Babies, Politics and Cheesecakes

Note to my readers: Mommy is in no way endorsing any candidates, at the moment, for the Alabama Governor race. Also, this entry is written from the perspective of Samantha Grace.

Last night, our family experienced something new for the first time from a first person perspective...politics. We have always been heavily involved in politics. I don't think we ever get together with fellow family members/friends without talking politics, especially Daddy & Grandbo. Well, as many of you know Alabama is coming up on a HUGE political race that is very important, not only for our state, but for our nation as well. We are getting ready to elect a new governor! (So if you are 17 years older than me you qualify to vote, so exercise your right!) .



So after receiving an invitation to meet one of the republican candidates, Daddy and Mommy couldn't resist the opportunity. Despite the fact that I was comfortable in my cotton "My Dad's a Hunk" t-shirt and comfy lounge pants, Mommy insisted that I change into a fancy, linen dress. Just in case I forgot who I was, Mommy had my initials not only on my dress but also monogrammed on my fancy panties. The car ride was a blast because Mommy sat in the back seat with me, we boogied to Veggie Tales (after telling Daddy to turn off talk radio), and I got to eat grapes and Goldfish.

I didn't think it could get any better until we arrived...My friend Alli Beth was there too! When we walked into Mr. Mark and Mrs. Eegee's house, I was a bit overwhelmed I have to say for all the new faces, but I due have to admit that I quickly warmed up and made myself at home. Mommy let me stroll around until the "big man", Mr. Tim James, decided it was his turn to steal the spotlight. Then before I knew it...Mr. James had scooped me up. 'HOT DOG!' I thought. Front row seat! (I even offered him my cheese cracker.) After he spoke some really big things that I didn't understand, he let me go.

Mommy told me later that it reminded her of the times that she has seen presidential candidates carrying other people's babies. Oh, well, I thought it was great! After that I decided to go exploring and found the perfect rocking chair in Mrs. Eegee's sitting room! I loved it because it was just my size. I also discovered another Alabama delicacy...Pecans! I loved them, especially the salty ones.

Needless to say I was dog tired when we returned home. Mommy said I fell asleep on the way home, but I think she was telling a fib. (Mommy note: She did fall dead asleep!) I did have some trouble going to bed last night because I am cutting teeth and other things but Mommy rocked me to sleep with ease!



Since last night was so exciting and entertaining, I was glad to have a relaxing morning at Cecile's house. I took a great nap this morning and helped around the house. I even helped Cecile vacuum and learned a new phrase to say, "Mama bye-bye."

After we enjoyed a yummy lunch from Dirk's (the cornbread and BBQ chicken is great!), Mommy and Cecile decided to travel to a new store to Mommy. While we were there, Mommy and Cecile didn't notice that I had "snatched" a baby doll with its own bed off of the shelf until later on in the store. I had to take the baby...she needed some hugs and love. Mommy told me that I could only hold it as we walked through the store. (Honestly, I was so bored because Mommy and Cecile kept looking at all these things that I couldn't touch!)

As we got ready to leave, Mommy bent down to take the baby from me, but Cecile saved the baby...Yep, you got it! I got to bring the baby home with me. Mommy fixed her bed. I even put her down for a nap before I went to take in some ZZZZs of my own. Her picture is below. I haven't named her yet, so if you have any suggestions I would love to have them! Mommy even said that if we pick your suggestion she will make you a homemade cheesecake of your choice! (If I were you I wouldn't pass this up!)



Well, it is time for me to put my tired fingers to rest now. This typing thing wears me out. I hope you all are having good week thus far. Mommy is going to finish up with some prayer request.

MOMMY'S REQUESTS
Thank you Samantha Grace for giving Mommy's writing brain a break for today! I hope that you all enjoyed our life from the perspective of our 1-year-old. I do ask that you continue to pray for stabilization. This is probably #1 on our request line for we have been on a wild roller coaster ride for the past week and continue. Next, prayers for wisdom for the doctors as they look at all our elements of our case day-in-and-day-out. I also ask that you pray for the continual good health and growth of our new friend Ruthie Grace and her Mommy. Thanks again for your continual support and prayers!

Somethings Are Overrated

This morning Samantha Grace woke up in a very vivacious mood. She has been constantly on the go from the first minute. And as it is with most 1 year olds, she does not stay focused on one thing for very long.

After a morning shower, she decided that clothes were not her thing for today. (Mommy had another idea later on for her.) So SG gladly paraded around the house without any added shame. What we can ALL learn from a one-year-old?! I later found her peacefully sitting on her bench in her room "looking out the window". Side note: If you notice the blinds are closed in the picture, but that does not inhibit her imagination.


Backing up a bit, last night SG and I had a mother/daughter night at home while Daddy was at work. Mommy enjoyed SG's extra long afternoon nap allowing some "honey-do" things to be completed, hold extra long, uninterrupted phone conversations, and even make some extra moist brownies! But I think the best time we had was the spaghetti throwing dinner, "Hercules" soundtrack dancing, and the piano tune banging. (Boy! Does SG have rhythm?!)

Return to Monday, after finally agreeing to clothing herself for the day, SG re-discovered one of her new favorite items to play with in the pantry...coffee filters. You see, Mommy was gifted a "new" coffee maker from SG's godmother because she got a real new one but it used different filters from the one Mommy originally had at home. So Mommy sent the coffee maker to Mimi and Grandbo's house to insure she and great-granddad would always have a cup of coffee in the morning when visiting. Anyways, some of the "old" filters are still here and they are SG's new favorite thing to take out of the pantry and crumple. Evidence is presented below...


I sign-off for now with SG's signature trademark. Thought: It could be something like Carol Burnett's ear tug.

WHD

Welcome Home Daddy Day (WHD) is in full swing at our house today. We were so excited to see our Daddy come home late last night after being away for a while!

SG and I allow Daddy some RR time early on this morning due to his late arrival. We enjoyed a mother/daughter trip to our local farmers' markets. We bought some delicious fruits and vegetables. SG was so excited about seeing the blueberries that I thought I was going to have to wash them right then and there. She could spot them a mile away at each stand!

Samantha Grace has enjoyed helping unpacking Daddy's suitcase and even putting things back into the suitcase. A couple of times she even tried to pull (it rolls) the suitcase through the house. It was hilarious!

We have been having a blast today being all 3 of us again! After the heat calms itself down we will be dunking ourselves in the pool this evening again! SG and I had a lovely time in the pool last night and enjoyed a very nice dinner with friends. Overall, though last week was lots of fun for all of us, I truly believe we are all glad to be back in our own "routine".

Looking forward to celebrating another special day...whenever I can think of a reason!

We Have Confirmation

After a much needed break away, I returned last night to find out that Samantha Grace definitely confirmed Dr.M's diagnosis. A viral infection has planted itself, once again, in her little body. She threw-up all her dinner and then some last night.

Her blood sugars ran high through the night with intervention. She was somewhat high this morning but nothing to constitute any extra insulin.

I felt all of your prayers last night, for after the 2AM check I slept like a baby, which I have not done in some time. I feel much more refreshed and renewed today.

I know, ultimately, God has great and wonderful things planned for our entire family. However, in the midst of all these bumps in the road, as we all know, it is sometimes hard to see those bright moments.

Samantha Grace and I are looking forward to seeing our Daddy tonight! He and his "crew" will be returning home from Orlando late tonight. We look forward to family time tomorrow and, hopefully, lots of splashing in the pool!

For the time being, SG is getting much needed rest as I write this morning. We will be transition back to the Duke house this afternoon sometime after spending a wonderful two days with her Godparents! SG has thoroughly enjoyed herself...she even learned a how to help with a few more chores.


(I will say that she is not for hire.)

Lastly, the photo below was taken several weeks ago, but it is one that I have been meaning to get posted.

All that I Can Say

I often have people who read our blog come up to me and tell me that they will come to our site just to listen to the music. Well, today I did just that...came to listen. When I began to listen the song "All that I Can Say" began to play and I broke.

All that I Can Say...

I just got off the phone with sweet Christy and after talking and her listening...I now sob. It has been probably the most frustrating and grueling mental days since leaving the hospital. Much to which I attribute I don't have my strong hold, Josh, standing by my side.

All that I Can Say...

When I went to the pharmacy today to pick up Samantha Grace's "special" insulin, I just felt like crumbling when the pharmacist told me the amount. I couldn't take one more "blow" this week. I thought to myself that a trip to Birmingham might have been cheaper than the amount I was shelling out and somewhat renewing.

I know many of you comment on how strong I am in dealing with this disease and my little angel. But I have to come out and tell you that I am quickly falling from my strong tower. I so want to scream from the mountain tops, raise my arms and ask God for the road map in this journey.

All that I Can Say...

On a brighter note, I am making progress in putting Montgomery back on the map with the fundraising aspect of diabetic research. I received the paper work this week to get my Juvenile Diabetes Run/Walk together thanks to my sweet friend Lisa. I am now trying to think of a creative name for the event. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

All that I Can Say...

I thank Samantha Grace's godmother and godfather for truly stepping up this week. You guys are such amazing people and some our true anchors! Thanks for everything!

All that I Can Say...

I continue to ask for your prayers for SG. What a lot of people don't realize is that these rough days can and do have prolonged effects on her body. I also continue to ask for prayers for Josh's group in Orlando. (They will be home tomorrow!)

For now that is All that I Can Say...So Stop and Listen...

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's....

Another virus...Yep, you got it! SG and I spent part of our morning at our favorite spot...the doctor. We all, Dr. M included, wanted to make sure there wasn't some underlying factor that might be causing all of her high levels or more like wild roller coaster ride.

After evaluating everything, including a strep test, we came to the conclusion that we probably have an underlying virus that is playing with our sugars and giving us an irritated throat. Few! This actually brings relief to my mind to some extent. At least I know that it might actually be something.

Hopefully today we will be returning to our "special" insulin. We will once again be going through a transition period. So we ask for smooth sailing because we will be giving new amounts per Dr. A's orders on Monday after I broke the bottle.

SG and I will be chillin' at home and/or with friends today and having a pretty low-key day. We will hopefully, blood sugar numbers and weather permitting, be going swimming sometime this weekend with Ruthie Grace! Thanks to all the prayers for SG. We are still pretty crazy right now number wise, so a prayer of stability is still #1!

I May Never Walk on Water

I may never walk on water,
but I'll never drown.
God may never part the oceans,
but I'll stand my ground
My faith in not in my beliefs
but in the One I've found.
His word is sure,
when I am not
His heart and mine are bound.

This short poem is from Beth Moore's book Further Still. It is so fitting for the past 2 days that I have been walking through. Thus the reason for such a long delay in posting anything.

Following the morning posts on Monday morning, I have felt as if Satan has been one step in front of me testing my mental, physical and spiritual strength. I have had the best help over the last few days, but we have hit some pitfalls.

Following Samantha Grace's lunch dosage of insulin on Monday, I gracefully knocked the new bottle of "special" insulin off the table and sent it crashing onto my tile floor. As the smell (not pleasant at all) began to permeate my kitchen, my mind began a marathon race of how I was going to get this filled again considering we just had it filled in Birmingham last Thursday.

I quickly called one of our local hospitals because we had been told that these hospitals would fill it; however, I was quickly denied because we were not a patient. Pacing like a lion about to be fed a huge juicy steak, I called Children's Hospital and requested a refill to be shipped overnight and offering to pay any amount to have it shipped. The words came back again...DENIED!

I was told that I basically needed to run an obstacle course in order to get a medication that my child needed by that night. The insurance company was making me basically walk a tight rope in order to find a pharmacy in our town instead of trying to be helpful in maybe giving me a list of possible pharmacies. Then I was told that the first day I could fill the medication would be Wednesday...

After finally finding a pharmacy to fill it (it basically took finding a needle in a haystack), I spoke with SG's nurses/doctors in B-ham to get their directions for the time being. They directed us to return to our old insulin until Thursday...thus brings us up to Tuesday.

Tuesday morning started pretty normal. Then came lunch!? SG's blood sugar spiked to 480 prior to lunch. We were able to finally, after 6 hours, get it down to 315. Then, I guess based on the high numbers, she refused to eat a full supper. Therefore, our bedtime reading was normal at 104. However, it only lasted two hours to be awoken at 10:30 to a reading of 356. After getting her calmed down and diaper changed (soaked to the bone bringing back not so good memories), I went to bed shortly there after knowing I needed to get back up in a couple of hours to re-test.

Unfortunately, she woke me before my alarm went off with a blood curdling scream. Bloodshot eyes I meander into the kitchen and zombie-like walk through the steps, wash hands, load needle, load test strips, prick, test...398! I couldn't believe my eyes. I even turned on SG's bedroom light to make sure I was reading it correctly. I quickly walked, with her in arm, to the kitchen. Grabbed the insulin and brought some relief to our little angel. She slept the rest of the night soundly.

This morning she woke with a blood sugar at the lowest it has been all day 201. The rest of the day we have flirted high. The doctors don't want to do anything because we will be returning to the other insulin tomorrow. So this leaves me frustrated beyond belief. Not to mention I have had to iron out other issues with SG's diabetes this week that have brought on more stress.

I just thank so much, again, my friends/family for all their support this week. Wow! You guys truly are more rocks and support. Poor Daddy feels so helpless right now because he is out of town this week, but I completely feel his prayers.

We ask that you continue to pray that this medicine would eventually take hold before tomorrow and we change AGAIN! I also ask that you pray for our congressmen and senators because with these recent issues the ideas of the recent health care plan truly do scare us as parents of a child who needs much medical attention. Plus we have very close friends whom this would effect as well.

I apologize for the length of this post but these are the true events of the week so far. Like Beth Moore said,
His word is sure,
when I am not
His heart and mine are bound.

Do You Think We're Ready?

So I couldn't resist...


Sadly it didn't last long, so I think we will wait for another day.

A Day Late and a Few ...

Dollars short...well, not really. I had all good intentions to write yesterday with it being Father's Day and all, but I took full advantage of SG & Daddy nap time to go restock the Mother's Cupboard. But here are the thoughts that ran races around my mind yesterday...

On the note of Father's Day:
I could not express enough of how much SG and I are thankful for our Daddy. He is such a self-less person with extreme amounts of patience. Daddy brings enormous laughter to our days. He is our great spiritual tour guide through all the valleys and mountaintops that we face every day. From a Mommy stand point, he has helped beyond so many measurable points with so many obstacles that Mommy has faced in the past 5 years. We could not have asked for a better Daddy! Happy Belated Father's Day!

P.S. Ask Daddy to show you his snazzy new pants and shirt that we gave him!

Speaking of Daddy, today we shipped him off with 52 of his closest 7th & 8th grade friends to Orlando for a week. SG and I are hangin' out with some friends this week. Looking forward to a cool and FREE trip to the Art Museum today. (Pictures to come tonight.) We will also be doing some "honey do" items to help around the house. SG & I are so thankful that Daddy was able to "fix" the AC unit last night. We thought it had gone to AC heaven but a sweet lady helped Daddy work out the problem.

SG has been doing pretty good with her health since the change to the new insulin. She has been a little fussy over the last few days with her shots for some reason. But I praise the Lord for the great appetite that Samantha Grace has been showing the past few days. We still have some lower GI problems with the adjustment to the new meds, but they are very workable.

Mommy wants to thank Missy M. & Missy S. for stopping, listening, and helping her in more ways than can be expressed. Mommy also asks for prayer for an unspoken matter. We are looking forward to hanging out with Ruthie Grace more this week and taking many night-time dips in the swimming pool.

Now off to culture our little minds with Art.

Who's There...

As I mentioned two nights ago, we experienced quite a throw for the worse with Samantha Grace's blood sugar levels with some changes. Thankfully after a phone conference with her doctors and nurses (the ones we deal with on a weekly basis), Mommy and Daddy found out that we had been right all along about her new insulin dosages. So her amounts were changed and overall we have had a good day (only 1 high level so far).

We all thoroughly enjoyed the LAST day of VBS! After singing the last "All Aboard the Boomerang Express", Samantha Grace and I boarded the Hamblin express for lunch and much needed rest (especially for little SG). While visiting, Mommy enjoyed making dinner for baby Ruthie Grace's family, including aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. (Even Ziggy, the Bassett Hound, got to enjoy some of the delectable treats.)

But the cutest thing that happened while at the "Hamblin Express" was that her godmother has taught her to shrug her shoulders and raise her arms in question of "Who's there?" each time the alarm system beeps signaling that someone has entered the house. So now, usually, each time the doorbell rings or a door opens SG with shrug her shoulders and raise her arms like she is trying to ask, "Who's there?" (She'll even, if she is sitting in your lap, look up at you with a question in her eyes.)

Following a much needed nap, SG came home and enjoyed a much needed dinner. Then the excitement didn't stop there. We jumped in the pool at Dr. M and Ruthie Grace's house along with two new friends (Dr. M's niece and nephew). Nephew C got a kick out of SG. Once everyone was out of the pool it was like they were best buds! We all had a blast. Mommy told Daddy that we needed to take SG swimming every night before bed because she went down like an angel last night! (And is still asleep as I type this at 7:45 AM!)

We again thank everyone for their prayers and concerns over the past few days. As we continue to tell each one of you, this is still a learning process, and we are taking each step hour-by-hour. But most importantly we know that God's hand of protection is fully enveloping us every day!

Prayer for SG

As I mentioned in my previous posting today, the doctors in Birmingham made a change to one of Samantha Grace's insulins. Well, the change has already started playing havoc in her little body.

Prior to bedtime tonight in a matter of 20 minutes her blood sugar went form 376 to 440. (The waiting period was caused for a doctor's response in Birmingham.) We ended up giving 3 1/2 units of insulin to bring her back down, hopefully.

I say hopefully because I have to wait 45 more minutes before I can recheck and make sure the medications are doing the trick.

Mommy and Daddy were quickly reminded of the piercing cries and inability to console our little princess. Our prayer is that she will be able to rest peacefully tonight and that the 440 blood sugar level would be the highest it goes tonight. We will call her doctor in the morning to discuss this matter and see what changes should be made.

Thank you, in advance, for your prayers!

Oh! The Changes We Do Have

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

As I have been mentioning in several of our posts our sweet Dr. M was in the process of adopting a little baby. Well, the Lord has truly blessed Dr. M in the entire process. It has been a very quick and amazing thing!

Last Friday we were notified that Dr.M had a little girl, Ruth Gracelyn, in her arms! We were extatic! Yesterday, Samantha Grace and I had the wonderful pleasure of "hanging out" with Ruthie Grace and Mommy. She is a doll! (Pictures to come.) She has so much brown hair and she looks a lot like her grandaddy (I think). I even got the prize award for getting her to burp not once but twice while I was there. (According to her Mommy this is quite an honor because she is not a good burper.)

Along with new friends, we made our first return post-hospital trip to Birmingham today. After surviving Birmingham construction traffic, we safely arrived to our appointment. Samantha Grace was SO relieved to be "rescued" from her car seat.

In triage we found out that we now weigh...wait for it...wait for it...19 pounds! We were very relieved to find out that Dr. L had not ordered any labs for today! Praise the Lord! We had a wonderful conversation with Dr. A (the follow-up doctor) and came up with some new strategies to combat some of her finicky eating habits.

We have now changed to a new short acting insulin that has to be filled at either Children's Hospital or at a Baptist Hospital here in Montgomery. (Can you hear the excitement in my voice?!) We have to continue to check her in the middle of the night because instead of getting 1 full strength amount of insulin at each meal she is getting 1/10th strength. Pretty crazy sounding to Josh and I, but we will see what happens.

We also talked to the insulin pump director. They are really proactive about getting her on a pump by this fall! We were shocked! They strongly believe that this will aid in a big way at bringing some stablization to her numbers. They did tell us that even if we are out of the honeymoon phase that her numbers will continue to roller coaster because of her age. So Josh and I will return in one month to Birmingham for some pre-pump classes to make our decision final.

Today has been a long day, but we are very pleased with everything! Thank you to everyone for your prayers for this day!

Zzzzz's

I apologize to all my daily readers for the absence of a Sunday post. I have to admit that I was just (to borrow a term from a fellow blogger) Tapped Dry from a LONG week.

This past week as I have been mentioning from previous posts, Samantha Grace has been struggling with her appetite. I think from looking back at all her symptoms starting Friday evening until this morning that SG possibly had a stomach virus that resulted in the loss of appetite. On the bright side, I think we are on the downhill, for we have had a pretty "big" appetite in comparison to the other days.

Today was the first day of VBS at our church and due to SG's struggles to keep her blood sugar levels up, I chose to send her to a close friend's house, who is a nurse, instead of coming to church with me. While she was there Nurse B showed her a card that made a loud snoring sound. SG decided to carry the card around repeatedly opening it to hear the snoring and then when she was done with the card she bent over, handed the card to Nurse B and proceeded to make a loud snoring sound. It was hillarious! (I have tried numerous times since then to get her to make the snoring sound but she won't. I think it was "magic" of the card!)

We also are excitedly preparing for a new surprise coming tomorrow...details to come. Along with pictures...

As for now here are some pictures from our recent playdate.

Buckets of Fun

Thanks to the generosity of a wonderful church family we were able to enjoy a fabulous afternoon at the pool! Samantha Grace, once again, showed no fear of the water. She especially took to the water guns that were left for play. Mommy and Daddy were a little disturbed that she would put the front end of the water gun in her mouth and laugh after someone would squirt it into her mouth but it was all in fun!

After all the fun we have had today, I must say, from a Mommy perspective, I am a little worried about SG. Her eating habits have been slowly slacking. She shows no signs of sickness; however, despite decreasing her lunch dosage of insulin to compensate for her lack of eating we could only get her to eat a glass of juice (due to low blood sugars prior to lunch) and 3 - 5 Cheezeits.

She continues to be abounding with energy; however, we are still concerned. It was another struggle tonight at dinner accompanied by a low blood sugar. So I leave this short entry with a huge request of prayer for a return of appetite to SG to help stabilize her blood sugars.

Thanks again to our wonderful "Pool Donors"! (Pictures will be coming soon!)

A Day Full of Hope & Firsts

Today has been a beautiful sun-shiny 90 degree day! Mommy and Daddy were awoken by sweet Samantha Grace (SG: I figured most people knew these initials but I want to clarify for any new readers) at 6:15 AM. This is quite an early time for our little princess considering we usually don't rise from our beauty sleep until 7:00 - 7:15. Poor Daddy tried so hard to get SG back to sleep with some beloved "cuddle" time but SG just was not going to have it this morning. (Yesterday morning they had "cuddle" time for about an before Mommy returned from working out.)SG was much more mesmerized with the fan (she makes circular motions with her arms while pointing to fans), playing with the comforter and climbing all over Daddy's belly to think about "cuddle" time.

So our day had to begin...Mommy decided since SG loved the fountains and sprinklers so much at the Renaissance last weekend that we would try a joint shower this morning to save water and time, mainly time. So SG and Mommy jumped into the shower with such glee but were quickly met with some minor tears. However, once Mommy moved the shower head down (we have one of those hose-like shower heads in her bathroom) much joy was brought to this fine engagement.

After choosing our outfit, knowing we had a much anticipated playdate, we proceeded to empty the entire box of shoes (now a daily thing) to "help" Mommy pick out the perfect pair. We settled on a pair of pink sandals; however, they only lasted until lunch time today. Mommy doesn't think they were really made for walking because they just didn't flex or move very well with SG's feet. They brought about more frustration than anything. But Mommy gives her two thumbs up for putting up with them for as long as she did!

Following our fantabulous (Is that a word?) nap and snack, we packed the car full of goodies and headed over to our new friend's, Hope, house. This little unknown fact was that this was SG's first ever scheduled playdate. We have had several impromptu playdates just because people stopped by for a short visit, but nothing of this nature. Needless to say, WE HAD A BLAST! The girls were such "individuals" at the beginning but as the afternoon progressed became more interactive with one another. SG had a first hand lesson on sharing today too! (Tanya, this was exactly what she needed because she is so spoiled rotten!)

Mommy has to put her "two cents" in on the playdate too. Mommy thinks that this was perfect because she has truly not seen SG walk as much as she did in those few hours during our playdate. SG would pick-up toys and walk for quite some time without falling, including stepping up over the lip of a large carpet. Mommy could not have been prouder also with the way Samantha Grace was so gentle and easy going! (Cecile, she didn't even pull the cat's tail when it was sleeping on the couch!)

With all these exciting things going on today, we have also been having a fabulous day in the medical world. With the reduction in her dinner dosage, we have seen the nights go a lot better thus far as far as the low numbers are considered. We have gone back into a picky eating mode for some strange reason today so I am a little worried but have been trying to "catch-up" in some ways at snack or before naps. I think that if I would let SG live on (right now) Cheeze-Its, peaches/mandarin oranges, cheese, smoothies and milk she would probably be a happy camper. But this will only last for a little while.

Mommy and Samantha Grace would like to send a BIG hug and thanks to Tanya and Hope for inviting us over today! We had a ball and look forward to more playdates in the future! We also thank Lisa for the sweet encouraging letter that we received today and are looking forward to some "splashes" in the near future! Our family is looking forward to a somewhat slow weekend and a lot of quality family time.

We are praying for our One Voice Choir and their safe return home in a few days. We also ask that you continue to pray for our pediatrician and her adoption process. Finally, we ask for pray, again, for SG's upcoming visit to Birmingham that all would go smoothly and minimal pain would be experienced on her end.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
-Psalm 118:24

In Her Shoes

In Her Shoes is one of my favorite "girly" movies. I have to say that I am a strong Cameron Diaz follower when it comes to "Chick Flicks" and I absolutely LOVE shoes. If I could have as many shoes as Cameron's "sister" in the movie had I don't know what I would do besides stand and stare in my closet for minutes on end trying to decide which shoes to wear. Fortunately I do not have this problem; however, I think that Samantha Grace is going to have this problem soon...

Yesterday Samantha Grace added to her ever growing shoe collection with a fancy new pair of New Balance tennis shoes from our sweet friend Peggy. She refused to put on the shoes at the store, but our "Aunt" Phyllis finally got her left foot to relax and SG proudly sported her new shoes!

Side Note:She has a tendency to curl tightly her feet when putting on shoes. I partially blame myself because I haven't pushed the shoe thing until I found out that she has to wear them at school next year.

SG was especially excited when she discovered that her new kicks made a loud sound on hardwood floors. So "Aunt" Phyllis and Cecile sang "If You're Happy and You Know It" over and over (the verse about stomping feet) allowing her to make her shoes bang on the floor. She thought it was a riot!

The funniest thing, though, was watching her try to crawl and walk with her shoes one. She found that crawling Crab Style was the best option. When walking she would, at first, pick up her feet really high. My marching band friends would call this the "high-step march". After a while, I am told, she finally returned to regular steps.

Needless to say, I think that we are finally "off and running" with the whole walking idea. I hope to have some more video with a further walking trip soon.

On Another Note:I had a great conversation with the nurses in Birmingham today. There were not any drastic changes to medications/diet this week. We did lower her evening dose of insulin due to the lack of dinner appetite; however, I think this one is going to come back and bite us because she ate like a horse tonight! You never know!

We all enjoyed a fun evening at Shakespeare Park. Daddy and SG strolled around the park looking at all the variances in duck/goose/swan/chicken species (those of you from Montgomery understand this) and playing in the fountain in front of the theatre. Imagine large bouts of small child's laughter and splashes! I think if Daddy had let her, she would have gone "swimming" in the fountain. Mommy and "Aunt" Carolyn went for a very hot jog around the park enjoying the beautiful day that God had blessed us with today.

Today has been a GREAT day and all credit is given to our Loving Lord!

P.S. Pictures of SG's stylin' shoes will be coming soon! She went to catch some much needed ZZZ's before I could get the pics.

Hot, Hot, Hot

As for most of the south, Montgomery has truly set into summer. (We will have a high of 96 today!) So the temperatures can only be described with one word...HOT...well, o.k. two words, humid and hot.

Since the temperatures rise so quickly, SG and I usually have to do any outside activities either extra early in the morning or later in the evening prior to bed time. So some of our daily activities have changed, especially since that now we have to monitor her even more closely with the heat. So I thought I would give you a little picture of one of SG's new favorite activities.

On Monday we had gone to Target to pick-up a few things. One of the things I needed to pick-up was some touch-up nail polish. Well, as a lot of you know SG is not a sit-still kind of child. So she was bent down with me examining the vast array of colorful bottles that she later discovered make incredible sounds when hit against another hard surface. (Don't worry nothing was broken or damaged by this experiment.)

SG had conveniently picked-up a light pearly pink bottle and kept showing it to me. Upon trying to put it back in its original place, SG met this action with a great protest. I told her that we would not be buying any polish today but maybe later in the week. As we continued to stroll through the store picking up random items, I had a sense of remorse and thought that painting toe nails would be a fun and cool activity. I caved...and went back and bought the pink polish.

When we returned home SG gladly sat on the counter and enjoyed every minute of her "pedicure". Well, the pampering didn't stop on Monday...

Yesterday while I was learning about how Queen Esther was treated to many "beautification" treatments, SG was enjoying her own "beautification" treatment but this time by a professional. Cecile had taken her to the beauty salon with her because she had to get her hair cut, so to help pass the time the nail technician allowed her to sit at her table and paint her toes...again. Man! Her toes are pretty stellar!

SG's toes were painted a pink that is called "Hot, Hot, Hot" so if you ask her what color her toes are she will proudly say "Ha, Ha, Ha". We don't quite have the "t" sound down yet. I told her Daddy that we were training her early to enjoy the pampering.

On another note...Several people have been asking how we have been doing on the medical end. Samantha Grace has been hanging pretty steady with blood sugar levels, although we have been consistent on the high side during the day. She is still having some troubles eating, especially at dinner that results in lows before bed. However, I think this too can be easily overcome. She just wants to play so much harder at night time and outside.

Her Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease has pretty much diminished. She has a few blisters left on her body but for the most part everything is gone. We are just so pleased that it didn't get as bad as it could have.

We will be returning to Birmingham in a week for our first follow-up appointment. I will be curious to get her lab results. (HUGE Prayer request because Samantha Grace is not a fan of labs.) There will be one test called the A1C that they will do. This shows how the glucose gathers around the blood cells. The last time we scored an 11.7 which is very bad. We are hoping for at least an 8 or 9 this time, which shows Samantha Grace is showing improvement on her blood sugar levels.

Joshua and I will also be attending more education classes. This will also be a time for us to get a lot of our looming questions answered. So the day will be filled with lots of fun, learning and family time!

For the time being, SG and I will be enjoying time at the pool, reading books and many pedicures.

And there were in the fields...

Were a multitude of heavenly hosts. Okay...so only 4 Heavenly Hosts of descended upon my living room, but the are the most beautiful angels. Here is the finished painting that a friend of ours did for us. Again if you are interested in the painter and getting one for yourself feel free to e-mail me.

Finally!

O.K. So it has been exactly a week since I promised this video. I finally got it to load properly; however, you will have to tilt your head or turn your computer screen to get it turned in the right direction. I hope Samantha Grace inspires you to raise your spirit fingers today! Happy viewing!

1 Month...

We measure so much in time. Whether it be in seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years, etc. we put a lot of our day dependent upon time. I am a complete type-A personality. My husband has to "calm" me down a lot because I am a non-stop person, very goal oriented. If I make a to-do list then it has to be done or I don't feel like it has been a successful day. Time is a huge manager of my day!

Today we are measuring in several units around our house. Some of the abbreviations you might see written on various things around the house are CC, Units, mg/dL, g, oz., carbs, calories, minutes/seconds, AM, PM. So many things to measure...But today we will remember it in months.

1 month ago today...
- Mommy got a new part-time job as the assistant director at SG's preschool.
- Mommy took SG to see Dr.M upon the doctor's request.
- Dr.MH took excellent care of SG at Baptist South's ER.
- SG weighed 16 lbs. (Today she weighs 18lbs. 9oz.!)
- SG "blew" out 3 blood glucose meters until finally measuring 914 mg/dL.
- SG took her first and, hopefully, only Life Flight ride to Birmingham
Children's Hospital.
- Mommy and Daddy made it to Birmingham in record time to comfort SG in the PICU.
- Children's Hospital confirmed a diagnosis of Type I diabetes and took amazing care of SG for the next 6 days!

These are memories, numbers and measurements of which some of us never want to see again. Yet it causes us to pause and remember that God knew that Samantha Grace had much more to do here on Earth. It also makes Mommy and Daddy realize the long road ahead of us and to reflect on our "new" life.

I have taken a very strong stance with a new friend with plans of becoming very active in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation . As a lot of my readers can already imagine, I am working on bringing back the JDRF Walk; however, I have plans of adding a 5K run to the mix. Bet you couldn't guess. So if you have a business or company and feel compelled to sponsor the future JDRF Run/Walk please feel free to e-mail me. (I thank, in advance, all of our sponsors and my running set-up crew!)

At this key point in our journey, I, again, thank everyone for their countless prayers. God is so good!

Don't Cry Over Spilt Peaches

We are slowly returning to our "normal" routine. We have now gone over 48 hours without a fever! Spirit fingers inserted here! We rejoice over the fever diminishing because this is one thing that can really play havoc on SG's blood sugars.

Speaking of blood sugars...With the continual healing of her hand-foot-mouth disease is the slow return of her never ending appetite. Last night I felt like she couldn't get enough to eat, which resulted in a 400 blood sugar level at midnight. (I also have to mention that prior to dinner we had a 364 level that was corrected however we continued to give her a 1/2 dose of insulin because we thought she was still going to be picky over eating based on lunch.) So after giving an extra (correctional) dose of insulin at midnight and getting her to settle back down around 1:00 AM, we decided to return to our normal doses of insulin today. Which of course did somewhat get us because SG once again was picky at breakfast today and would only eat smooth, chilly things for breakfast.

Fortunately, the picky eating and a refusal of snack this morning didn't do that much harm to her levels, and she ate a magnificent lunch (thanks Kim & Cecile) of a grilled cheese, some french fries from 5 Guys, and lots to drink! We also got to visit with our new little friend Hope for a few minutes! We were so excited and really liked her pink toe nails. (Beth we might stop by for a free pedicure because Miss Carri is not good with that.)

She thoroughly enjoyed her lunch and brought much satisfaction to knock her out for a relaxing afternoon nap. Her nap was broken up in order to make sure she got her snack in before dinner which is when we had a MELT DOWN! I had given some peaches for snack, and when she went to grab one out of the bowl, the bowl flipped dumping the peaches all over the floor. Insert large tears and crying here. You would have thought SG had just received a big shot or the lab techs were here to visit for blood work. She did not calm down no matter how much I told her it wasn't a big deal, kisses on the forehead, back rubs...nothing worked until I put a new bowl of peaches on a plate. Her cow plate to be exact in which she responded with a loud MOOO!

Overall, I think we are beginning to return to some form of normalcy. My OCD is kicking in a lot the closer we are getting to our next appointment. I currently revamping SG's recording blood sugar log to allow for more detailed notes when "crazy" things occur; I bought a food scale today because I just can visualize 20g of an item in my head or with a measuring cup; and I am frantically trying to "sterilize" as much of my house to try to prevent any more sickness in the near future.

We all thank you for all your prayer support, baskets of goodies, flowers, etc. They have been the best pick-me-ups over the past few weeks. I wanted to take a minute to stop and say thanks because I worry so much that I might have forgotten to write some of you for the kind little gestures that you do each and every day! THANK YOU!

"I thank my God every time I remember you." - Philippians 1:3

P.S. Lisa your card yesterday meant the world to us! Thank you!

Viva La Renaissance

O.k. So we just returned from one of the best anniversary trips since our honeymoon. We didn't venture far just to downtown Montgomery for a night at the Renaissance Hotel. Extremely nice!

Our dear friend Kim and Cecile kept little SG for the evening (even with Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease what champs!). So my mind was at much ease. The biggest thing I was worried about which continues to be somewhat an issue are her eating habits. However, the reduced amounts of insulin are helping her blood sugar levels for now. Praise the Lord we have not had any huge issues with fever for the past 2 days!

Daddy and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner and late appetizers/desserts. I felt like we were dating again since we ate so late. We saw the newest Night at the Museum, which we both highly recommend to older children, teens and adults. There were a couple of scenes that were not appropriate in our minds for children under the age of 8. We then enjoyed some very fattening appetizers and desserts to top off the evening.

We both woke up this morning refreshed and wondering why we were getting up at 7:30. But my wonderful husband was not done with the surprises yet. I was then treated to a massage and day at the spa. Now if any one in Montgomery has not tried out the spa at the Renaissance I highly recommend it! After my relaxing massage, the entire family got to enjoy the roof top pool for hours on end. We did not return home until almost 3 PM. Samantha Grace loves the pool! It took everything I had to keep her in my arms. She is a little fish. (Caron I think those swim lessons would have been useful to us.)

Needless to say SG and I will be returning to the spa/pool very soon! We loved it! Hopefully this time I will remember my camera.

Finally, I ask that you continue to pray for a clearing of the hand-foot-mouth disease and a return of her appetite. I think once the soars in her mouth clear then we will be back to eating well again but until then it is still a struggle. I also pray for a smooth transition of her blood sugar levels once we return to the "normal" dosages of insulin.

I sign off today with a verse written in a sweet card from a new friend:

For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you. -Isaiah 41:13

Calm of the Storm

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. - Psalm 5:11

Today we are happy to report that we ALL slept through the night peacefully! Samantha Grace's fever seems to be staying constant and not rising, which is a huge praise! We continue to pray for it to fall rapidly from its current stage back to "normal".

Her blisters seem to have spread in her mouth, but thankfully, have not spread to her hands and feet yet. I think that the extra saliva from cutting a new tooth is somewhat helping ease the pain in her mouth.

Her appetite is better but no where near where it was before she got sick. We were able to get her to eat a few Goldfish this morning and we are still working on our milk. But God is being so good at protecting her little body from either having extremely low sugar or high sugar levels. They have been for the most part in an o.k. range.

Josh and I are so excited today, as well, to celebrate our 5th Anniversary! Josh has something special up his sleeve for us to do today that I have no clue about. Being a Type-A person it is driving me crazy taht I don't have a clue about what is going on, but in the midst of everything else that has been going on I have to say that I am thoroughly looking forward to the surprise. I will be sure to blog about our wonderful day tomorrow.

Again, thank you Dr. M and Nurse Becca for all your help yesterday. Samantha Grace surely loves you guys and so do we!

We ask that you pray for our Sr.High Choir "One Voice". They left on their 10 day tour this morning for the most unreached state in the United States, Vermont. We pray that lives will be changed and that Vermont will soon lose the title of being the least reached state for Christ in the United States. Visit One Voice's site to join in their journey.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes...

We have just returned from our morning outing to the doctor's office. I'm starting to feel like a regular. Insert light chuckle here. Not that we want to feel like "regulars" at the doctor's office, I am glad that we found the problem this morning with shining colors.

Samantha Grace has Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease. Before anyone gets too alarmed, we are all okay. Take a deep breath for your own benefit here. We will be adjusting her insulin dosages due to the lack of eating at this time; however, we will resume regular dosages once her eating habits return to normal.

I was very pleased to see on the scale this morning that this has not inhibited her weight gain. Let's all give a round of applause for the big numbers of 18lbs. 9oz.! We will soon be entering the heavy weight division of our class...just kidding!

Samantha Grace remains very tired and cranky as most of you can imagine when you have several blisters on your throat, rash on your body and a persistent fever. We will be cutting back some of her activities for the next few days to allow for thorough healing of her little body.

She is still very responsive to some of her favorites...i.e., dogs, cats, cows, her princess car, etc. We will greatly miss our Sunday School friends in room 203 this Sunday! Insert sloppy kiss from Samantha Grace.

Our prayer is that once we all feel better we will resume regular activities including finally getting new family pictures taken and Samantha Grace's 1-year pictures taken. For now, though, we ask that you pray for a complete healing, restful sleep and minimal amounts of pain. We also ask for her appetite to be restored quickly too.

Thanks again to our might prayer warriors out there! We could not have made it this far without all of you!

In the Middle of the Night

Last night was a very long night. Samantha Grace was up every two hours. Some of her cries were very familiar to 3 weeks ago prior to our trip to Birmingham; however, her blood sugars remained safe yet on the higher end which is what we were wanting since she is not eating well at all.

We finally got her to finish her pudding that she started at 8PM around midnight; however, this morning around 6:45 AM we woke to piercing cries. Her temperature is up (101.2) but her blood sugar remains in a safe range. We were unable to get her to eat again this morning trying several of her favorites including cheese.

Our plan is to head to the doctor this morning around 8:00ish. We will then be running some tests to see what could be causing this obvious pain. We ask for prayers for wisdom for all the doctors and nurses involved, a relief in pain for Samantha Grace and bravery for Mommy and Daddy.

Roller Coasters

Today has been a LONG day. We have returned home from our trip but not without a roller coaster ride of a day.

We have been battling, as you probably read from my morning blog, a fever all day. It reached what is to believe on Mommy and Daddy's end, hopefully, its peak around 5:30PM at 103.2. Unfortunately, there were some rocky times during the car ride home.

However, due to the alternation of Tylenol and Motrin and pure exhaustion Samantha Grace was able to rest for portions of the trip. She also enjoyed taking straws from the drink display at a gas station while waiting on Daddy. (Okay so I let her take some Icee straws out of the store even without even purchasing an Icee.)

Upon arrival in Montgomery we made what is beginning to feel like our weekly stop by our pediatrician's office. (We are so sorry Dr. M, but you are amazing!) We felt like Samantha Grace needed a quick look over to make sure nothing too serious was wrong. Praise the Lord everything checked out okay. We will be returning tomorrow morning for some blood work and a few other tests to rule out all our possibilities that could be looming.

We are so thankful to Grandbo and Mimi for a wonderful relaxing time at the lake this week. I also thank you (in a subtle way) for giving Joshua the boat and motorcycle itch. (It's more of the boat but he did enjoy the motorcycle a lot!)

We continue to praise God for the things that have not occurred in the midst of all of our circumstances!

Brief Medical

I am writing a short medical update as of this morning on Samantha Grace. We will finally speak with nurses/doctors in Birmingham today due to being out of town in the front part of the week. However, last night Samantha Grace went to bed with a low grade fever of 99.2 and was given some Motrin to try and break it before it got worse. Unfortunately, her little body is being a little stubborn and she woke up this morning (after sleeping until 8:00 AM) with a 102.2 fever and a rash on her belly and back, which had started developing yesterday afternoon without the fever.

We ask that you pray for a breaking of the fever because it is causing difficulty in her eating habits, which obviously affects her diabetes too. We will be visiting the doctor tomorrow to rule out any other possibly infections as well. We also ask for a peaceful journey home because as we all know a sick baby does not always make for traveling fun.

Isaiah 43
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you.
And the waves, they shall not,
overcome you.
Do not fear
For I have redeemed you
I have called you by name
You are mine.

When you walk, through the fire,
I will be with you.
And the Flames, they shall not,
Not consume you.
Do not fear
For I have redeemed you
I have called you by name
You are mine.

For I am the Lord Your God
I am the Lord Your God
The Holy one of Israel, Your Savior.

What a Day

Today has been a great day again! We spent the day out on the water basking in the sun. Here are a few pictures of our adventures.









Many of you maybe wondering why we don't have any pictures of Samantha Grace in the water in the stellar new float that Mommy and Daddy bought her...well...let's just say we tried and lost. The water had a slight bite to it with a chilly temperature which Samantha Grace was not going to have any part of today. Therefore, after endless screams for a couple of minutes and no relief even with the paci we gave up. (Hope I think you might have another outside the water buddy this summer.) Our prayer is that once the pool waters heat up this summer she won't be so afraid of getting inside.

Josh and I enjoyed a pre-anniversary dinner at the Cheesecake Factory tonight. (I am stuffed!) Samantha Grace ventured off to Bible study and ran her princess car in endless circles around Grandbo and Mimi's house tonight. She exerts endless amounts of energy,especially after dinner. (I think she might be a night owl.)

I thank all of my readers who prayed for our sweet pediatrician and her home visit with the adoption agency today. She called this afternoon to say that everything went very well! Praise the Lord! I ask tonight that you pray for continual smooth paths in her adoption process. I thank you and my Lord each and every day for some of the best prayer worriers ever! Tomorrow I will have details with Samantha Grace's medical progress.

I leave tonight with a meaningful verse that was shared with me today from a new friend. (Thank you Melisa!)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13

P.S. The "walking" video will be posted as soon as the computer decides to cooperate with uploading.

These Boots were made for Walking

We have graduated today from 1-2 steps to traveling short distances...

Our day has been full and with constant motion. We made it to Tennessee in great anticipation of our time at the lake. Video and Pictures to come! I hope that you all enjoy!



Celebrating After Our First Stroll




Reorganizing Auntie Ray-Ray's & Uncle Justin's DVDs

Finally, I want to thank Melisa for all your sweet words today. I look forward to more conversations in the future. Also, Dr. M we are praying for you over the next few days for your home visit tomorrow. Hope B. we are looking forward to our play date soon! Thank you everyone for your continual prayers! We will be talking to Birmingham tomorrow, so we continually ask for the clarity of minds and understanding for the doctors and nurses.