2013---Reflections

The year is almost over.  Yay!  I am good with this year ending.  If I recall correctly, the first half of the year was pretty good!  Although to be honest, I don't remember much about it.  I do however remember plenty about the last 4 months of this year, especially since Autumn's Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis.  I have blogged about that before...so I really want to focus on what I have learned this year...the good and the not so good.

1. I have learned that family WILL be there for you.  I can't tell you how important and impacting that has been for me.  I have learned more about strength and courage from them than I could imagine.  And, I am not just talking about my little foursome.  My whole family has been such a positive impact and I am so thankful for the love that we felt/and still feel.  We are blessed.

2. I have learned that I am blessed with friends.  Now, I am going to be honest on this one.  I have some AMAZING friends, some I didn't even expect to do as much as they did and some that didn't do near what I expected.  The truth...it's ok, either way.  The ones who went above and beyond totally made up for the ones that didn't. To those who were there, I am forever thankful.  Your love and compassion helped me in a time that I needed love and compassion the most.  And to those that didn't do what I expected...well, that's ok.  This was my storm to battle and not theirs......and it's ok.

3. I know God is there.  Throughout the past 4 months of this year I have realized the role God has played....how He has been there and how He was working on our family LONG before I realized how much I was going to need Him.  I am thankful for the times God allowed me to be sad, pray, and ask questions....and yet still knew He loved me and was listening.

4. I have learned a whole new form of math....carb counting..insulin calculating....blood sugar numbers....lots of math.  :)

5.  I have learned that A LOT of people don't understand what Type 1 Diabetes is....and that is ok.  It was hard at first....when people would tell me they were surprised Autumn had it, because she was thin. Or the people who told me surely she could get it under control with a pill and be ok.  Unfortunately, her pancreas as stopped working and she will need insulin for the rest of her life.  So many people don't know the difference between Type 1 and Type 2....I didn't until we were faced with it.

6.  I have learned that sometimes, in the darkest days, we just need people to listen.   Sometimes the words that we use don't actually comfort people....the best thing we can do is listen and just BE there with them.  Now, I don't mean this bad and if you are thinking....Oh, did I do this...no worries....I know people were trying to say the right things and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.  But, I always knew people were trying.

7. I have learned that even in the toughest of times we will be given positive things to focus on.  I try to be a very positive person, but struggled a lot at the end of the year.  However, the students I had this semester, the friends that were present, my wonderful family, the prayers people prayed, and the things I allowed myself to enjoy helped bring the optimism back.

8. I have learned my girls are resilient and I could not be any more proud of them.  They are amazing. I appreciate their health and giggles more than ever.  I have learned my husband is amazing.  He is always willing to listen and be there.  He has allowed me to cry tears of sadness and tears of joy and has continued to love me.

9.  I have learned we are going to be okay.  In early October I wondered how we would make it day to day....and now I know we can.  We will have tough days and probably go through tough times.  We still will live blood sugar check to blood sugar check. But, I can tell we will be okay.

I love my sweet family!  

2013 has taught me a lot.  However, I am good with it going away and I pray that 2014 is a year of love, laughter, good health, and good memories for my family and yours.  Happy New Year (almost)!  :)