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

Happy Birthday Daniel!!!

I can't believe you are already 6 years old!  It really can't be, can it?  Growing up, but still so young.  Still my little boy. 



There are so many things about you that I love.  You have a sense of style and direction.  You are comfortable being who you are and I hope and pray that will never change.  I pray that you will seek the approval on the One who made you and not the others around you.  I pray that you will have relationships that point you to God who made you for His own purposes.



I enjoy watching you in nature.  You like to examing things and search out interesting finds.  I see this especially at the beach where you seek for your favorite things - shells.  You love the intricate designs and have learned the names of the ones we find most often on our visits to the SC beaches.  (Yes, we live in NC, but I've been going to the SC beaches almost my whole life.)  I enjoy sharing your finds with you.  I pray that you will always seek to learn more about the beauty around you.  Mostly I pray that you will seek God - for when you do this, you will find Him.



I love your smile and your sense of humor.  You often make me laugh.  I pray that you will always have a cheerful heart.



I love that you still like to hold my hand and snuggle with me.  It brings me such delight to just be with you.  I pray that you will always know how much I love you and that our relationship will grow and deepen as the years pass.  I need a recent picture of the two of us together!  I'm behind the camera most of the time and a picture of us is missing.  I'm writing this hoping it will prompt me to change that this week!

We celebrated Daniel's birthday at the beach again this year.  It has been fun to have a party with family.  He picked out the cake.  We had them write Happy Birthday Daniel on it.  He then decorated it the way he wanted, with pirate figures.



We also celebrated again today.  He picked all of his favorite foods to eat today.  Waffles for breakfast.  (It's in the shape of a 6, but hard to tell due to all of the whipped cream!  lol)



For lunch he chose pizza and chocolate gummy cups.



We went to the pool for the afternoon and one of his sweet friends gave him new pool toys.  The 3 water guns were a huge hit with all of the boys!



Home for ice cream and *another* cake!  (Rebecca has done all of the cooking up to this point too!!!)  This cake is a drum.  Daniel found the picture many months ago and has wanted this cake ever since!





We had tacos for supper.  (What a long way we've come in the last 3 years!)  He ate off of the red "You are Special" plate and we went around the table and took turns saying things we loved about Daniel.  He liked hearing what everyone had to say.  We need to do this more often.  Playing ball outside to round off the night.  Oh yes, he opened some presents too.  He really loves opening presents!  It was a fun day. 

Daniel, I thank God for blessing our family with you!  We are a better family because of you!  Happy Birthday sweet Daniel. 

I love you!

Mommy

Guess where we've been?

Our limited internet was due to being at the beach.  It was a lovely week! 



Our condo had no connection.  I was able to go to the lobby area twice to connect, but it wasn't easy or really what I wanted to spend my time doing during our vacation, kwim?  We spent a fabulous week with my family - my Mom and Dad and my sister and her family.  We've done a week long vacation for the last 4 years and it's a great tradition.  One I hope we'll keep going for many, many more!  I treasure this time together and know the children love it too!

I have a lot of photos to go through, so this will probably come in pieces.  Here's the youngest set.  We didn't have any formal or group photos done this year.  We should probably try that next year. 



We saw some amazing examples of God's handiwork while we were at the beach.  While walking on the beach one day, we saw a crowd gathered.  As we got closer, we were able to see that they were all staring at the ground.  A man had dug a small pool and had placed 2 rays in there that he had caught.



When we got onto the pier, we had more things to see.  First, were lots of jellyfish!  It was hard to get a good photo due to the movement of the waves. 



Next was a fun surprise.  We saw something I've never seen in all my years of going to the beach (this same beach!).  We saw a sea turtle!  Isn't he neat.  He surfaced very briefly and then dove back down to a depth where he couldn't be seen.



I was thankful that sharks didn't make the list of things we saw.  We also saw crabs and small fish.  The kids had fun catching them and then releasing them.



One afternoon, Isaiah came yelling as he entered the condo that there were tornados and that I needed to come look.  When we went out onto the balcony, we saw "wind tunnels".  I'm not sure what these are called and they did look like small tornados.  It was wild seeing the water spray where they hit the ocean.  There were up to 3 at a time in the ocean - though one bigger than the rest.  Here are some photos which don't look nearly as neat as it was too see them!





There are some highlights of some of the wonders we saw.  The ocean is such a beautiful place to see examples of God's work.  Honestly though, His work is all around me - each day.  More than the wonders of the sea are the people He has made in His very image.  Now that, is amazing.

God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10

Blessings

Leslie

P.S.  Please check out the blog giveaway I've posted below for beautiful Tonya.  Please let me know if you post about this giveaway on your blog or FB as you'll get an entry for that too!  Thanks!

Scrapbook Giveaway for Tonya

For those of you who have known me (here or IRL for at least 6 months), you are familiar with precious Tonya.  She is a beautiful little girl living in an orphanage in Eastern Europe waiting for her forever family to come get her.  I started praying for her in the Fall of 2008.  Rebecca wanted to sponsor a child for her 13th birthday in lieu of getting gifts.  We looked over the pictures and chose Tonya.  She was getting older (3+) and there wasn't a family interested in her (that we knew of). 

Rebecca donated her money and we began to pray for her daily and to support her fund all in hopes of helping her to find a family.  As we did this over many months, we fell in love with this beautiful child.  While I had hoped that she might join our family, this was not to be.  Another precious family has committed to bring her home.  I'm blessed that Nicole (Tonya's mom) and I have gotten to know each other via email.  I'm thrilled to be able to be a small part of her life - and do hope that we'll be able to meet in real life one day! 

The Niemiec family has been working to raise funds to bring Tonya home.  This is a tough and daunting job as the cost of an adoption often costs $24,000 or more.  Will you join me in helping to bring Tonya home?  I know she will thrive and grow as a part of the Niemiec family.  They hope to be travelling soon to get sweet Tonya. 

Here are the rules for the giveaway.  If you would like to donate money to their fund, you can do so in one of two ways - chip-in or check sent in the mail.   

1.  You will be entered into the drawing 1 time for each $5 donation you make.  The minimum donation using chip-in is $10.  If you want to make a donation smaller than $10, please mail a check to the following address:

Reece’s Rainbow

PO Box 4024

Gaithersburg, MD 20885

The reason for this is that the paypal fees for donations under $10 is 30 percent!  We want as much money as possible going to help Tonya and not paid as fees!  If you do mail a check, would you let me know so that I can enter your name in the drawing?  Also please note that it is for Tonya for the Niemiec family

2.  If you share this giveaway on your blog or facebook page, you will get an entry for that too.  Just post a comment here letting me know what you have done that so I can enter your name.

3.  The giveaway will be open until June 30 at midnight! 

Any donation you make is tax deductible!

Now for the giveaway.  I'm going to be giving away TWO handmade scrapbook albums.  All donations will be entered into the drawing for both albums.

FIRST ALBUM - This is a three ring binder with 5 chipboard pages measuring 5.5 x 8.5.  The paper is a great outdoorsy collection with navy, greens and reds.  It is designed as a "counting" book.  You can count anything - birthdays, favorite somethings, Top 10 things you love about someone, the ideas are endless.  If you have others ideas and would like me to post them - please share. 

Here is the cover.  I would be happy to personalize it with whatever words you would like.



The first page in the album.  All of the pages have room for a photo and space for journaling (writing something down).



Following are pictures of the rest of the pages in the album.  If anyone has questions, please post them.  I haven't done anything like this before and could be easily overlooking a lot of details!



These would make great gifts!  I love giving small albums to people (filled with pictures) as a gift from my heart.









SECOND ALBUM - This is an accordian-style album with a front and back cover and six inside pages.  The paper is a cheerful collection of prints in red, garden green and buttercup yellow.

Here is the cover.

This is a view from the top.



Inside pages.





This is the back cover and the two pages on the back side of the album.  Not a great photo, but hopefully you can see a little bit. 



jkljkl

Camping

My internet is limited and low this week.  Will post a few things, but it will be sporadic.  Just a few late photos on a camping outing Memorial Day week-end.  The kids have been eager to go camping and the long week-end provided a great  opportunity for a spotaneous camping trip  - in the back yard.  The kids had a few friends join them in the fun too.  They set up tents.

Eliana didnt go camping this time.  Hopefully next time.  She did like playing in the tent though. 



She did enjoy riding down the hill on our street while the campsite was being made ready. 

She had very little fear of the hill (uh-oh!).  And can you see the grimy face?  Here is a better look.  I'm not sure what she was saying to me as I snapped this photo. 



They told stories and laughed.  It was a fun night! 

Every good camping trip needs a cook-out around the fire.



It was a blast for everyone.  I'm not sure how much sleep they ended up getting though.  Here was the scene in the garage the following afternoon.



My kids have a great Daddy who is willing to do fun things with them!  Thank you Roger!

Next post will hopefully have pictures and details on the giveaway! 

Love
Leslie