application with Great Wall of China.  It means we'll get an existing child (maybe) who needs a forever home.  They won't be a newborn, and it's only after reading and choosing, but we'd still love a child.  We are thinking we could even see if there's another little girl with Type I Diabetes.  Mary Claire keeps praying for a little girl, sweet and cute just like her (her words), and maybe that's what we need.  So sweet, she needs insulin.
Pray for us as we take the road less-traveled.  The will of God won't take us where the grace of God won't protect us.  I think we'll just keep praying and listen as we go.  We won't stop trying to have our own child, but I can't keep focusing on my cycle-I'll go nuts!

James 1:13 God does not tempt men.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond

what you can bear.  1 Corinthians 10:13

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31:6

No, I didn't forget! 

Here is our Winner!!

Hallie over at theprincessandthepump.com wins a $25 CSN.com gift certificate!

Hallie, I'll send your code over via email, thanks for playing everyone!! : ) 

Minky Dots and Shrinky Dinks

Somehow I'm super tired today-I think that turkey-effect carried over a day.  I still accomplished a lot, it just required lots of sugar to keep going, since I'm staying away from caffeine!  (but, I did have just that one green tea at Panera..)
I know, it's all wrong-the whole sugar roller coaster, but it was that or carbs, and they are both awful (well.. kinda the same!).
I got my hair done, and took a shrinky dink bracelet (a scalloped shrinky dink with Stella's name and "Mommy and Daddy's Princess" on a pink gingham ribbon) to her sweet parents, the Taylors.  They are the cutest family, and just adore each other.  It's precious, really.  And I got my hair super-straight--so straight, I pulled it back-I'm used to bounce, and it was s-m-o-o-t-h (the one thing I can't do myself-pull my hair out and get it flat, but I can curl to save my life!).
(I forgot-I took some Shrinky Dinks on ribbons to school too for Ethan's teachers-they are all crafty and appreciate the teensy souvenirs of my Craft Time with Kids (I don't send crafts to Working Women-they are way too professional to "get" my excitement over shrinking plastic, no offense).  I mean, I love working women (sometimes wish I was one), but I feel crafty bits are below them.  Ha!  Come on down here with me! : ) heehee

Anyway, I ran errands, and found the "snuggly, soft, comfy green blankey with the green bumpy dots" of Ethan's dreams.  He told Angie yesterday after being asked what he wanted for his birthday the above.  He doesn't see things and decide he wants them (well..he does that too), rather he dreams things up.  I called my favorite, Fabric Gallery, and asked if they had any green minky dots (their real name), and had to ask for clarification-Kyle said FOUR!  What?  They had four different greens!  I booked it over there to see for myself, still slightly in disbelief.  (Sorry, there's no picture.)  I chose a lovely lime, the one Ethan would have picked for himself.
Then...decisions...what to back it with?  We checked out some navy dots, navy/off-lime circles, navy gingham...not quite.  Then-Aha!  I got some royal blue minky dots to back it.  Ethan'll be SO excited!  (and bonus: they will shrink equally, so no prewashing!  Hooray!)

Then groceries, and Mom's Shuttle Service.  Two schools, three kids, and a van full of groceries and errand fodder.  Of course, they wanted to Shrinky Dink the world again.  Animals, dogs, more cars, a Pac-Man...I just left our oven set-up in there.  I keep reheating the oven to 325, so if I'm not baking (no chance of that today!), why not leave it all in there?  (Remind me of this when I mistakenly preheat and catch parchment on fire.)

I was trying to find little pictures of Toy Story characters this afternoon with the plan to make all his little friends characters for their goody bags, but it's hard to find good pictures the right size.  I found a coloring book online, but they were unauthorized, and not real.  Then, I checked Disney's site, but they wanted you to color Jessie on Bullseye, and you couldn't turn the page to another picture.  He (like Andy) loves Buzz Lightyear!  Jessie just won't do.  My new idea is to cut some shrinky dink plastic, print some instructions and let the kids take and make their own! : )  Isn't that a great idea?  Will they know it saved me time?  Nahh, it's so the kids can choose their own little icon, and maybe the parents will get some craft time too? heehee

Then dinner (in the Dining Room again!) (the kitchen chairs are still misplaced after my mopping yesterday-I want them to KNOW I mopped!).  Baths, and then Monopoly began again.  Oh yeah, that's the other reason-the monopoly board is still set up on the kitchen table, and no one is allowed to touch it.  I mean, would you let them touch it? and run the chance that the pawns get moved, or your money is out of rainbow order (Mary Claire's current distress!), or your property falls to the floor, and goes up for auction?  Agh-that's Monopoly Mayhem!

I promise to let you know more about the contest as I know more.  There will be (I think) a $25 gift certificate up for grabs shortly (hopefully tomorrow?).  I'll give you a week to comment/register to win, then it's all yours!  What will you buy?  They have everything from kids' toys to kitchen gadgets to furniture!  Check out CSN.com, and you can let me know.  I'll let you know when we officially begin, just check back tomorrow!

Fruit of the Spirit

I could just eat up this baby for breakfast every morning! : )  He is soo sweet.  He did this all on his own-it's one of his favorite things to do.  All the cars are lined up to race.  From left to right, there are the Speed Racer cars, then the Hot Wheels cars, all the way to a huge red racer at the end.  So..he's kinda getting some freakish organizing genes from me, but at least he didn't group them by color! : )  And he has the cutest Toy Story cars, that are all shaped like characters, but he didn't group those either, so we'll still call him Normal. ; )

My biggest babies were back to school today, and it was good.  They were ready, and I was ready.  I couldn't wait to mop my floor!  (I know, he doesn't get Normal from me.)  It's just been all chaos for a couple weeks, and I've been craving clean.  Ethan and I played a Cranium game (and we tied), then cars, then I started more laundry and sheets, and worked on the kitchen.  I felt this cooking shiver go down my spine, and I had to obey.  It doesn't always strike twice!

Do you ever have these sitting out at your house?  We always do.  We buy bananas about 3x a week, and this is what happens.  I *love* them this way (or maybe how they looked yesterday), and Ches likes them green (he has monkey genes?).  But, after one day looking like this, they are trash.  I always intend to make banana bread, but it never happens.  One of the things I've resolved to do (is that far enough away from resolutions?) is to read aloud more with Ethan (Ches has almost taken over!) : ( and to send love to school with my kids.  One of the ways I can do this is to bake for them.  I baked the bread, and I've already made their school lunches for tomorrow-each with banana bread (and they don't even know!).  I always send the same thing, so it'll be a huge surprise. (along with their cauliflower and cucumbers..)

Does this ever happen to you?

I use half bleached flour and half whole wheat (yeah, yeah, it's healthy and tastes the SAME!), but look what happens when you sift it.  Ha!  All the "fiber" is the last to fall through.  Kinda ick.

Here are the fiber-ous bits that I just had to throw away.  If they can't make it through, they are out.  They looked very... um.. wheat-y.

This is how I cut Mary Claire's slice.  First, I add up all the ingredients' carbohydrates, then I divide by 10 (a decent slice size).  Then, I cut the loaf in half, then in fifths, then give her one from the middle, so it's the right amount.  (The end is smaller, and the center is bigger.)  Hers is the little slice to the left of center, no-the skinny one!

 

 

 

And then the cooking Began.  I had a turkey that I was pretty sure was thawed, so I washed him, and got him ready to roast, and set him back in the fridge.  Are you aware it only takes three good hours to bake a huge 17 pound turkey?  That's nothing.  I had to wait till 2pm to put him in!
So, I made cornbread.  I mean, what's turkey without dressing?  (and I'm still having amazing dreams about my sweet potatoes! and still eating them everyday for lunch..)  My mom got me a new dish, so I had to try it out.  Very Pretty.  I just make cornbread, add all the *magic*, and then stir and bake it in the same dish!  (less to clean?)  Then, I set about finishing laundry, cleaning upstairs, remaking beds with fresh sheets, and putting away clothes.  Then..vacuuming (my vacuum sucks hahahaha, but it's kinda broken.  When you push the button to the right, the brush is supposed to turn while the suction works, but it smells-rubber burning-and I didn't have time to unscrew and fix the belt.  So, I vacuumed the house without the brush turning.  My rugs actually say to use suction only, but I like them super clean-have you ever lifted your rugs-there's dirt that filters down there!  ..Am I still inside the parentheses?)
Anyway, Ches took Ethan to see Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, and that's why I had time to rush around and get so much done.  I am twice as fast alone.  Ches has learned, if he takes the kids out for an hour, he comes home to miracles! : )

So, for our "activity" tonight, we made Shrinky Dinks-and be prepared, it's fun, obsessive, and can morph into hours!
Here's a picture Mary Claire took of our Before (heat):

We bought the Crystal Clear ones, and they are pretty thin, almost like overhead transparencies to start.

Then you crowd around to watch the magic happen...

And Voila!  We couldn't stop!  We made necklaces, cars for Ethan, "letters", and even a Razorback, in honor of the Sugar Bowl tonight! : )  Go Hogs Go!

And here are my favorites.  The first says in pink, on the back "Galations 5:22" (fruits of the spirit), and the front in black are faithfulness, kindness, generosity, patience, joy, peace, and love.  That's all that would fit!  (Self-control? Maybe next time?  It didn't fit!)

Thank you, Ches, for holding it up so I could focus the camera-it's so tiny!

This is for Ethan's teacher, one of my sweet friends.  She's precious, and helped the kids make necklaces with fingerprints for moms for Christmas.  This is not the same, but it's for her.  It has the pink on the back, and black on the front, kind of 3D! Then I added fruits of the spirit around the scalloped edges.  It's hard to see here, and even harder to photograph!

Shrinky Dinks are for sure one of my favorite new toys!  Anyone can do them, and they are awesome gift tags and charms..ahh, fun.  Ooo..they'd be perfect for a gift!  Maybe I could make them to go in Ethan's gift bags for his party Saturday?  Precious!

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Galations 5:22²³