Max's blankets

Max absolutely loves his fleece blankets. I keep covering the sofa with his blankets and he always has one in his kennel. Well, he has become quite the character with his blankies. He doesn't like them to be neatly folded or neatly covering the sofa. He drags them around with him and now has taken to covering himself up. This not so little pup keeps me in stitches all day long with his antics and now his blanket escapades are making me giggle too:)

Spring Cleaning

For those of you who know me, you won't be surprised by this; those who don't know me well, you may think I'm a bit crazy;)  Yep, it's a month past Christmas; the days are cold and grey, the wind is howling, snow awaits somewhere in the future... What's this all mean to me?  It's time to tear up the house and clean out.  I start to feel a bit claustrophobic this time every year.  Maybe it's cabin fever.  Maybe it's a hint of OCD.  Maybe it's genetic.  Who knows; but every year it's the same thing.  I literally tear up every nook and crany of our home.  No cupboard, closet, or corner is safe.  The City Mission looks forward to my insanity as they are the beneficiaries of much of the stuff I decide we no longer need.  This year, since Mom is in the middle of her downsizing too, we'll be trying to get together a giant tag sale first, but what doesn't sale will immediately be carted off to the mission.

The girls never know which way to turn.  They don't know if it's better to help or just stay out of the way.  Personally, I'd suggest the latter since they risk getting packed into the donate box;)  Having a puppy in the house is a huge inspiration to get things simplified, let me tell you.  Max is still teething and nothing is safe from his chewing.  I look around and think "we didn't need that anyway, I guess";).  So, off I go, earbuds properly in place so I can tune out all the little voices.  First stop, the kitchen... I mean, really, do I NEED 4 sets of mixing bowls anyway?  I think not:)  Wish me well and if you happen to find a cute, freckle faced child or an adorable puppy with lopsided ears that seems to be misplaced, you might ask what their mom is doing.  If the answer is "spring cleaning" just deliver them back at my doorstep.  I probably just got carried away:)

Max the mountain lion...hhhhmmmmm

Sweet, dear little Max William. Honestly, have you ever seen anything as cute as him? Well, he does seem to have an issue with coffee tables and it shows no sign of ending anytime soon. I don't even want to think what this will look like when he's full grown and still thinking he can be king of the mountain...hhmmhhmm I mean king of the coffee table:)

My sweet girl is back to normal

Just a quick update. Miss Gracie is heading home today. In true form, she's bounced back to her normal little chatterbox self and can't wait to get home to see Max:)

Gracie is feeling better...

It's been a couple of days since we've been battling Gracie's diabetes. Getting the flu is tough enough on kids, but when they are also a type 1 diabetic, it can take a really nasty turn at a moments notice. But, in true T1 form, Gracie is bouncing back remarkably quickly considering just how sick she was.

We've been on the fence all afternoon as to whether or not she would be able to go home tonight but as its turned out she's just not quite stable enough yet. After getting really large doses of insulin via IV for the past couple of days and not eating anything until this evening, it was hard to tell how her body would respond to going back on her pump at her normal basal insulin rates. It was pretty bumpy at first with her blood sugar rising back into the mid 300's and her ketone levels raising back into the high range. But by spending several hours giving her extra bolus doses of insulin she's come back down into a normal range again, thankfully. The goal is to keep her in a healthy range with no ketones all night so she can go home tomorrow.

Gracie's daddy and two of her sisters (Sarah has been visiting her grandparents for a little one on one time during all of this) came for a visit this afternoon. That totally brightened her day. My girls may bicker A LOT but honestly, they are super close and do actually miss each other at times like this. It was reported to Gracie that Max is at a loss without her but they've been kicking in and doing some training with him while we've been at the hospital. Eventually, Max will be with Gracie at all times, even when she's in the ER or admitted into the hospital, but given his very young age and the fact that he was working so hard for the 36 hours before getting her to the ER I thought it best to leave him at home. He's missing his girl and Gracie is missing her dog.

The prayers that were said on Gracie's behalf were amazing. The fact that so many people around the world care so much about my baby girl is humbling and so very appreciated. Saying thank you is not enough but please know my gratitude runs very deep.

I've taken pictures of Gracie at all phases of her hospitalization. I feel it's important for others to know just how serious type 1 diabetes is. T1 kiddos look like healthy kids most days, even though they and their parents fight each day to keep them alive. Even doing everything right, this disease can turn horribly bad in a heartbeat. But I also want people to see just how resilient kids like Gracie are as they fight to bounce back from everything their diabetes throws at them. Thank you again for praying for Gracie and following her daily journey.

Gracie is sick

Sarah and Hannah had a flu bug hit them last week and we had hoped Gracie would squeak by without catching it too. Unfortunately, she didn't. We knew something was up because her blood sugars were all over the place the last couple of days and finally started staying rather high last night. By midnight she was closing in on 300, so of course that meant more insulin. An hour later she started throwing up. When a diabetic gets sick, their system isn't equipped to handle it well and they begin running ketones. Ketones tell us that the body is using muscle, tissue, and organs for fuel rather than the glucose it should be using. Well, after all night her endocrinologist and I made the hard decision to get her to the ER. I knew that I could keep battling her diabetes at home a little longer, but the outcome wouldn't change...she needed IV fluids and medicine. So, here we are; she's a little trooper enduring it all...the poking, the blood tests, the IV. This isn't new; she's stayed pretty healthy the past couple of years, but prior to that she was in the ER 4 times a year and admitted twice a year typically. Type 1 diabetes is very much an invisible disability. On a normal day you wouldn't know Gracie dealt with all she does because we manage her disease pretty well. But times like this it's front and center and it's hard to see what it does to such a little girl. I know so many people are praying for Gracie to recover quickly and for that I'm so thankful. I'll keep updating as we know more.

Max

Ok - I admit it...I think this little guy is the cutest thing around. Here he is resting up for the long trip back home. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not;)

Max is teething...

What happens when you have a young service pup with 4 or 5 teeth coming in at the same time? Much like with a teething infant, u go a little crazy. Last night as we were out celebrating Tess' birthday, all I could think was, "Max is doing awesome! He's being nice and quiet and laying so patiently.". Hhhhmmmm....mom instinct should've kicked in. Low and behold, I soon realize that he'd been teething on his service vest and had proceeded to chew all the way through the strap. Well, being the inventive mom that I am, I quickly came up with a solution to hold us over until his new vest arrives:)

Sweet 16

My crazy girl is 16 today!  I honestly don't know where the time has gone.  She's always been a spitfire... came out voicing her opinion to all the nurses in the hospital, racing through life and still trying to find that "indoor" voice:)  She's beautiful, smart, talented, creative, capable of anything she puts her mind to, funny, full of love and life.  I have no idea what I'd do without her.  I see her beautiful smile and the image of a little redheaded 3 year old racing through the house flashes through my mind.  My life hasn't been the same since the day she was born, and without her it would be empty.  I wouldn't trade a day, not a single one of them, with my girl.  I love you Tessie Bugg!

Max practicing his manners

Max needs to be consistent in all that he does, be it his alerting to Gracie's blood sugar changes or his manners in public. We practice all of these things A LOT. He's always been pretty good about staying under the table quietly while we eat, however I've noticed the past couple of weeks that he's been complaining a bit (whining and heavy sighs). Well, this mama took that as a sign that we just need to practice even more so now, instead of just at meal times, he's got to lay quietly at my feet anytime I'm at my desk. He's doing much, much better:)

Wonder Dog... and yes, he flies;)

I've been away from home all day long helping my mom move today.  By the time I returned home, Max William was waiting for me and I got the best little, tail wagging greeting ever.  It feels so good to know that you've been missed:)  After lots of loving, scratching, petting and even a few wet doggy kisses, I went into the kitchen to load the dishwasher and clean up a bit.  Out of the corner of my eye I catch some movement.  I turn to look into the family room and was stunned to see Max William flying, his ears floating out from his head.  All I could think of was the Disney movie, Dumbo:)  That little pup took a running leap onto the coffee table and from there jumped into the air and flew, ears straight out from the side of his head... straight into the back of the sofa, nose first.  After I got over that moment of stunned amazement from seeing my dog "fly" into the sofa, hoping he didn't see me laughing, I scolded him because that simply isn't appropriate service dog behavior.

On the training front, I'm pleased to say that we've been working on "stay" and Max is doing pretty darn good.  He's a real chow hound, so when he sits and waits for his dinner until he's given permission to go ahead and eat, that's a big deal:)  Of course, as he sits and stares at his bowl full of kibble mixed with his favorite strawberry banana yogurt, he whines... but he does stay:)

Life is a beautiful mess

There once was a time, I vaguely remember, where everything was in it's place.  Then, one by one, my daughters were born... 4 beautiful, smart, talented, artistic, creative little girls who proceeded in turning my orderly world upside down.  They've shown me that life is a giant canvas just waiting to be splashed with the color and intricate design unique to each one of them, beautifuly entwined together to create a masterpiece.  Creativity is messy, so is life... I've come to embrace this beautiful mess.  I encourage them to explore and to not ever be boxed in by blank walls, be it plaster and lathe or the walls in their minds.  Watching them grow is like watching a beautiful living sculpture; twisting and turning, living and breathing, dancing thru life as they become the unique individuals they were created to be.  So today, I'm thankful for the privilege of encouraging their creativity and being surrounded by all the colors and textures of our life.

Today's thankfulness

It's only the beginning of winter here in Nebraska and so far we've been pretty lucky with 40-50 degree weather (highly unusual around here).  But, I know that very soon the landscape will be covered in white and the lake will be frozen over for ice skating.  As a deep rooted Southern California girl, born and raised, I have yet to actually acclimate to the winter weather, even after 24 years.  Yes, I find a beauty in watching the sun dance off the freshly fallen snow and seeing the tree limbs bow with the weight of the ice. That said, I need warmth... and if I can't get it in the weather, I will claim it inside our home.  Once the tempurature drops below 40 degrees, you will usually find the fireplace going, hot coffee readily available, and comfort food cooking.  You will also find our home layered in quilts.  Quilts not only add warmth when you snuggle up under one, but they add warmth through their colors and texture throughout the house.  On those single digit, cold, grey days, my quilts are like a little bit of sunshine sprinkled throughout my day.  I'm so thankful that God chose to bless me with the ability to sew and create the quilts that warm our home.  Each one tells a story all it's own and is a lasting legacy that I'm able to leave for my children and for that I'm eternally thankful.  

A Year Of Thankfulness...

As I've spent the day reflecting on the past year and all the change it brought, I realized that even through all the pain and loss there was still so very much to be thankful for.  My family, the addition of Max William, our home, the fact that I get to spend every day taking care of my girls, wonderful friends, a fantastic church, living in a country that is still free, and my memories of those I've lost.  The fact is, I kind of lost sight of all I had to be thankful for at times this past year and I've decided that this year I'll actively look for God's blessings each and every day.

Today I'm thankful for yet another BRAND NEW YEAR.  365 days ahead of me that are completely blank, waiting to be written and painted.  I'm excited to see what God has planned; to see the vibrant colors, the shadows and light, the hidden details... every stroke of His brush creating what will be the portrait of my life.  

2012

Just want to take a moment to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR.  I hope that 2012 is full of blessings for each one of you.  For me personally, it's going to be a year of gratitude.  I will find something in each day that God gives me to be thankful for, no matter what that day holds.  I will keep my focus heavenward.  Thank you God for a brand new year full of Your promise.

Each day is full of promise