Awards, Camping, Hopes of the OmniPod, and our girls are growing up so fast.

Miss CC was given several awards at her school’s awards ceremony tonight. She received awards for, Outstanding leadership, Most Helpful, and The A Honor Roll for 2009-2010. Outstanding Achievement in Pre-Voc. The recycling program that she has been a part of for the last three years is part of this award. The kids get to take some of the money they have gotten from their hard work collecting, sorting, and actually taking all these things to the recycling center and go enjoy lunch with their awesome teachers tomorrow. CC is doing very well with her new braces. She is still a bit unsure about how easily one of the brackets will break so she is still following every single rule as far as what she is not able to eat. I am sure that will pass with time.


Today has been great. Miss McKenzie went on her first field trip without Kevin or I joining them. She is so proud even though I know she missed us like crazy. She was chosen as one of the principles top students and they went and hung out at the Boy’s and Girl’s club and had lunch and played all kinds of different stuff. The Lubbock ISD and McKenzie’s school’s staff made a few changes that insured her safety. I only called to check on her once; I think that was pretty good. Ha ha

McKenzie’s school had their awards ceremony a couple of days ago. McKenzie was given the awards for Outstanding Participation in P.E., Outstanding Citizenship, P.A.W.S. Member, and Reading and for participating in the, “Read Dog” Reader program, she also got an award for A Honor Roll for 2009 – 2010. She also received a Music Award.

We have a lunch date tomorrow with the regional sales rep for OmniPod tomorrow. I am very excited about that. I will have the chance to check out the Personal Diabetes Manager, which is used to control the wireless insulin pump. The display screen on it is much larger and is LED instead of only back lit. I will also have the opportunity to actually have the pod on and feel what the injection site will feel like for McKenzie. I plan to try the one she uses now as well. I am anxious and excited. Many of McKenzie’s friends have the OmniPod and they are screaming to high heavens that the pump that McKenzie uses right now is the absolute most painful injection possible. I figure if anyone would know, these kids who have used both pump for sure would. There are as with anything pros and cons with both systems. There are a lot of things to take into consideration. I understand the doctor’s logic as far as “McKenzie’s pump is working perfectly why chance changing anything”. I also see her belly bruised and listen to these kids telling me there is a better way and that it does not have to hurt as badly as it does for McKenzie. Needless to say there will be a lot to think about and many questions to ask tomorrow. This man is driving to Lubbock from Dallas. Pray that all goes well and the right choice for McKenzie is made which ever that may be.

We went camping over the weekend; we planned to leave Friday as soon as CC got off the bus. We ended up getting a late start due to problems with McKenzie’s site. I got everything ready and noticed that when I attached the reservoir to the tubing it stuck as soon as I stuck the two together. Normally I stick the two together and then twist till I feel them lock together. Well they appeared to have locked so went proceeded to the next step of pealing the tape off the inset and “popping” McKenzie. This is where the popper is placed against her belly and clicked to basically stab the inset into her skin, When you pull the popper away the inset should stay attached to her belly. That did not happen however, the tape stuck to the inside of the popper so the needle stabbed her but when it was pulled away it pulled the entire inset away as well. Eww talk about one mad Kenzie and an even Madder Kevin. I was mad that McKenzie would need to be stuck again however I could not help but feel a bit of relief that the tubing and reservoir that did not feel right to me had to be tossed and we had to start totally over again. I got everything out fresh to start again and when we opened the next inset Kevin compared insets and realized that the center on this one was also not centered properly. With Kenzie Becoming more and more anxious Kevin opened the needle part of the inset to realize the needle was bent. Thank God we did not pop her without double checking everything. Once again we tossed everything and started yet again. The third time everything went normally but McKenzie did get a little more emotional than usual I think due to the build up and just he anticipation. I felt terrible. I asked McKenzie would she rather just go back to the shots. She pulled her pump away from me and said NO are you nuts. Ha ha. We made it out of town a couple hours later than we planned and went ahead and took our time. We set the tent and everything up in the dark but this was not the first time. Kevin has geared the truck to be able to light the camp site up and run anything we might need so setting up in the dark is much easier now.

The place we went camping is said to have one of the darkest skies in Texas. I believe that because this was the first time I have ever been able to see the stars other than with a telescope. We got up and enjoyed bacon and eggs thanks to Kevin. The girls and I washed up the dishes and got ready for the day. Kenzie made a special trip back to the tent to make absolute sure that the window was zipped. Ha ha last time she left it opened and out of nowhere it started to rain. Her sleeping bag got wet and well, yeah I don’t ever see her not checking the window again in her life time. Ha ha We headed out for some fishing and had a blast. After about five hours of fishing and a dozen or so fish caught and released mostly by the girls we made it over to the ranger station to see a demonstration by Tall Paul who is a flint Napper. That was really cool. He showed us how the first weapons were made. We also got to see how an arrow is thrown using an atlatl. That was amazing; this is what was used before the bow and arrow. I gave it a try and actually sent two 5 or 6 foot arrows pretty dang far. Not saying I could aim it or anything but I did manage to get some distance. The girls did great and Kevin sent a few across a road and one in a tree a ways away. Ha ha I love it great memories and really cool videos.

Only one thing I don’t understand about state parks. Why is it that the boy’s bathrooms always have great water pressure while the girls have none at all???? HUMMM .. ha ha

Thought for the day; if you constantly tell a child they are stupid they will inevitably live up to the expectations you have set for them. Instead use your words to positively build that child up to do great things in life. This is true with adults as well. Give it a try with someone you care about.

Good Night and God Bless.

Sunglasses and Fish.

Went to eat at Buns over Texas. CC was not able to eat very good with her braces so we stopped off at Long John Silver and picked her up a couple of fish planks before heading to Wal - Mart. Her fish was really hot so we went ahead and ran into Wal- Mart while it cooled off. We only had to grab Kenzie some sun glasses for her play day tomorrow. Things went fine until she handed me several pairs to hold and I decided to try a pair on, taking my expensive prescription sun glasses off my head and adding them to the pile in my hand. Never thinking about it again I placed all the glasses including mine back on the shelves and we went to find Kevin and CC. So we looked around a bit more. We walked back by the sunglasses because Kevin wanted to find some for Kenzie that were a bit smaller on her face. Kevin came around the corner with my sun glasses in his hand and asked if I had lost something. Oh My Gosh I would have been lost without my sunglasses. I cannot believe I did that. My brain was just not working or something. By this point McKenzie’s blood sugar was low and she had sat down on the floor in line to check out. Kevin opened the Capri Suns and gave her one. I caught my breath and we checked out. I held Kenzie up as she stumbled to the car. As we opened the car doors the smell from the fish nearly knocked us all down. The night is over Thank God. Kenzie has sun glasses and I have mine. CC got a full belly and no one got arrested leaving the Wal- Mart. I was worried on our way home though Kenzie had her head out the window to escape the smell as a police officer drove past. She was scared also she pulled her head in very quickly. I am going to bed so the world will be a safer place. Good Night everyone.

It’s a small step but definitely one worth taking.

While on a field trip with McKenzie today I was asked "what do we have a special one today?" At first it really made me angry. I am working hard on my temper though so I smiled and said of course each of these children, are so special. He lowered his head and said so you’re a Mom, huu? I said Yes I am and not to worry I will be caring for and looking out for my daughter this week while she comes with her class and swims in Lubbock ISD's Aquatic center's huge pool. He patted me on the shoulder as if to apologize as he walked away. This man is the head of the center. I did not see or hear anything else out of him until Kevin arrived to join us after finishing a test. I did have to giggle a little when the man started to question what Kevin was there for, he did an about face as well as any military soldier when he realized Kevin was there with McKenzie. The thing that really bothers me about today is the fact that McKenzie has diabetes, unless she tells you there is no way for you to know. How do children get treated when they have more obvious issues that they are dealing with? I am so thankful for the Special Olympics program. CC is dealing with a lot and enjoys participating with her friends. She is at a level where she technically can play competitive athletics but the stress causes her to have seizure activity that is simply not worth it. She took a hard fall from her bike yesterday afternoon and scuffed up her arm and leg pretty good. The last time she got hurt was the famous rip stick, when she broke her elbow. I am pretty sure that these falls happen when she has an Absence seizure. She never remembers the fall or what she hit. She just knows that she has pain and is on the ground. I hope and pray that she outgrows the seizures. I keep telling both the girls this is just for now. There is a cure for the diabetes on its way and CC will outgrow all this or they will find a better medication. She is holding in her heartbreak right now while realizing that she will not be able to drive until she has been seizure free without medication for two consistent years. She will get there I believe that God is helping us along this path and he is taking us where we are supposed to be. He will take care of everything. We only have to believe and trust that. As for the less compassionate people that we run across on this path, they are traveling their own path and God will also help them along their way. I am privileged to have had the opportunity today to if nothing else make the man at the pool think about the words that he chose to use and perhaps next time he will think about the words first. It’s a small step but definitely one worth taking.

Very Special Child.

A meeting was held quite far from earth



"It's time again for another birth"


Said the angels to the Lord above,


"This special child will need much love"






His progress may seem very slow


Accomplishments he may not show


And he will require special care


From the folks he meets way down there.






He may not run or laugh or play


His thoughts may seem quite far away


In many ways he won't adapt


And he'll be known as handicapped.






So let's be careful where he's sent


We want his life to be content


Please Lord, find the parents who


Will do a special job for you.






They may not realize right away


The leading role they're asked to play


But with this child sent from above


Comes stronger faith and richer love.






And soon they'll know the privilege given


In caring for this gift from Heaven


Their precious charge, so meek and mild


Is Heaven's Very Special Child.

The always comical face book.

The computer is a communication must but it also creates major room for unintentionally rude half thoughts to be place on the other person’s screen almost as if you blurted the thoughtless remark out just in time to realize how very stupid it was. I was having a conversation with an old friend. I said “we had our bath tub refinished last week and I thought I was going to go crazy” at this point I was ambushed from behind and drug away kicking and screaming the entire time. The rest of my thought would have come out like this. “I cannot even imagine what he and his family have been going through after having something so dramatic happen to their home. I am so proud for them for sticking together and making it so beautiful. A lot of people would have rolled over and whimpered, feeling sorry for their selves and made the situation much worse and longer lasting for their children and for them to have to deal with.” I struggled to escape the strong hold that only a mother in law is capable of, only to find he was no longer on the always comical face book. I hope he and his family know that I along with everyone around see and admire their enormous strength and what a wonderful example they are setting for all of us. The truly ironic part of our conversation was the fact that he was checking to make sure I had found someone to do some repair work on my parent’s house. Those are the types of friends everyone needs.