Camp - Day 1 - Butterflies

Remeber me talking about summer camp?  This is something that I have done since Christopher was a little.  I just didn't have the energy to pull it off this year.  I'm needing to work on Christopher's transcripts and do planning for everyone for the upcoming school year.  I'm also working on organizing some things for our FIAR group including starting a couple of new things.  All of these have left me feeling like I just couldn't do camp this year.  Well, guess what?  Rebecca decided that she wanted to host a camp this year!  :-)

She selected 5 topics and will be doing 5 stand alone days over the next month.  (If you are local and want to attend one of the camp days, please let us know as you as you are able to.)  The first day was today and the topic was butterflies. 

I tried to get some photos - and my little wiggly assistant helped.  Rebecca started by doing a devotion and then reading a book about butterflies.



She then shared facts with the kids about the life cycle of the butterfly.  (She even laminated them.)





Next the kids went on a scavenger hunt to find things representing the 4 stages of the life cycle.  There was the egg.



The caterpillar.



The chryssalis.  (A gummy worm wrapped in plastic wrap.)



And the butterfly.



The children each had a small bag with the life cycle on the front it in which to put the things that they found. 



Next was snack time.  I didn't get to the table fast enough!  There was juice, cheese and butterfly shaped crackers and jello in the shape of butterflies and feet (they eat with their feet).



Next they moved to a craft.  They made butterfly feeders.  They used plastic lids, pony beads, yarn and stickers.  They are to hang these in their yard with fruit (can pour orange juice on it) to attract butterflies.  It is suggested that this be away from the house so as not to attract ants.











AFter watching everyone showing what was in their hands, Eliana thought she needed a photo of that too.



Next was a quiz about butterflies.  Rebecca handed each child two pictures of one half of a butterfly.  On the back of fhe picture was an answer.  She had the other half with a question on it.  When she asked the question, they answered if they had the correct answer.  This was checked by seeing if the butterfly halves matched.





The children had some free play and then watched a Magic School Bus movie on butterflies.  It was a fun day - and a lot of work.  When it was over, one of Rebecca's comments was that it was a lot easier when the moms ran the camp. 

This is a great experience for Rebecca.  I'm proud of  her for taking it on.  I know that she will learn new skills and be a better leader from doing this.  I'm thankful for our sweet friends that are willing to give her a chance to do this too.  Next camp day will be next week. 

Hope you were able to have fun on this hot, hot day (at least here in NC).  More later on the rest of the day.  For now though, I need to get some sleep.

Blessings

Leslie

A Warm Day on the Eno

We are trying something new with our homeschool group this year.  We typically take a break for the summer.  People are travelling and busy with different things.  I thought it would be fun though to just have some fun play times for the kids - and time to connect and talk for the Moms.  So we are planning a few (1 or 2 a month) fun outings through the summer.

Today we met at Few's Ford on the Eno River.  This is a lovely spot at which one of our co-ops was held and it was so much fun!  We had wondered if the weather would be too much - forecasts for temps close to 100.  The morning started off pleasant and it did get hot, but it was still a blast!



The kids played in the water.  That's it.  I brought no toys and they were completely happy.  There is so much to do in the water!

You can build a small pool.



Hang out with friends.



Slide down a water slide (rocks) and then float/swim down the river.  Can you see the girls in the distance?  There is a small waterfall slide over the rocks leading into the deeper pool.





Daniel didn't hang out in the water as much as the others.  He was content to be with his sweet friend Miss Lynn.  They have a special connection, those two.



Where there is water, there is often mud.  I think Eliana found a lot of it!  LOL  (For reference, her pants are white with pink and green flowers.  The white you do see is her ready-to-explode diaper.)



She had a blast!  She loved hanging out with her buddy!  Aren't they cute?!







We stayed for about 3.5 hours - much longer than I had planned on staying.  Joshua's numbers still aren't where they should be and I thought we'd be heading home early because of it.  Everyone (including me) though was having so much fun that we stayed.  It was a time of sweet memories for all of us.

About Joshua, I talked with his endo again today and sent in his numbers.  She wants me to start checking his rates through the night so we can see what is happening.  He needs to do this by having nothing to eat after dinner and having a good number before going to bed.  His number was not in range tonight, so no extra pokes tonight.  Hopefully we can get to that soon.  I know his numbers need to be adjusted so he can get back to having good healthy numbers.

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement for Joshua.

Hugs to you,

Leslie

Beach

So many pictures. How do you choose?  Eliana is a helper when I'm trying to take pictures.  She wants to make sure that people are looking at me and saying "cheese".  She will place her hands on your face and turn it to the camera just to be sure you are cooperating.



I've tried to narrow it down, but here are a few from our week.  We had beautiful weather for the most part and also VERY HOT!  It was nice to be in the water!  I loved spending time with my family and am so thankful we have this week each year to vacation together in the summer. 

Building sandcastles ... small ones





and large ones.



You have to haul a lot of water to get the sand just right for a good castle (like the one above).



Sometimes it's just fun to watch the artist at work!



Playing in the surf.  The boogie boards are always a hit.



It's even more fun when you can find someone to pull you because then you go really fast!





And sometimes you just stand still.



There are shells to find - always beautiful shells.



Finding your shadow.  This really tickled me to watch her doing this!





When it gets too hot, you can find some relief in the shade.



Or in the pool.



The girls always have fun together!



There is nothing like having brothers to play with!





Brothers and sisters.



Eliana still thinks that sand tastes fine.  Yuck!  She ate a lot less than last year though, so here's hoping maybe next time she will think it is yuck too!



Some days all that playing on the beach just wears you out!



We'd often go out at night and play on the beach.  Volleyball was a big hit this year.  Eliana was just happy to be back in the sand and water.



***If you haven't yet looked, please check-out my scrapbook giveaway.  Details are HERE!

Thank you for all of you that left sweet comments and also for those who are praying for Joshua.  His numbers are better today.  Not where they should be, but much better.  I'm hoping we are on the right path. 

Hope you are having a great week!

Blessings

Leslie

One year ... a different kind of anniversary

And not one that we will be celebrating.  I wonder if anyone other than me will even remember this date.  One year ago today, our world was changed in ways that I couldn't have anticipated.  Joshua was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  This photo was as we entered the hospital.



I didn't know much about Type 1 prior to this date.  I had suspected that he had this disease as it fit the symptoms he was displaying.  It became very clear while we were on vacation that something was just not right.  Here are some of the common symptoms  that Joshua displayed. 

*frequent urination (sometimes every 15 minutes)

*excessive hunger - food is not getting through so they are literally starving

*mood swings - I really only noticed this in hindsight.   I've heard this from a lot of others too!

Those are the biggest ones.  He didn't feel well.  He threw up one night at the beach (too much sugar at his brother's birthday party).  I called the doctor while we were at the beach and made an appointment for the following Monday asking them to check for diabetes.  I was concerned, but truly had no idea.  I had no idea how hard this would be.  A friend told me the same thing after visiting.  She told me that she heard what life was like, but really had no idea how much time and energy it took to deal with it. 

More than 90% of diabetics are Type 2.  Most of the information that people have or know about diabetes is true for Type 2.  Yes, there are some similarities, but there are many differences.  Type 1 used to be called Juvenile Diabetes.  Sometimes I wish it still were as it distinguishes the two kinds a bit more.  Here are some facts about Type 1.

*Type 1 does not occur because of anything you have done.  It is an autoimmune disease.  Something goes wrong in the body and it starts attacking the pancreas.  Usually by the time of symptoms, there has been damage to this organ.  Eventually it will stop working altogether.

*In order to live, a person with Type 1 needs insulin.  This is not a crutch, but is giving the body what it needs to be able to function.  Left untreated, a person with Type 1 will die.  It still happens - even in our country.

*In the early part of the disease, most people have a "honeymoon".  What a name.  This means that the body is still producing some insulin.  The needs for insulin during the honeymoon period are small and some may not need it at all.    Joshua is still in this period.

Though the last few days have given me reason to wonder if he may be coming to the end of that period.  I expected our time at the beach to have more lows.  When we were there last fall, it happened often.  There weren't as many this time and maybe being on the pump helped.  What I started seeing though were unexplained highs - mostly in the mid-morning.  We could typically get him back down though.

On Saturday, the day we left the beach, we tested mid-morning and saw something we had never seen before.  No number on his meter.  Just words.  High Glucose.  His number was over 600!  Just like when he was diagnosed.  I have no idea how this happened.  :(  We fought most of the afternoon to get his numbers back down to normal.  I seriously thought we might be headed back to the hospital.  I'm thankful we didn't have to.

Yesterday, he again had a high mid-morning number.  Then two hours later.  He was 47!  Not good.  It also makes me wonder what is going on with him.  I talked with an endo and we have a plan for the next couple of days.  I'm trying to troubleshoot and figure out where there might be a problem.  As someone said, it could be so many things ... hormones, activity level, stress, foods, phase of the moon, change in tides, etc.  (Just kidding about the moon - it is just an expression that sometimes it just can't be figured out.)

Would you pray for wisdom for us as we try to sort out how to handle all of this?  The plans I was to try are not working and I'm calling our endocrinologist first thing in the morning.  I had to give him a shot tonight.  He didn't say anything, but wasn't thrilled about it.  I asked him later how it was and he told me it hurt.  I hate hurting my kids.  I know that he would hurt much worse without it though.  I'm just ready to get him back in a good place with his numbers.  It really affects him to have such bad high numbers and I know too that it can affect his health.

So, as we mark a year of diabetes, what can I find to be thankful for?  I know I'm to consider it all joy when I face trials.  (Isn't it harder though when the trial is that of a child?) 

I'm thankful that his disease was caught early. 

I'm thankful that none of his lows have put him in a coma.  (Something he heard a medical person say one time and still scares him.)

I'm thankful for the excellent care he has received!

I'm thankful that with insulin he can live and do most things that he wants to do!

I'm thankful for the pump which has given him *and* me a lot more freedom.

I'm thankful for JDRF and the advances that are continually being made.  We do hope that one day there will be a cure!

I'm thankful that God can use this to help us be more sensitive to others.  To be more understanding of physical difficulties.

I'm thankful that we are all having to learn to eat in more healthy ways.  Still something that we need to work on!

I'm thankful for a brave little boy who has learned to deal with far more than any little boy should have to. 

I'm thankful that we serve a loving God.

I'm thankful that one day his body will be healed!

I'm thankful for this amazing little boy.



Blessings

Leslie