Merry Christmas!

Yes, I realize I'm a few days behind with my holiday wishes. I just can't seem to catch up with my life. :)

Ok, for those of you who usually receive Christmas cards and letters from us...I'm sorry. With all that's happened this month, something just had to give. I actually called my mom and asked her permission to not do them, which, of course, she immediately granted me. But, alas, the guilt has not left me yet. :) Feeling guilty runs in the family....

Christmas was very good. A couple of days beforehand, I finally came down off of my "high" and emotionally "crashed". I take after my Grandma Dee in that I like to celebrate with food. I usually go all out at Christmas ... bake up a storm and experiment with new appetizers. This year, being under such diet restrictions, my heart just wasn't in it. I admit to feeling sorry for myself...but really more lost than anything. But, I guess with less emphasis on food and gifts (we scaled way back with the yucky ecomomy and the looming medical bills) we enjoyed a much simpler Christmas. I was focused on my family and our health...and the gifts God has blessed me with.

Erin did ok. No major breakdowns, although I certainly wouldn't have held it against her if she had. At my family Christmas, we timed dinner around Erin, and had a sit down dinner, as opposed to the planned "graze on appetizers all night". She said she didn't want to go to Barry's family Christmas. It didn't start until after her dinner time, so she couldn't eat there. She said if she couldn't eat any food there, and shouldn't run around for fear of going "low", then what was the point of going? :) But she went, AND I think she had fun.

I'm still having trouble with my blog on my computer. I just don't understand why I can post and update from Barry's laptop, but not from my computer. (And all of my pictures are on my computer...hence the boring, no picture posts.) So, as of now, I am unable to show you the pictures from the girls' Christmas programs, the pictures of my adorable niece and nephew, etc.

Today the girls and I went shopping in Eau Claire. We needed groceries. I wanted to check out all of the awesome post-Christmas deals on clothes. And the girls wanted to get their much-anticipated hermit crabs from Petco. You wouldn't believe the reading, research and planning Alana has put into this newest venture! When she sets her mind to something, she goes all out! We came home with two new family members...Hermin and Shelly. (Yes, my kids ARE brilliant!)

Other than that, not much is new. I'm currently fighting off a huge headache and sore back...and shopping always puts me in a sour mood. I had originally (pre-diabetes) planned to do school today and tomorrow, but that idea flew out the window. I'm still trying to find my footing. Whereas before I spent all of my free time planning and reading about homeschooling, I now am trying to learn all I can about type 1 diabetes. It's funny to think that a year ago, I was stepping into a new life. Our new journey...homeschooling. And now, exactly a year later, we're taking on a new turn...diabetes. Not that I would ever propose to know what God's thinking, but I have to wonder if God put homeschooling in my heart in preparation for Erin to get sick. I can't imagine sending her off to school now with this disease, so homeschooling is truly a Godsend. He's good...that's all I can say! :)

Hopefully I'll check in before the year is over. (Ha ha..get it?) Hope you all stay safe, healthy, and warm! God bless!