This kid?  Oh, this kid…he’s one of a kind.  He turned thirteen yesterday.  As in 1-3.  Count the candles, I’m not lying.

I don’t have words to describe what this kid does to my heart when I look at him.  I’m so very, very thankful for his precious life.  So proud to call him son.  To watch him growing into a responsible, thoughtful, and considerate young man.  To see God working in his life…molding him into something more than I can imagine.

My birthday prayer for this kid is that he would walk in and hold fast to the truth of God’s word, that he would hear and heed the silent whispers of the Holy Spirit, and that he would continue to grow in the nurture and admonition of our faithful, loving heavenly Father.

I’ll admit it, my heart has had about all the “birthday” it can take these past eight days.  Watching my babies grow up is one of the greatest blessings God has given me…but it is by no means easy.  Not in the least.

Practically the entirety of last week was consumed with Luke’s birthday (unless you count Philip’s three basketball games and the fact that we had a houseguest for two nights – even so the birthday overshadowed it all) .  Considering his birthday fell on Wednesday, you need to understand that the two days prior were for pre-celebrations/trying to live up to the hype that Luke was creating for the big day.  The four days following were post-celebration/talking Luke out of the depths his spirits had delved into after waking up and realizing his day of glory was gone for another 364 days.  Never have I seen a child so caught up with the day that celebrates his birth.  He was literally “in a fuss” about the whole thing.  I am discovering something a little troubling about little Luker.  He is a WORRYWART!  He worried for weeks before our trip to Texas about us running out of gas or having a flat tire.  His birthday caused him almost the same amount of anxiety.  I don’t have the words to explain the chaos that was trying to decide what he wanted to do on his “real birthday” and his “fake birthday.”  (read: birthday party).  His ideas changed at least a dozen times – including what he wanted to be served for breakfast in bed on his “real” birthday.  When he realized that his brothers and sister were going to school ON HIS BIRTHDAY!!!,  he was devastated.  The fact that I had to make a trip to Costco on the same sacred day proved too much and ended with Luke burying his head in my chest and sobbing.  He chose to go to Red Robin for his birthday dinner but was so worried that the wait staff was not going to sing to him at the end of the meal, he literally made himself sick to his stomach and couldn’t eat his mac-n-cheese.  After Red Robin, we came home, lit the candles in the strawberry cake I had made him and started singing “Happy Birthday,” but he couldn’t even enjoy it because he was yelling out over all of us, “DON’T FORGET THE PART AT THE END WHERE YOU SAY CHANNEL 4!”  We continued to sing normally and I shook my head yes, but that wasn’t good enough for Luke who continued to yell, “DO YOU HEAR ME?  DON’T FORGET THE PART AT THE END.  YOU KNOW THAT EXTRA PART…I WANT YOU TO DO THAT EXTRA PART TOO!”  I have never been so thankful to put a child to bed.  I’m going to need those 364 days to gear up for all of this again.  Never mind.  We still have the fake birthday (read: birthday party) to tackle.  He is waiting for Star Wars to make its 3D theater debut and plans to take a few friends.  He also wants Orange Leaf.  And another cake.  I’m assuming he’ll want balloons again.  Maybe the bouquet my parents sent will still be floating in a few weeks and we can make do.  Honestly, that child…you’d think he was the baby of the family or something.

Yes, those are candles in his blueberry muffins. I was under pressure to start the day off right.

The picture isn't too good (it's okay, Nate), but this is Luke waving us down trying to instruct us on how to sing his birthday song. That kid.

Speaking of birthday parties, Anna E. was invited to the her best friend’s birthday party this weekend.  The same best friend that gave her this hat.  They went together to a wolf observatory a couple of months ago and so began a love affair with the howling creatures.

She loves this hat. L-O-V-E-S it!

It makes her do the happy dance.

Anyway, she went to her best friend’s birthday party which happened to be an animal party.  Can you imagine?  An animal party.  I knew she was going to love it.  I already have a birthday party planned for Little Miss like this in March, so this was a bit of a preview.  I warned her against being too…oh, what’s the word…excited? (That’s putting it nicely).  She couldn’t help herself.  She wanted to be up close and personal with each and every animal.  She got tail-whipped by an alligator for goodness sake.  My daughter got tail-whipped by an alligator.  Oh my.  When I saw her after the party I gave her a big ol’ kiss on the forehead.

“That’s where the cockroach crawled on my face, mom.”

Yes, you read that correctly.  I kissed her right where this creature had crawled on her face.

I know you aren’t going to believe this, but my daughter was the only  person at the party who let a Madagascar hissing cockroach crawl on them (?!?!?!).  If I didn’t have scientific proof, I might wonder if I really gave birth to that girl.

Speaking of giving birth, I actually gave birth to two children in January.  We were talking about Philip’s birthday being in two days, and this is what Luke had to say:  “Mom, I really don’t think Philip’s birthday is as important as mine.  I think mine is more special.  Is that bad?” Hmmm…I don’t know, maybe Luke still holds resentment for Philip knocking out his front top tooth four years ago.  He really needs to let it go if that’s the case.  Especially now that he has experienced his first natural  tooth loss.  It was directly beneath the one that he lost in the tricycle accident of ’08 so now he has one large rectangular gap in the front of his mouth.  I have to admit, it’s pretty cute to me.

And speaking of knocking teeth out (I’m on fire with the segues tonight, aren’t I?), I went ice-skating with the kids yesterday.  Don’t worry.  I didn’t actually lose any teeth, but I sure did come close.  Some crazy-fast, backwards skating (not-so) little girl came flying towards me at a speed I hadn’t encountered on the ice up to that point.  Seeing that I wasn’t going to get out of her way in time, I instinctively put out my hands to try to soften our collision.  Poor thing, I scared the little girl half to pieces and she instantly pushed off me.  At that point, I can’t accurately describe what happened, but I know both my feet came flying out from under me and I landed squarely on my tail-end.  Then, something like the sound of 100,000 bowls of Rice Krispies went off inside me.  I’m talking snap. crackle. pop.  It went straight up my spine and ended with my teeth banging together loudly.  I couldn’t move or breathe for what seemed like hours.  Finally – holding back tears, I got up and drug my sorry little keister off the ice.  I’m super stiff today and moving the left side of my body is proving quite painful.  I want you all to know…Ibuprofen is my new best friend.

The arctic chill that blew in on Sunday is on its way out…not nearly soon enough for my already having a hard time adjusting to going back to school without a 13 degree morning this week TEAM.  This is how we had to do breakfast more than once this week.

This is what Nate wore all week at school.  (Yes, he actually wore these Luke sized orange mittens in class).  He did admit to having a hard time turning the pages in his textbooks.

Here’s to no more trees blowing down near our home in 2012.  And mom turning up the heater a bit on cold winter mornings! 

I have high hopes for 2012.  Big plans.  One of them includes learning to like to run.  Unfortunately, just saying that made me a little weak in the knees.  I’ve never been big on running.  In fact, I find people’s love for running downright ridiculous.  For the longest time, I think it was purely an anatomical problem.  (Big chested girls should not run – it’s not pretty).  Since that was revised several years back, I’ve been thinking about taking it up.  Thinking and thinking and thinking.  Maybe sometime before December of 2012 I will have learned to run…and enjoy it.  Wayland and I might do it together.  Couch to 5K was an idea we had.  If any of y’all have tried it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Other plans include rearranging some rooms in the house and repainting…which desperately needs to be done.  (You can imagine all the white trim in the house that has never been touched up in the almost seven years we’ve lived here with four children.  It’s embarrassing).

I’d also like to maybe go away for a couple of days with Wayland.  It’s been over ten years since we’ve done anything like that and I think it’s about time.

Okay, so maybe those aren’t really BIG plans, but it’s a start.  (And now you all know so you can hold me accountable).

But before I can pick up my paintbrush, put on my running shoes, or pack my duffel, I must tackle Texas.  There’s a lot to cover, but I finally feel I can muster the strength to do it.  Here goes…

TEAMThompson packed up the ol’ Suburban (which we’ve affectionately named Bullseye, The Trusty Steed) with enough clothes, shoes, medicine, presents, pillows and people to possibly warrant some kind of special permit.  We headed southwest on the Thursday afternoon that the kids got out of school and drove it straight through…Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas…all 19 hours of it.  We arrived bleary-eyed, foul-breathed and a little grimy, but it didn’t stop us from embracing family full force.  We were tired, but running on the adrenaline of being back in our hometown…surrounded by people we love, food we love, and did I mention food we love?  It took us all of about fifteen minutes of being in Odessa to head to Rosa’s for burritos, fajitas, tortillas and liquid gold (aka queso).  That was the beginning of a seven-day tex-mex binge that has left us all with a little less room in our jeans since returning to Indiana.  Yes, we were gluttonous.  Yes, we’ve asked for forgiveness.  (But not ’till we got home).

I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.  It wasn’t all about the food…not by a long shot.  It had been over three years since we had been back in the Lone Star State and we had so many necks to hug I couldn’t come close to counting them all.  Moms, dads, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephew, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmas, friends…it was intense!  And wonderful.  And a little sad.  Watching our kids with family (especially their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins) puts a smile on my lips and laughter in my voice, but it’s also hard.  Knowing we have limited time isn’t easy.  Trying to fit in quality, quantity, memory-making, joyous moments is really hard work!  By the end of our time in Texas, I was physically, emotionally, and mentally spent, but I was thankful that we made the trip.  Happy to see loved ones in person.  Hug them; hold them; talk and laugh.  Stand in a circle, hold hands and pray.  That makes it worth it all.

We didn’t take near enough pictures…but the ones we got were pretty good.  Allow me to start out with a picture of our landscape.  It’s hard to explain, but after being out of Odessa for over eight years, seeing things like pumpjacks and oil rigs that were once so commonplace somehow become fascinating again.  This is where we’re from:

The oil industry that drives West Texas economy supports both our families.  It was good to see those jacks pumping.

This is what drives my economy…

Sleepy cousins snuggling in bed

More rested cousins loving on the newest addition

Excited cousins ready to play!

I'll have to admit, Kinect was fun to watch and play!

Trophy winning younger cousin giving older cousin some words of advice before older cousin crashes his bike into a pole.

Papa and Dad giving Nate some advice as well.

All lived to smile about it!

Building gingerbread houses with Reece and Rynn

Doing nails with Kenzie Jo

Grandad loves those backrubs!

Snuggle time with Papa

Sweet baby kisses for Laine

Landry and Megan snuggle time...aren't they sweet?

Losing steam...

There were also moments not captured with a camera, but that will be forever engraved on my heart.  Sitting down with my Momma and going through photo albums from my childhood.  Watching her braid Anna’s hair and seeing myself as the little girl in the chair.  Being at Tina and Lawrence’s – all fifteen of us squeezed together and feeling completely at home and content.  Dance off with Kayli (darn those yoga pants ).  Grocery shopping and dance off with Kaleb.  Oh yea!  Playing 42 with Grammi and my Dad.  Sunday lunch with all the Thompsons…singing “with Jesus in the home.”  Aunt Beth’s surprise 70th birthday party and her beautiful tribute to her Savior.  Hugging both my beautiful Grandmothers and Wayland’s – I don’t take that for granted.  Hearing Noah express himself with such passion.  Kenzie Jo keeping me laughing…never a dull moment with her.  Reece and her keen attention detail – listening to her talk.  Rynn – her laugh and those two fingers in her mouth.  Laine. Is there anything sweeter than a new baby?  Hugging and kissing those four sweet nieces and one cute nephew.  Catching up with Rachel.  Meeting Megan.  Seeing Landry with such a bright future ahead of him.  Those last hugs where I held on a little bit longer to each and every family member with tears running down my cheeks.

Of course, once we had said our final goodbyes and wiped away those few remaining tears, we had two final stops to make.  I hate that I have to take this back to the food, but it must be done.  Our first stop was Taco Villa.  We had been blessed with two coupons for six free bean burritos and we couldn’t let those go to waste.  We pulled up a little before 10am and ordered 13 burritos.  I wonder what they thought.  If that wasn’t bad enough, we left there and went straight to Rosa’s to order more of our favorites as we don’t know how long it will be until we can eat it all again.  We set off down I-20 with 19 burritos, 24 tortillas, and 2 large quesos.  That was one burrito for every hour we had ahead of us to drive.  Unfortunately, between five of us (Luke doesn’t like mexican food…it really must make a difference that he was born in IN!!!) those 19 burritos and two dozen tortillas didn’t last that long.  I feel a little shame over the whole ordeal…especially considering we stopped in Oklahoma City at a Cracker Barrel to eat as well.  I will say, the smells coming from the backseat of the car helped keep Wayland and I awake in the wee hours of the morning as we drove straight through all the way back home.  We got in at 7:30 am the next day, carried the couple of tortillas and half a burrito that we had left into the house and all crashed.  Hard.

I woke up at some point in time to unpack all our bags and get the laundry done.  Then it was Christmas Eve.  Then it was Christmas.  I don’t remember being that tired in a long time.  We had a lazy day until we looked at the clock and realized we were supposed to be next door at the neighbors’ for Christmas dinner.  We all threw on some clothes (I threw on some make-up as well) and we spent the evening with friends we enjoy dearly.  Then we came home and crashed again.  I feel sure we will be fully recovered from the past 18 days soon.  We better get on the ball, though.  School starts back tomorrow whether we’re ready or not.

Here are some pics from Christmas day…

Christmas dinner at the Barker's

Strangely enough, I got an email last night from an old friend I haven’t seen or spoken to in nearly a decade.  One of her children was just diagnosed with Type 1 and she was reaching out.  I woke up all throughout the night thinking about her and her son.  Whispering prayers and spilling tears.  When I checked Philip at 2am I pictured this mom doing the same and it brought back memories of how many nights I couldn’t sleep that first year.  How hard it was to actually push the button on the lancet that makes the blood flow.

After poking Philip and getting his reading, I took his hands into my own and looked at the tips of his fingers.  Calloused.  Bruised.  Unrecognizable to the fingers that were his three years ago.  I kissed the tips and bathed them in my tears.  I prayed prayers of thanksgiving for my son and his health.  For living in a country where treatment is available and in a time when his future can be bright with hope.  I prayed for a cure.  A real cure.

I wish I could say “remember when” to my memories of three years ago.  Like, “remember when he had pneumonia,” or “remember when he had his tonsils out.”  With this disease it’s different.  It’s not just daily; it’s hourly.  I’ve “remembered” for the past 1,095 days every hour of every single day.  Some of those days have been downright terrible.  Most have been “normal.”  And what’s great is that some have been out-of-this-world-better than we could have imagined.  That’s why on this three-year “diaversary” I choose to celebrate.  Not diabetes, but life. Life to the fullest.

Merry Christmas from TEAMThompson!  Our prayer is that the greatest gift you receive this year is Jesus.  May He be real, present, active and alive in all our lives.  Oh that He would be our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace.  Blessings to you all in the coming year!

For unto us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.  Isaiah 9:6-7

At this point, it looks like Christmas cards aren’t going to make it off the to-do list and into mailboxes.  I think it’s safe to say any sort of holiday baking is going to stay a distant pipe dream as well.  Good news is, TEAMThompson will be delivering good tidings of great joy ”live and in person” to friends and family way down back home.  Somehow planning, preparing for, and actually making a 3,000 mile road trip puts a big dent in the amount of time you have left for things like making fudge and addressing envelopes.  Please forgive me.

Not that it has all been trip planning.

We did this a couple of weeks ago…

It was our kids’ very first time to the circus.  Ever.  (I’m a little ashamed to tell you that).  As a little girl, I remember going to the circus several times.  My Nanny’s next door neighbor was a Shriner, and he took me to the Shriner’s circus wearing his maroon velvet “bucket” hat with the black tassel more than once.  I can still conjure up images of elephants, cotton candy, sequins, and coloring books when I think of the circus.  I wanted my kids to experience it at least once.  Nate and Phil didn’t jump up and down when I told them about our Friday night plans a couple of weeks ago, but they ended up being pretty impressed with the gravity defying acts they saw.  Luke and Anna E. responded just as I imagined they would.  Eyes wide open.  Jaws dropping.  Fingers pointing.  Squeals of laughter.  Gasps of fright.  Claps of approval.  If only I had brought our camera to capture it all.  (Um, yeah…those pics above are ones I got off the world-wide web.  They are accurate of the show we saw, but didn’t come from my lens.  The last one is of a guy who lights himself on fire and then shoots himself out of a catapult across the arena.  He has to be put out with several fire extinguishers after he lands.  I can’t come up with a good reason why he does this…I’m sure the secret is hidden in his childhood somewhere).  I did take a couple of pics with my phone but they are pretty awful.  That would be because my phone started down a fast track to death after it took a dip in a glass of iced tea almost two months ago.  It’s been temperamental and high maintenance since then and despite my best “baby-ing” efforts, it has completely frozen up on me now.  I even paid $45 for someone to give my phone an “alcohol bath” that was sure to fix it, but alas I am still without use of my smart phone and my $45 just got flushed down the drain.  Tonight I went and got a temporary “go” phone until I’m eligible for an upgrade in April.  I think my days of texting have come to an end for a while.  It took me five minutes to type out a four word message having to figure out how the letters correspond to the numbers again.  Really, what did we do in the days before smart phones and full keyboard texting?    In all seriousness, I’m not sure how I’m going to remember everything I have to do starting in January, since my entire 2012 calendar is lost somewhere in that phone.  (I didn’t have a wall calendar up for anything past December so I am really up a creek…if I’m supposed to meet you somewhere or you know I have an appointment in 2012, would you please let me know?  Just don’t text me…go back to good ol’ email or a phone call!)

Now that my sentimental “Kids First Circus” post has turned into a phone rant, I’ll just skip ahead to basketball and Philip.  Let me just say, two games a week really takes up a good portion of time, but I have this thing about not missing things my kids do, so I’m there with bells on every time the doors are open.  Bells, yes…but I’ve only remembered the camera once.  Or maybe Wayland remembered it.  Not really sure.  I do know Wayland took the pics.  They are a little blurry.  Hopefully I will remember the camera again before February comes and we can get some better shots.  Still, here is proof that Philip is playing basketball and that he continues to get more handsome every day.

I remember not long after Philip was diagnosed, I wondered how we were I was ever going to make it when he was playing on a school team and he had to be “on his own” when it came to managing blood sugars before and during the game.  Can I just say?…He is doing amazing.  I’m so very proud of his responsibility and maturity in this area.  He knows it, but I’ll say it again…he’s my hero!

Other than all that, I’ve been working quite a bit…doing my PTO stuff…playing some tennis…dealing with tennis elbow and carpal tunnel that now has me in a brace (yea!)…making lots of lists…finishing my shopping…getting ready for Texas…driving kids here and there…going on field trips…and my favorite – making new friends through serving.  We’ve had some incredible opportunities to help some strangers that have now become friends through serving.  I love how God works!  His ways are SO much better than ours.  He brought someone - literally to. our. driveway. with a broken down car – to build relationship and allow us (and later our lifegroup) to be His hands and feet in a situation where it was needed.  He also opened doors for Philip’s basketball team to go and serve at a foster home this weekend where His love was shared both ways.  I am sincerely grateful to see Him at work in our lives and fully acknowledge that He gets all the glory!  I am overwhelmed at His goodness!

Okay, since blogging wasn’t one of the things on my to-do list, I’m calling it a night.  (or a morning, more accurately).  Eleven days ’till Christmas and 3,000 miles of road to travel!  If I don’t go on overload, I’ll be back with a Christmas “Blog” card to ease a bit of my guilt for dropping the ball this year…

Love y’all!

1. Thanksgiving Day meal that turned out really, really good if I do say so myself.  Didn’t have to use the back-up jarred gravy.  Turkey was moist and flavorful. Enough carb-laden sides to please all my picky eaters.  All in all, y-u-m-m-y!

2. Flag football, tennis, and Phase 10 brought out the competitor in all of us this past weekend. Love playing games with the fam.

3.  Watching Carmel High School football team win State Championship Title on Saturday night.  It didn’t matter that the game was a blow out. It was about time for another championship.

4.  Wayland’s birthday on Sunday…highlight of the day was serving dinner at the shelter.  It has become one of our favorite family activities.  Wayland received his fourth (ahem) wedding ring in fifteen years for his present.  I wonder if I started losing mine if I could get upgrades?  :)

5.  Kids all back in school on Monday…no one else got strep after Nate last week.  My surgical procedure was “easy peasy”and we were blessed with several delicious meals out of the deal.

6.  Countdown to Texas trip has officially begun.  In addition to the joy we will have in seeing, hugging, and snuggling with family and friends we dearly miss, we will also be indulging in the incomparable goodness that is authentic Tex-Mex cuisine.  I can feel my jeans getting tighter just thinking about it.

7.  Finally, I am praising God today that He has challenged me with a message of having an attitude of gratitude.  He is my joy. He is my hope. He is my redeemer. He is my Savior.  In that, I can find myself forever grateful.

“Really?  What was it about, Luke?”

“Well, you know - those Griffins.”

“Griffins?”

“Yea, those Griffins from Syrup.”

“Griffins from syrup?”  (At this point my mind is spinning).

“Uh-huh.  You know, Mom.  They got on that boat, the Roseflower and they went from Syrup to Indiana.”

Anna jumps in now…”Luke, boats can’t sail to Indiana…it’s landlocked!”  (I start to point out that Indiana actually borders a bit of Lake Michigan, but I decide to stick with the mystery of the Griffins for the time being).

“Well, the Griffins did!!!  They got on the Roseflower and they sailed to Indiana and they did that first…that first…THAT FIRST THING WHERE YOU EAT TURKEY!!!”

Nate and I look at each other and the lightbulbs go off.  Thanksgiving!!!  The Griffins are the Pilgrims.  The Roseflower; the Mayflower – close enough. Sailing from Syrup/Europe to Indiana/America.  Of course, that thing where you eat turkey…Thanksgiving.

There's my little turkey eating turkey this week at the Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast.

Now I know that November is also National Diabetes Awareness month and today, November 14, is World Diabetes Day.  I honestly hate that I even know that.

I’ve had a rough couple of weeks in regards to the nasty D word that plagues my son.  Situations in the classroom.  On the basketball court.

Scary numbers in the middle of the night; in the middle of the day.

Days that I’m so upset I can feel my stomach being eaten up with acid.

Days I weep over his loss and my loss and the loss of every new person we meet that suffers in the same manner.

Days that I could literally break a plate over someone’s head when they tell me they understand Diabetes because “their grandma has it,” or their friend “used  to have it until they lost some weight, got in shape, and changed their diet.”

Days I feel alone in my grief until I visit these sites that educate, empathize and encourage so many that walk this road…

…Six Until Me 

...Our Diabetic Life

…The Princess and the Pump

...Life Between the Fingersticks

It makes it a little easier knowing I’m not alone in how I feel.  It reminds me to stay the course and never stop praying for a cure.  Never stop advocating for Philip and his right to lead the most “normal” life possible.  Never stop looking for those little things that make me smile.

Things like this.

I smile through tears that may be happy or sad or both when I see that.

Stop Diabetes for my son.  And all the others who would give anything to never live another “D” Day again.