Mothers Day 2010

This mom just wanted one good picture of me with my kids on Mothers Day...just one. Well getting that one picture took many attempts....
This is a few we took before church, and Hannah said it was too sunny, by the way the sun was mostly behind us. That's my girl.







Come on Hannah just one good picture....


ok ok , none of us look good here


alright let's get this together guys....ONE PICTURE PLEASE>



Hannah is trying so hard.


Here is Hannah's smile...






Hannah made me some Mother's Day presents and notes at school, and I picked my 3 growing tulips in my yard for my special bouquet


2nd attepmt at ONE good picture with my kids after church...come on Hannah


gettin closer Hannah


Yeah FINALLY a good one.



OVERWHELMED with pictures yet, so are the kids.....


AWW Hannah your looking so sweet, ummm Bailey what exactly are you thinking? LOL


My darling daughter


My silly son


Bailey

Anyone want some?

me neither, after I saw my husband on fire, I declined. Truthfully after I read the package I declined.

Is he tough enough-- am I ?

Sat. April 17, 2010. Ridder Arena -Minneapolis. Bailey has been playing with a group of Litchfield kids in Showcase Hockey this spring. The games are set up in the Twin Cities and surrounding cities. We get both our games on Sat., to make it one travel day....most of the teams are from the area and play one game on Sat and one on Sunday.
This is the rink on the U of M campus where the women Gophers hockey team plays.
With the exception of last year, he has played spring hockey since he was 6...in fact the first year he played Showcase, they had a game set up at Ridder Arena. So six years later he is back on Gopher ice. When he was 6, of course he thought it was so cool...now that he is 12, I guess the coolness of it has worn off and he wished he was playing at Mariucci Arena instead, because that is where the men play. :)

The arena was big, but Bailey's game was not big. They lost 0-4, in a very frustrating loss. The game got a little out of hand towards the end, lots of checking and pushing.

With the team only playing together once a week, it's always tough to come together and play as a team. The team is a mixture of peewee age kids, half the team will be 2nd year peewee's next year (which will be Bailey) and half played squirts this last season, and will be peewee's in the fall, so they have never been able to check yet. It's a learning expereience for them yet...it's been hard to blend those kids into a team...but that hasn't stopped Bailey from giving it his all.

Bailey has had plenty of body aches because of his effort. The first weekend he couln't even move the next morning, his whole body was sore. In subsequent weeks, it has been specific things....mainly his ankle, his elbow, shoulders, knees, and now his jaw. I think after a week of rest it all feels better, but then he's back at it again on Saturdays and reinjures stuff. This week is has been his ankle and his jaw that are pretty sore still. Hockey is definately for the tough. Is this how he is to be toughened up?? This mom has to look away still, when he gets checked and usually end up being shocked and saying something like OH MY GOSH--AHHHH> I think I need to be toughened up along the way as well.

BAILEY IS #11

soon to be pumper

We went to the pump prep class back on March 11, and Hannah was able to leave there wearing an insulin pump. It was just as a trial, so she knew what it felt like to wear this 24/7.
She disliked the insertion part, where the nurse showed us how to put in the catheter, she held still and it was over in a second. It was placed in her upper butt area. That is connected to tubing, which is connected to the pump and eventually the insulin. She wore this for 3 days, but wasn't getting any insulin through it yet.

As the idea of getting the pump for her was brought up over the last few months, she was againest it. She didn't want nothing to do with it. Her doctor has suggested we look into it for better insulin control and to help lower her A1C level. So we have been. After she had the pump on, which I thought would deter her more into not wanting it, I think she changed her mind and even kinda liked it, plus the thought of less shots in a day is becoming understandable to her now that she knows what the pump is all about.

We should be recieving her pump in the mail by Friday, along with all the supplies we need for it. The next available class to start on the pump is not until May 6. That is what has seemingly been the longest process in this, is getting into a class that is not full already. So May 6 is when we will go to the Diabetes clinic in St Paul and get started on this thing they call pumping. She then gets a follow up 2 weeks later. I'm hoping this is the best thing for her, so that she can maintain an active and normal life.





The pump



The infusion set

JDRF Walk for a Cure

We experienced out first juvenile diabetes walk at the Mall of America on Saturday February 27. It was not something I ever pictured myself being a part of, but since Hannah was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, about 15 months ago, it just felt natural to be a part of everything I can to help find a cure. Really, diabetes is a huge part of our life now. Hannah has had to be one strong girl, and sometimes this whole thing has been really hard for her, for us. She has accepted what needs to be done, but that doesn't mean she likes it. In fact the word diabetes or talking about diabetes in relationship to her makes her scared, she tries to avoid the attention.

The Walk for a Cure, brought out something in her I haven't seen yet, and I think she didn't feel so alone, she felt like she belonged. After having to get up so early for the walk, she was a bit crabby, but as soon as we got to the mall, she was happy, bright and bubbly, and had lots of energy. Through all the excitement and energy though, it caused her blood sugar to drop and then suddenly she didn't feel so well. We did what we needed to do and got her back on track. I think she enjoyed the day especially the part where grandma and grandpa took her to Build a Bear and grandma Nancy took her to American Girl.

Our team, "Hannah's Hopeful Hearts" were proud to raise about $2300 for JDRF. There were about 20,000 people at the mall on walk day and it felt amazing to be surrounded by so many hoping one day that a cure can be found. Alot of families and teams had t-shirts to identify their loved one with diabetes. One set of shirts made me laugh a bit, it said, I'd rather kiss a pig, than take insulin shots for the rest of my life. I dont think we'll go down those lines, but we hope to plan on designing a shirt for next years walk.

All in all the morning was fun, but mostly it just made me so thankful for JDRF and all the dedicated people who hope a cure will be found. I pray that God's will be done with or without a cure, we will move forward. We will put our focus and praise to Him who created Hannah and on all the blessings He has given to us. Instead of focusing on Hannah as a diabetic, I will not let this define her life, we will put all our trust in God that He will love and take care of her..... as Hannah, living with diabetes, a child of God.

On March 11 we will take the next step in getting Hannah on the insulin pump, as we attend the pump prep class. I really believe this will be good for Hannah although Hannah doesn't see it yet. To her right now it's just another focus on her diabetes, more changes, and different hurts and anxieties. I hope it goes well.


Team Hannah's Hopeful Hearts 2010

Year 1 with diabetes--2010 Walk for a Cure support slideshow

turn volume on, music on blog is also for slideshow.

Bailey 12th Birthday--- Steve's 35th Birthday

Bailey got new hockey gloves for his birthday-- Jan 29


We went out to eat at Space Aliens...


Supposed to be "12 fingers" ever since he was 3 we had him hold up fingers and take a picture, now that he doesn't have enough fingers we improvise, probably should have held up the one on his right hand and the 2 on the left, oh well backwards works too. He's also not so proud to hold up fingers anymore anyway. :)


Bailey and dad


His birthday ice cream


Snow storm on Steve's birthday-- Feb 8


birthday/super bowl cake-- yup 35 candles on there for Steve


Bailey with the birthday/super bowl cake--Feb 7


Bailey and dad


Blowing out the candles!! they got em all.