Lessons

It has been quite a long time since I last posted. I've thought about it, but nothing seemed significant enough to post, or the times when I would mentally begin composing something, it always ended up  sounding too whiney. Today was different. Today Abby taught me three important lessons and, considering what has been happening in our world, I thought everyone could use a few reminders that joy and kindness still abound.

Lesson #1: A new day is exciting, so begin each day with anticipation.

This morning I woke up with a hacking cough. The cold that had been brewing had finally settled in my chest - and I was miserable. Even though I hate missing school, I called a sub and settled in to spend the day resting. Now, usually I'm the first one to leave the house in the morning and dad has the task of getting Abby on the bus. This morning I assured Jason, that even with my cough, I could handle it. Abby was ready to go in no time at all and as we walked outside she said, "Whew! It's cold! Let's get in the car!" I told her that was a great idea. We climbed into the car and I fired up the heater as she, with her Miss Piggy puppet on her hand, sang and danced to the music. I watched her and began to think, What if I started each day with the enthusiasm that Abby does? She was just so happy to be heading to school with Miss Piggy - such a simple thing. Her excitement escalated when she saw the bus pull up. She let out a whoop and yelled, "My bus is here!"

Once she was out of the car she danced the whole way down the driveway, singing about how excited she was to be going to school. She greeted her bus driver with an exuberant "Good morning!" and I watched Ms. Cathy's smile widen. Abby was bubbling over with joy and those around her couldn't help but be affected.

Lesson #2: Kindness is recognized and appreciated.

Monday night Abby had her school Christmas program. She was totally geeked! In fact, that morning, when she woke up, she immediately insisted that the program should come first in her day, "and then school."

She ended up doing a great job singing with her classmates. There was one song though that had me laughing. Some of the kids were wearing a garland "necklace" and there was one little guy standing in front of Abby who kept pushing his back so it fell down his back, instead of his front. Abby, in an effort to help him, kept readjusting it so that it would lay right. I watched her time and again arrange it and "pat" it into place, just to see him push it back and start the game all over. I couldn't help but think about what a little mommy she was being, and that the little boy had the patience of a saint. Eventually she just gave up.

This afternoon when I went to pick Abby up from school, a woman stopped me. "Are you Abby's mom?" she asked. At my assurance that I was she introduced herself. She told me that her son was the little guy that Abby was helping throughout the concert. She had been watching from her seat hoping that her son, who she assured me was short on patience, wouldn't turn around and wallop the sweet little girl trying to help him out. After the concert she'd talked with her son and he'd told her very frankly, "Mom, I was the one playing with it, she was trying to help me out." She went on to tell me that as they were saying their nightly prayers he mentioned how "sweet" Abby was, and then promptly covered his head with his blankets, as if he were embarrassed. She couldn't get over how very sweet the whole thing was. 

The funny thing was, while it was happening I was hoping his parents weren't irritated that the kid behind him wouldn't leave him alone. That couldn't have been farther from the truth. In the end it became a chance for two parents to witness the tenderness of their children. I was reminded once again, how Abby's innate compassion allows her to spread joy to others by simple acts of kindness.

Lesson #3: Let others see the joy in you.

My last lesson came at dance class tonight. It has been a long few weeks with Christmas preparations and such, and by the time we got to dance I think we were both a bit spent. Watching through the glass partition, I saw Abby separate herself from the class and plop down in front of the mirror. She proceeded to cover her face and take the posture of "I don't wanna," which we see from time to time. Instead of walking in there for a pep talk, I quietly asked the teacher if I could just sit inside the studio and watch. The minute I plopped down against the wall, my little performer perked right up and headed happily back to her spot. She now had an audience and all was right with the world.

The best part for me was not that she was participating. No, the best part for me was that I had a front row seat to her joy. She radiated it. As the class did The Hokey Pokey and The Chicken Dance Abby simply bubbled over with happiness, and as soon as Mrs. Katie turned on YMCA, she literally shook with excitement. She turned to me and said, "Mom! Mom! YMCA! Y-M-C-A!!!" I can't remember the last time I was that excited about anything, let alone a song. As she was dancing I was lucky enough to snap a picture at just the right moment - catching all that happiness. That picture is so essentially Abby, and was the perfect final lesson for the day. There is so much to be joyful about (even if it's just a favorite song), so why not let it show?


Tonight, as we were getting ready for bed, Abby said, "Mom, I'm so excited about tomorrow!", which is something she says nearly every night. I did what was expected and asked, "Why?", but this time as she happily said, "I have school tomorrow!" I let that sink in a bit. Abby is genuinely excited because she gets to do it all again tomorrow.

Abby is a gift in many ways - to many people. I'm thankful that today I took the time to really see her joy and hopefully learn a few lessons of my own.

Thinking About Thinking...

This morning I got thinking about thinking. I know that's a confusing way to start, but stay with me; I have a point.

This morning Abby got up early, and as she has never been an "I'm-going-to-quietly-hangout-while-mom-and-dad-sleep" kind of a kid, so did I. But today, instead of wanting to go downstairs to start our day, Abby wanted to hang out in her room listening to music and playing with her Barbies.

"Hang on Abby, let's do a quick finger poke," I said. I had to make sure that her sugar wasn't too low and that it would be safe for her to play for a bit before she ate. As I was getting everything ready for the finger poke, the grumbling started in my head. I began thinking about how crummy it was that the poor kid couldn't just play in her room without me having to squeeze blood out of one of her little fingers. Stupid diabetes.

My grumbling was made worse when she started asking, "Is it a good number? It's a good number? C'mon, good number, good number." That's when I really started to feel bad - for both of us. She had to be sick of all of this stuff she has to go through on a daily basis - I know that I am. As will often happen, my focus shifted to me. I'm so tired of thinking about her medicine....I'm so sick of having to think about what she's eating....I'm so weary of figuring carb to insulin ratios....I'm so tired of thinking....

By now Abby was happily singing "Hungry Like the Wolf" and playing with her dolls, but I continued to grumble. I mentally complained as I took the dog out, as I got my coffee ready, and as I trudged upstairs to get ready for church.

That's when I really got thinking about thinking - or more specifically, all the thinking that special needs parents and parents with sick children have to do. And how we must have super brains from all the exercise they get. Here's a glimpse of the things we think about:

• Our Kid's Food: With Abby's diabetes I have to constantly be thinking about what she is eating, when she will eat again, and how much insulin she needs. I know that is unique, but even before her diagnosis there were a few dietary issues. I know plenty of other parents who are food conscience with their special kiddos. They have to think about feeding schedules, gluten free food, dairy free food, or how they will puree their child's meal. Most of this isn't terrible, but it does make things harder. Going out to eat or to the movies are things we need to think a bit more about than others. It is one more thing that makes life a little harder than most.

• Social Situations: I for one think a lot about these. I play and replay scenarios in my head. How will I get her there on time? How will I get her to leave once we are there? Will there be any of her "pitfalls" along the way? Over the years I've learned to over-prepare myself and Abby for some of her triggers, but there are still times when I am completely taken by surprise by her behavior - both good and bad. When your child has challenges, birthday parties, playdates, and even trips to the grocery store are things you need to think through. Sometimes I feel exhausted even before we've left the house.

• Doctor's Appointments: I swear sometimes I feel like a walking date book. (Maybe that's the reason I can't remember birthdays.) In addition to the normal kid stuff like picture day, dance class, and school activities, I need to think ahead about the various specialists Abby needs to see. We also keep a close eye on her health in general and will often schedule quick trips to the pediatrician, since a "routine" bug can be a major problem for her. Sometimes I catch myself talking out loud to myself as I run through the things coming up on her schedule. Lumped into that is the mental tally we keep of her medicines and supplies. Sometimes I feel like we are on the phone every other week to the pharmacy to renew one thing or another.

These are only some of the things I know that I think about. There are many others for other parents out there - things like finding the right fit to their child's clothing, so they aren't distracted or irritated by tags or a too tight fit; things like making sure the school and teachers are given a heads-up when their child has had a difficult start to the day, knowing that it will take an extra measure of time and patience for them to reset; thinking about how they are going to sneak in some time with their special kiddo's siblings, so they don't feel neglected; and many more.

It was half way through my shower that a little voice in my head said, Elizabeth, there are far too many that have it worse than you - so knock it off!

I began thinking about the many parents out there who are thinking about much weightier things than having to take a morning blood sugar reading. I thought about the Carr family who found out this past week that their three-year old son has an inoperable brain tumor and are praying for a miracle, or our little friend Audrey, who has had more operations than I could count in her short little life. There are so many parents out there who have so much to think about, and I applaud them all.

Yes, I get weary from time to time, but I really have nothing to complain about. Maybe you know of someone who has a little extra to think about when it comes to their kids, and maybe you could add them to your list of things that you think and pray about each day. I know they would appreciate it - just think of it as exercising your own brain muscle!

Our Favorite Age

It seems like as the years go on and Abby continues to grow and mature, one phrase keeps coming up between Jason and myself - "This is my new favorite age." It may sound hokey, but she just keeps getting better and better. The other night the phrase came up again in our conversations about Abby and I had to agree with Jason, this really is a fun time with her. Here are a few reasons why this time is my new favorite.

1. She still wants to be with me.

I have to admit that there are days when this desire to stay with mom 24/7 wears a bit thin, days when I would love to take a shower without having to compose an elaborate story for the kiddo sitting on the stool mere inches away from the shower curtain, but then I remind myself that this may not always be the case. She may not always climb up on my lap, look me in the eye, and tell me how much she missed me while I was gone. There may not come a time when she wants me to read to her, or play with her, or simply watch her dance. There may come a time when the words, "But Mom, I need you!" don't cross her lips. I've seen glimpses of that day when I take her to a friend's house and she turns to me and says, "Now go, Mom." For now though, those times are few and far between. For now she still wants me around and involved - and I will savor that.

2. She is hilarious.

It could be as simple as the outfit she chooses to wear or the phrases that pop out of her mouth. For example, yesterday I looked up to see Abby gathering things together because she was pretending to go to school. She had her backpack on and her diabetic bag slung over her shoulder, both things that she got used to hauling to school, but she was also wearing her bathing suit (just because) and her pink cowboy hat. She thought she looked fabulous - and she did! Today, while she romped around in her pink leotard and blue skirt, she happened to put on my sunglasses. She sashayed back and forth in front of me. Suddenly she stopped, posed, lowered the sunglasses, and said, "Hey, Sweetie!" How do you not laugh at that? 

3. She loves to help.

Abby is in her glory when she has a task to do. Need your table set? Have some silverware to put away? Need some dusting done? Abby is your gal. She loves having a purpose and doing it "by myself!" My challenge is finding enough stuff for her to do. Like all of us she likes to feel she is contributing, and I love that!

4. She has an imagination that won't quit.

When Abby is in imagination mode she goes all in. Let me give you a few examples. Our car is not a car to Abby, instead it is a plane and I am a pilot. She isn't satisfied until I go through my whole speech either. It usually goes something like this, "Welcome to Valente airlines, flight 731, service from home to music class. Our flight time will be approximately 15 minutes, with a slight layover at Starbucks. Please sit back and relax and enjoy your flight." I have to give the whole speech with my had covering my mouth so it sounds like it is coming through a P.A. system. The whole time we are driving she refers to me as "pilot" and enjoys asking me questions. 

At mealtimes our dining room becomes a restaurant and I am the waiter, or "chef lady". Her bed is sometimes a boat and her floor a choppy sea. Our living room is often an auditorium and we are the audience for her many performances. In short, Abby is never bored, her mind is far to busy for that.

5. Her sweetness slays me.

Last week Abby got to hold her first baby. She fell in love
 with William right away.

It is not uncommon for Abby to tell me she loves me and it is usually at unexpected times, like while we are driving down the road, or in the middle of breakfast. She also has an incredibly tender heart. She will immediately reach out to anyone who is sad or hurting, wanting to offer comfort. And if there is a baby around....well, Abby is right there wanting to offer hugs and kisses, and telling them how sweet they are. She has so much love and she isn't shy about sharing it. 

I'm sure I could come up with many more examples of why this age is my favorite, but these are my top five. If history is anything to go by Abby will continue to get better and better as she gets older, but for now we are thoroughly enjoying our lovely little lady.

Abby got a new do yesterday. She was a champ and loves her short hair.

The Happy Pirate

Did you know that joy was contagious? It is - the proof was made clear with this morning's outing.

We were running low on staple items at the homestead, so I knew that I would have to be heading to the grocery store soon. This is usually not something that I look forward to. When I bring Abby it nearly always involves a bribe, so I almost went out late last night while she was in bed. Almost.

Since that didn't happen I knew that this morning was the time to go, and why not get it out of the way early? So, as I got ready upstairs, Abby got ready downstairs. I came down to find her decked out in her pirate costume, complete with sword and wild hair. "Mom, I'm a pirate!" she proudly exclaimed. I responded with, "Abby, you can't wear...." Abby knew what I was about to say, and started to protest. That's when I stopped. Why not? Why can't she wear her pirate outfit and carry her sword throughout the grocery store? Who would it hurt? So, I changed my tune and a happy pirate and I headed out to the store. Along the way Abby informed me that our car was her ship and that we needed to sing pirate songs. So we sang a few, "Yo, Ho, Ho's" as we drove.

By the time we'd arrived I'd given up the idea that bringing a pirate to the store was a bad idea, in fact, I was looking forward to seeing how people would react. I have to say that the whole time we were there Abby had a blast. She followed right behind me dancing jigs and singing a made-up song that went something like this, "I am a pirate! I am a pirate! Mom is mommy-Hook! I am a pirate! Ahoy, Matey!" She did try to capture a few little boys in the World Foods' aisle, but after a quick discussion about proper sword etiquette, she carried on without trying to lock anyone else up.

I tooled along filling up our cart, and watched the smiles she left in her wake. Some people would just softly smile to themselves when they saw her, others would comment on how they liked her outfit. One gentleman even stopped us to talk about about how much he missed his own children being young, and how his grandson loved pirates as well.

Abby was having a ball, and spreading joy so effortlessly - simply by being herself. This shopping trip could have gone in a completely different direction if I had insisted she not wear her costume and put on something "presentable" instead. I know exactly how that shopping trip would have gone because lately she and I have been having more battles over little things. It makes me sad to think that some of the reason for that is because I am not letting her express herself. Today was a good reminder that sometimes I need to step back and let Abby be Abby - because good things are bound to happen when I do.

Off to capture some pirate booty!

Luckily the aisles were pretty empty, giving her plenty of room to groove.

Juice boxes everywhere should fear the Dread Pirate Abby!

Day One

Well, today was day one of summer vacation and I'm happy to say that we hit the ground running! We have big plans to keep busy this summer and not lose any of the excellent learning Abby has gained this year. I have to say though that by 1 p.m. I was instituting "rest time" - not for Abby, but for me. It didn't take long for her to wear me out, and Zeke was there right along with me.

It's hard to see here, but she's getting some pretty good
height on her jump!

We began our day with a walk in the park. We have a lovely park pretty close to us and the exercise will do all of us good. So we buckled Zeke into his harness, tied our tennis shoes, and were off. I have to say, it was a great way to start the day. The scenery was beautiful as we passed by a pond filled with cattails and walked across the bridge through the woods. The best part though was watching Abby as she greeted everyone we passed. I love watching her hand out happy hellos.

Next, we came home to get ready for some errands. First up was heading to Mom's school to pick up some math papers. I've decided that everyday we will do some reading, writing, and math. The first grade teacher at my school generously offered her files to me, and so today we went to pick through them to get our daily math lessons. I also got a lesson in compromise. Abby was so good while I gathered her work that she convinced me she deserved some time on the playground.

Twirly slides are only second best to the swings.

After the playground it was off to the library. Yes, today was a big day; Abby signed up for her very own library card. I have to say that even I was impressed with the beautiful new kids' section in the recently renovated library. Abby immediately sat down to play at the computer, while I scoured the stacks for some of her favorite book characters. One of the best parts was that she was able to check out her own books. Pretty cool, huh?

Scanning her very own card

Checking out her own books

Finally, we were on our way home, but our planned day was not over yet. After lunch we had "carpet time" and enjoyed a fun tale about a little dog that dreamed big. Zeke enjoyed that book.

Next, we had math time and reading group. Our book this week was about emotions and what faces tell us about how people are feeling. It was interesting (but not surprising) that Abby did not want to talk about, or emulate, any of the negative faces. She was thrilled to show me "happy", "excited", and "sleepy", but wanted nothing to do with "sad", "mad", or "shy". When I asked her to draw her favorite face she chose "happy", of course.

For writing this summer I'm going to have Abby keep a journal detailing all the things we do each day. She also needs to practice putting events in beginning, middle, and end order. So, we ended our lessons today by writing about our morning. I wrote the sentences and Abby provided the illustrations. Then she put the three pages in the right order.

I got two eyes for this one. Abby told me she only needed one.

Apparently, today my desk needed to be green.

Here she drew the stacks with books. She informed me that the orange
books were "Daddy's books".

It was a fun morning mainly because she continues to impress me with how much she learns and her desire to learn more. I'm realizing that my challenge may not be getting her to continue to work this summer, but finding enough work for her to do! That, my friends, is a great problem to have, wouldn't you say?

Friends

Friends have been on my mind lately, namely Abby's friends. Abby is the quintessential people person and her friends are incredibly important to her. She loves playing with other kids and takes every opportunity to do so. We have a core group of friends that Abby has grown up with and I have so enjoyed seeing them play together throughout the years. Even when they fight with each other, I find myself smiling because these friends are the closest things to siblings she has.

In the last year I've noticed something though. The crazy kid parties of the past have gotten a bit quieter as the kids' interest shifts from things like dolls and dress-up to video games and friendship bracelets. All of the kids are getting older and more mature, and I love to watch that as well. The thing is, Abby is still very much interested in those dolls and ball gowns. Earlier this week I was feeling a bit down thinking about how there may come a day when Abby's friends' interests have gone beyond her own, and that day may be sooner, rather than later. My fear was that her friends would leave Abby behind in their race to grow up. Then a couple of things happened, and both had to do with dance.

Since September we've had Abby in a tap/jazz class. To say that she loves it is a bit of an understatement. She will wake up on a Monday and ask right away, "Dance today?", and I have to tell her that it isn't for another couple of days. It has never been a problem to get her moving on "Dance Day", unless it's to get her going once class is over and we have to go home. The tights, leotard, shoes, and music are right up her ally. She also loves to go see "her girls" - the term she uses for the other girls in the class. When she started the class she didn't know any of them, and they didn't know her. Those wonderful girls embraced her wholeheartedly and welcomed Abby into their dance crew beautifully. They encourage her, they miss her when she isn't there, pray for her when she's sick, and  they help her stay focused when she lets the music move her a bit too enthusiastically. That class is wonderful.

Wednesday was Abby's last class until Fall and I was sad to hear that some of the girls from the class would be moving on to the more advanced class next year. I think that the office manager of the studio could see my disappointment because she laughed and said, "Abby will do great! It won't be a problem for her to be with new girls. You know, because she has such a hard time making friends." The last bit was heavy with sarcasm and had me laughing too, because making friends has never been one of Abby's struggles. This thought stayed with me this week and was driven home more poignantly today.

Today we had dress rehearsal for tomorrow's dance recital. Abby was thrilled to be able to get her costume on, but even more so that Mom was letting her wear eyeshadow and lipstick! As soon as we walked through the door of the auditorium I heard a voice call out, "Abby!" I looked up to see a beautiful ballerina trotting toward us in order to give Abby a big hug. Abby was then quickly surrounded by about four other girls who were waiting in a line to practice their dance. You see, some of the girls in Abby's class also take ballet and they were so happy to see her that they made a point to greet her. Abby was thrilled to see them as well and couldn't take her eyes off the yards of blue tulle that floated around them. My heart swelled as we went to find a seat and watch her friends dance.

I continued to watch Abby as she ooh'd and ahh'd over all of the costumes and girls that walked around the auditorium. She told people how beautiful they looked and I watched the girls and their mothers stop and revel in her praise. Eventually, she made her way to the front row of seats and clapped and cheered loudly as each class finished their dances. After her turn on the stage she took time to photo bomb a few pictures of a group of older girls she'd never met. It was those same girls that moments later involved Abby in a game of Ring Around the Rosie - a game that I suppose was purely for Abby's benefit. They did get a bit concerned when she followed them to the wings of the stage, but I assured them that I wouldn't let her join them on stage.

Today drove home the fact that I have no need to worry about Abby not having friends. She has some pretty spectacular friends already, but she also has an amazing ability to draw people to her. Abby will never be without friends because she genuinely loves people, and others see and respond to that. Once again Abby proved to me that my worries are needless. It isn't the first time....and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Rather confident, wouldn't you say?

Jazz hands!!

Abby loves tying shoes. She is still learning how, but she likes to
be helpful too. One nice girl in her class let Abby "start" tying her
shoes today. Have I mentioned how much I love that group of girls?

Mom's Learning Curve

Abby has a wonderful temperament. She is as sweet and loving as they come...she is also stubborn and independent. We often hear glowing reports from her teachers about how she has such a positive influence on the other students and how she is an absolute "angel". I agree, she is a pretty spectacular kid, but lately we've been seeing less and less of that "angel" at home. Instead, we've been getting the demanding general who seems bent on perfecting her tantrum throwing abilities. She always redeemed herself by bedtime, but the path to get to that point has been rather rocky.

We began asking questions like, What is going on with her? and Could it be hormones? It was one question that Jason asked though, that really got me thinking - Are we too hard on her? I mentally reviewed our days and was convicted. I was spending far too much time and energy bossing that poor kid around. I could hear myself saying things like:

• Abby, you can show me the dance in an minute. Come here so we can wash your hands.
• Abby, it's time to come inside, you need to eat.
• We need to do your finger poke, come and sit down.
• Abby, no...
• Abby, stop...
• Abby, come here!

I'd become a horrible nag. Frankly, I couldn't blame her for being incredibly angry and frustrated. Now I wasn't "on" her all the time, we really do have great fun around here, but the fact of the matter was, I wasn't giving her the room she needed to feel independent and valued. I spend my days managing a classroom of kids and Abby had become one more for me to manage. 

So, the last two days I've been experimenting. Instead of barking out orders I've backed off and given her choices. I've replaced commands with phrases like:

• Abby, let me know when you are ready to wash your hands.
• How about we come outside after dinner to play?
• Let me know when you are ready for your finger poke.
• I'm going to head upstairs, you are welcome to come up too.
• Hey Abby? Could you help me....?

Let me tell you how the last two days have gone: 

• We've had no tantrums or tears. 
• Abby has not fought coming in the house after school, getting her hands washed, going potty, or getting a bath - all tasks that routinely would spark arguments. 
• Abby has cleaned up her toys (without prompting), took the time to straighten ups things around the living room, and helped me empty the dishwasher - all with a smile on her face. 
• There's been no yelling, frustration, or stress. 
• There has been more laughing, fun, and smiles. 
• And most importantly, I've seen with new eyes what a lovely young lady Abby is becoming. 

I'd spent so much time and energy trying to figure out what Abby's problem was, that I failed to see that I should have been looking a bit closer to home. It is hard for this mom to give up control, but I'm looking forward to a summer of practicing turing over more and more responsibility to Abby and watching her rise to the challenge - because, as you know, she's pretty spectacular.

Are you surprised she picked out these sunglasses?
Me neither.

I love her smiling eyes.

Determined. Nothing will hold her back.

Lovely.

An Anniversary

As with everyone I have certain days that are etched in my mind...the day we got married, Abby's birthday, the day we finally got to bring Abby home...these are all important anniversaries that we celebrate. They mark wonderful things. They mark life changes. They should be celebrated.

Today marks another anniversary, one that is bittersweet because I can't say that it marks a wonderful life change.....but it should be celebrated none-the-less.

Today marks the first anniversary of Abby's diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Just like the other pivotal times in my life there are vivid memories of that day. I remember calling her peditricitan because I'd taken note of her excessive thirst the night before. I remember them telling me that the doctor would want to see her, as soon as possible. I remember arriving at her school and crying all over her teacher because I was so worried it could be diabetes. I remember her first finger poke. I remember the doctor telling us that there was only one thing this all could be. I remember wondering if her new diagnosis was something I had caused. In the span of a few seconds our life turned sharply, and we would have to learn to adjust.

And that's just what we've done.

Although I don't celebrate the fact that Abby has to deal with this disease, I do celebrate the grace with which she does it. Abby takes the 4 shots, and the numerous finger pokes that go along with them, as if they were nothing. She doesn't flinch or complain, in fact most times she will thank us when we are done. She has also adjusted so well to the fact that she can't have some of the treats that other kids can, or eat whenever she feels like it, like so many of us do. She even tolerates the times when I have to force her to eat something, because I know it can be dangerous if she doesn't. As I think back to those first few shots and pokes I can't believe how amazingly well she has adjusted to all of this. Her strength of spirit continues to astound me - that alone is enough to celebrate.

I also celebrate the job Jason and I have done managing all that goes into having a child with type 1 diabetes. The number of calculations we've done this year blows my mind. I've lost count of the times I've figured up carb counts, carb to insulin ratios, and dosages. I've learned the signs of Abby's highs and lows, and how to treat both. In essence we have learned to become Abby's pancreas - and I'm proud of us.

I celebrate the army of doctors and caregivers that have supported us along the way. From her diabetes doctor who invited us to call him at home whenever we had a question, to the nurses at the diabetes center who had the patience with my near daily calls in the beginning. I celebrate the teachers, secretary, and principal at Abby's school who so fearlessly learned how to check her sugar and give her shots each day before lunch, and who keep an eagle on her to make sure she is right on target with her diet and activity. I can honestly say that we would not have had such a successful year without them. They are to be applauded.

Finally, I celebrate the fact that no matter how draining, tiring, and inconvenient diabetes is, it is manageable. Each day Abby has the medicine she needs to live a healthy and happy life. I can't be more thankful for that.

I look forward to a time when a cure will be found, but until then we will celebrate each victory along the way.

So, happy anniversary, Abby. We made it through our first year, kiddo, and I'm more in awe of you than ever.

There isn't much that slows this kid down!

What lessons can I learn from Abby? First, not to dwell on the negative. Even when she isn't feeling great she can find something to smile about - even if it's just a bowl of ice cream.