Diana's Scrapbook :)

Okay, so here is the latest scrapbook I did for Diana! I told Diana tonight when I gave it to her not to think I was going to scrapbook any other events! I have several more that I need to work on. I am working on one for my dad (was suppose to be his birthday present-from April), and I have also been working on one for Janice and Preston, with picture of Ronnie and our memories. I also have been working on my grandma's scrapbook again--I will try to post picts of it soon. Hope you enjoy! You can click on the pictures to see them closer up if you want. :)

A few more picts of the paving project!

So, Paul wanted me to take a picture of the last area that needed to be paved--he will finish tomorrow! YEAH!!!!! This is the space behind the hot tub. He is going to have to merge two projects into one. :(

The walkway through the gate that leads to the driveway.
The plants that I will plant in the morning to make our walkway look nice! I bought them for one dollar each at a garage sale today! They will eventually be shrubs that will fill in!
Do you see my strawberries! They are huge and have the sweetest strawberries you have ever tasted! And they will keep having wonderful sweet berries all summer long!
Here is Paul cutting the paving stones. He borrowed this wonderful stone cutter from our friend Dennis! Thanks for buying this Dennis!
Please notice the saw is still cutting and Paul is walking away.
Yes, it is still cutting--you may ask how is this possible....leave it to my husband to figure out a way!
Here are the weights that pull the stone slowly through the cutter. He was able to lay 5 stones while this one was cutting :) He is quite ingenious! :)
Here is Sammy enjoying our paving as well!
Check back later this weekend! I am sure that there will be finished pictures soon!

I stole this blog note!

I have found a number of blogs that are so helpful, so comforting to me, when it comes to diabetes! This post below is from one of those blogs. This Christian mom is an honest, loving, mom who struggles as I struggle. Although, I have not read this book her words inspired me to do so and also inspired me in the way I think about my relationship with Brendan. Thanks Lynnea!

TAKEN FROM: http://jjsdiabetesjourney.blogspot.com/

The name of this book is "for one more day" by Mitch Albom . I don't know a thing about the hype surrounding this book, if there is a hype. Or the author for that matter. I'm completely out of the fiction world as I stated earlier. But I do know this.....the author kept me wanting to read more. I like those kinds of books.

Last night as I finished the book I found myself sobbing. Mainly from these lines from the last page:

"I also believe that parents, if they love you, will hold you up safely, above their swirling waters, and that means you'll never know what they endured........"

I felt and sometimes still feel like I failed J.J. by not protecting him somehow from the "swirling waters" of diabetes.....the turbulent life he will lead because of his diabetes. And yet on the flip side I see and know how happy and "normal" he is---mud pit and all---and I know for now I am sparing him some of the weightiness and heaviness. To some extent I am lifting him up....but I wish it weren't necessary.....I wish it were fully mine to bear.

I know my duty as a parent is to prepare J.J. for the whirlwind and swirling waters by planting his feet firmly on the Rock(Matt. 7:24-25).....so when the winds and storms blow and the floods come he will not drown because he has a firm faith. I'll also protect him with knowledge. Give him all the training and information about diabetes he needs to live life to the fullest.

So with that said.....the book was good.....and thought provoking....but a tear-jerker.

As a complete side note......writing notes for a serious blog post while you're on a treadmill at the gym can be really embarrassing if you start sobbing!!

Another Woot-Off Day :)

Check it out! Woot.com--new "amazing" deals every few minutes all day long. Of course, so far I have not found anything "amazing" to me :)

Recovering from a long day

Yesterday was maybe the longest day I have had in quite a while. Brendan woke up with an over 500 blood sugar and high ketones. After evaluating the situation with Drs, and Nurses over the phone, we realized that Bren's cannula had come out of his skin sometime the night before--meaning that he received no insulin for more than 12 hours. :( After a new set, many manual shots of correction, him laying on the couch feeling horrible all day and being so hungry that he was sure he would die, around 3:30 he finally tested clear with no ketones. He was still in the 300 until bedtime but he started feeling better before dinner. It was so hard to watch him feel so horrible. I know that the pump is a whole new ball game. I keep finding myself doing things like I have done the last year and a half, like waiting to make a correction bolus for a meal, or not correcting at night; when with the pump corrections need to be all the time, whenever he tests and is high. He has no long term insulin on board so he has to receive the constant boluses. We are learning--but for sure we don't understand it yet!

In addition to Bren's stress yesterday I took Ryan in for his "Sensory Integration Evaluation". After spending an hour with an amazing occupational therapist, she assured me that Ryan does need some additional help with coping strategies for his future. She is confident that he is suffering from Sensory Integration Dysfunction. As I understand it this is on the same spectrum as Autism but just on the opposite end. I have much to read and much to learn. She sent me home with two books for Paul and I to read before we start weekly therapy the first week in July. They are listed below if you are interested--some of you have indicated that you are. Something else that goes hand in hand with Sensory Integration Dysfunction is Low Muscle Tone and Strength in the upper body. She feels that Ryan is also dealing with this and will start working on building upper body strength and muscle tone. All this to say that Ryan is going to be fine and is fine, but will be better equipped overall with some help from some weekly occupational therapy. But you know I am not sure if we all wouldn't be better equipped for life with some therapy :) When asked by a friend, "how are you feeling about this?" I answered, "in light of this morning being concerned about my son going to the hospital, this is just another hiccup in life." Ryan is a very functional and normal child from what most people observe. He is very social, very creative, very bright, and he truly enjoys life. I believe that all of this is just going to better equip him to live his life in the best way possible and I am thrilled that we have discovered a way to help him do that! I am sure over the next few weeks that I will have more information and will give all of you more details about what "Sensory Integration Dysfunction" really is. But for now be peaceful and roll with the flow--that is all we can do anyways, isn't it? I am truly glad that God is in control of my life and I don't have to be, and that I can give all of this to time and trust that all will be right!

Off to the library for the beginning of summer library programs :)

Raising a Sensory Smart Child, by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske
The Out-of-Sync Child, Recognizing and coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, by Carol Stock Kranowitz

Pictures of my yard

Paul had just screened an area for new stones and stepped away to get a few more pavers. When he returned the Robin had been there looking for a worm :)
This is the front look to the paving area. Looks really good! I do need to do some edging and clean up but the stones look amazing!


Okay, so here is the deal with this. I bought this at a garage sale for a dollar. I was thinking it would hold plants--although I am not sure how. But now I don't know what to do with it. Any ideas? Someone suggested that it might be an easel :( Not my plan! Please help!

Father's Day

Today was Father's Day! I wanted to share with all of you how grateful I am for my children's father, and my husband. Paul is such a loving and wonderful dad. All three of my children truly adore him. Today he spent much of the day out in the yard throwing around little wooden airplanes with the kids, playing ball, and then watching them play. Right now they are cuddled up together on the couch downstairs watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It is fun to see them enjoy having fun together. I love him so much and have been so blessed to have him for my husband and father to my children!

Diana's Graduation

On Saturday, Jenny and I got to attend Diana's graduation from Chemeketa College. She finished her 2+ year Associate with a degree in Speech Pathology, and will be able to be a Speech Pathologist Assistant in the schools here. This has truly been a challenge for her and her family. She took classes, worked and yet kept up a remarkable home, all with a smile (okay well mostly a smile). I am so proud of her! She looked so proud walking across the stage getting her diploma. I love her so much and was so glad to get to be a part of this glorious day!

This is a picture of her and her mom and dad, husband, son, daughters, daughter-in-law, and grandson!

This is the cute grandson, with his grandma. His name is Jaest.

This may have been my most difficult moment. Diana was completely surprised by her parents coming, and they were so proud of her! Later at dinner, her dad Gerald said to me, "you know Rhonda, we are awful proud of our little girl. She did really good!" I am so glad that they were there to enjoy it with her. She was so thrilled to have them there as well!

This is the two very good friends sharing a hug!

Brendan's Pump

As many of you know, my son Brendan has Type 1 Diabetes. It has been over a year now and he has done so amazingly well. Last Friday he started wearing his insulin pump. This means no more shots for him! It is so amazing and exciting and fun to watch him. :) Yesterday he said to me, "Mom it is almost like I am normal again." I truly want him to feel "normal" again and am so blessed that he does in some way feel that! The pump situation is going extremely well! We have a wonderful RN that is just a phone call away that we check in with a couple of times a day for the next couple of weeks until we get everything figured out. Thanks to everyone that has been so supportive and prayerful through this time. Please keep praying for a cure! Peace.

Good / Bad Day on Field Trips

Jennifer had a wonderful time on her field trip and was so happy to have me there. We did have rain all day, but amazingly enough it was pretty good! A little bit wet at times, but not too bad. The pictures below were taken with my phone and are not very good. Sorry! I didn't want to chance my good camera getting really wet! But they show her playing, eating cotton candy and just having a great time!





Brendan did not fair so well. Although, he did enjoy his day and had a great time at the Pioneer Foster Farm (he wants me to take him there)! There was a bit of an issue with his blood sugar and the way it was handled. They ate lunch 2 hours late and didn't have Bren with the nurse (they were on separate buses)--and needless to say he went low without any glucose or anyone around that knew what to do. My worst nightmare. I have a meeting with the principal tomorrow to discuss ways to make sure this doesn't happen in the future! I think what is hard for me is that my baby is having to deal with this at all. When issues come up I find myself just getting angry--mainly angry with the fact that he has diabetes at all, angry that he has to feel bad, angry that he has to deal with any of it. I know that he will be dealing with situations like today for the rest of his life and that he needs to be able to do so--which by the way he did handle it very well today! I am really proud of him. But you know momma bear instincts come out and take over pretty quickly! I was cool and only cried for the principal! :( The nurses aid and the teacher were very responsive as was Mr. Goerke, the principal. I had a conversation with the ADA group regarding doing some training in August with the staff about Diabetes and what needs to happen with diabetics in all situations, etc... I am also going to go tomorrow with a plan for Mr. Goerke about how field trips and events should be handled in the future with regards to Diabetics. There are 2 diabetic kids at Bren's school this year and they will both be there for one more year--but Mr. Goerke wants to have a plan in place for long term even after the two have moved on. I really like Mr. Goerke!

Anyways, so after a day with five 1st grade girls (two of which had never been to the zoo) and then having to step into the mama bear role and be stressed about him for an hour and a half while I slowly rode the bus back to the school after the field trip (wondering the whole time how he was and if he was still crying)--I am very ready for my cup of tea, a hot bath, and a soft comfy bed, and the fudge I bought at the zoo!!!

Tomorrow is the last day of school!!! YEAH!!! And also my big 40 birthday--for those of you that could possibly not remember that! :) Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite (I hate that visual, but my momma used to say that to me every night and some how it is comforting!)

Field Trip Day

Well, only two more days of school! I am ready for it to be out for sure! Tomorrow the entire school will be out on field trips. I am going with Jennifer to the zoo. It is suppose to be pouring down rain all day :( You could pray for sunshine. :)

Brendan is going to the Pioneer Farm in Estacada and is a bit nervous because this will be the first field trip without one of us. Pray that all goes well with his numbers tomorrow, as Paul and I will both be about an hour away all day in Beaverton. :(

Paul has a big presentation tomorrow with all the big wigs from all over the nation. He is pretty worked up about it and plans on getting up about 5am to get there plenty early. I will be glad when it is over for him. I am confident that he will do well and that he does not need to be worried, but he will be worried until it is over!

Well, that is about all for me tonight. I am really tired and I think that I actually might head to bed before 8pm. Don't know if that will really happen--but I would love it if it did! Seems like I get used to getting up early about the time for summer and then again get used to sleeping in about the time for fall. :( The getting up early takes much longer to get used to!

The Lord's Prayer

Turning 40 :)

Yes, I know that it is hard for all of you to believe! I will be turning 40 in just a few days. Tonight, Paul and a few of my closest friends got together to have a little (steak, twice baked potatoes, salad, veggie kabobs, watermelon, homemade rolls, wine, daiquiris, cake and ice cream) dinner! Who knew that forty could be so good! I had a wonderful time and enjoyed very much being with friends! Thanks to all of you that were a part of it! I feel very loved and blessed to have wonderful friends to share my birthday with! Here are some lovely pictures for you to enjoy :) And who knew that my honey could pull off something so wonderful! He even cleaned house before (he even dusted!!!). :) Happy Birthday to me!--Don't be too stressed at the pictures, we had a fire extinguisher close by--and yes he did put on 40 candles!

Back Porch is looking cute :)

I got this wicker chair today from my friend and I love the way it looks on my back porch :)

Piano

We picked up our piano last night. A friend at church made a deal too good to turn away! :) This is a keyboard, but it has most of the advantages of a real piano! We are thrilled to have it.

Porch and Flower bed :)

Here are a few pictures of the paving stone area and the painted stones mixed in. :)

This is my front overgrown flowerbed--and it is not even done blooming yet :) It is colorful though!


These are my recent garage sale patio decoration finds :) I am going pot plants in them and around them etc... and cover my back new area!






The project is coming along! Hopefully, next weekend!