So Far So Good

Jack and I are taking a little "break" from the house today! Anne and Bryan are at our church's Christian school today, visiting. We are really praying that they like it, and they do not immediately feel that it would be too difficult for them. Lord willing, they will be moving up here over the summer for good, and will hopefully attend our school. Since Jack and I had to get them there at 7:30 a.m. and pick them up at 3:15 p.m., we decided to stay in town and hang out at Grandma's house! Unfortunately, she isn't here. She had to work today, but said we could make ourselves at home. That's a pretty generous thing, considering Jack can really, really make himself at home, if you know what I mean :-)

Things are going really well with my diet. I have only had a couple of high readings so far, and I'm really learning what particular foods are good ones to eat. I must make a little retraction from my sample menu from the other day--I found that I can NOT eat a half a bagel without some other form of protein. I don't know what makes it different, but for some reason that half a bagel sends my levels through the roof, even though it is well within my limits for carbs and also contains protein. Oh well, go figure. Anyway, I discovered that the Brocolli Cheddar soup from Panera is only 1 carb exchange, so I can eat the french baguette along with it! It's the first time I've tried it, so in two hours time we will see if it was a good thing or not. The math works out ok, but we'll see what the glucometer says (ahhh, the all-knowing glucometer).

Just as a side note, I am finally able to push the button on the lancet myself--no more asking Jack to do it! Ha!

You Learn Something New Everyday

Yesterday I met with my dietitian and I actually learned a few things about diabetes that I didn't know before! I learned that pregnant women have a much lower glucose level than a non-pregnant person. When I am not pregnant, my levels should be between 80-100 before I eat, and then can reach up to 150 two hours after eating. As a pregnant person, my fasting level should be 60-90, and my two hour level should be no greater than 120! Yikes, so yes, I've been running high.

I also learned that it is very important that you EAT. I have to eat 6 times a day. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. And I can eat carbs, but the MUST be tempered with protein. I thought that maybe I would do a sample day for you so you can see what I should be eating.

Breakfast: 2 carb exchanges (1 exchange equals 15 carbs)
Coffee with three TBS of my french vanilla creamer (1)
1 slice of diet bread and a TBS of peanut butter (1)
The peanut butter provides the protein.

Snack: 2 carb exchanges
1/2 Blueberry bagel with cream cheese (2)
The bagel actually has 6 g of protein in it, so it's ok by itself, plus the cream cheese has 2 g of protein

Lunch: 3 carb exchanges
Ham and cheese sandwich (made with the low carb bread - 1)
7 large Tostito chips with salsa (19 grams, which is 1 exchange plus 4 g)
1 cup milk (12 grams, which just about equals out the extra from the chips)
The protein is in the ham, cheese and milk

Snack: 2 carb exchanges
2 packages of the 100 calorie pack cookies (2)

Supper: 3 carb exchanges
We went to Olive Garden last night and this is what I had. I think that it all just about equals 3
2 bowls of salad
1 breadstick
I shared the grilled salmon dinner with my mother-in-law, which included broccoli - it was plenty!

Snack: 3 carb exchanges - this is the most important snack because it is the one right before bed, and has to last me the longest time while I sleep.
1 1/2 cups of Special K with Red Berries and milk to cover - yum!


So, as you can see, I'm not starving! And as long as the protein and the carbs are mixed, I can pretty much eat anything. I do have to steer clear of my precious White Mocha from Starbucks, because 1 grande of those is actually more than I am allotted for a meal! Yikes! So I'm drinking whole milk lattes with sugar-free vanilla and whipped cream! Not too bad.

The hardest part, believe it or not, is remembering to eat! I pretty much eat every two hours, so if I get busy I've got to remember to stop and eat, otherwise my glucose levels will not stay constant, and my body will think that it needs to try and produce more.

I also have to test every morning for ketones. That is where the extra sugar spills into your urine--which means it can also "spill over" to the baby, causing her to get too much, get too big, and have problems with sugar when she is born. It is very important that I follow this plan to a T so that when she is born she doesn't experience a huge drop in sugar within the first 30 minutes of her life and end up in NICU. As it is, she may end up in NICU anyway, just to be monitored more closely. It's pretty scary, so it is up to me to the best I can and not give in to either NOT eating, or eating more carbs at one time than I should. If this diet doesn't work for me than I will need to take insulin shots. So please pray for will-power and determination!

Thank you for all of your encouragement, I have needed it tremendously and I appreciate it more than you can know!

Adjusting

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! Anne and Bryan are here and we are having a great time with them, as always. I am trying to adjust my "decreased activity" level to accommodate two 13 year olds, a two year old, my 30th week of pregnancy with all its contractions, and the added delight of at times feeling really weird with my gestational diabetes! Whew. A couple of days ago we lost Jeff's glucometer, so I actually haven't been able to test my sugars, which is kind of not handy, since I don't know how what I am eating is affecting me. Last night I had a definite period of time when my sugar got too low (waited too long between meals), and that felt horrible. I had to drink some orange juice and eat a candy bar, which under normal circumstances would have been fun, but it just plain wasn't. I go to the dietitian tomorrow and will receive my own glucometer and the correct diet plan for me, so that should really help.

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments and for the prayers that I know have been going up on our behalf--it has been giving me strength.

Sugar

Well, I drank all the juice (all 120 oz. of it), and I fasted for 12 hours, and I drank the icky orange gunk, and I got my blood drawn 5 times (I will NOT be wearing a short-sleeved dress for Easter). I knew that they would have to send the blood away to a lab, thereby making the results not known until Monday, so I took along Jeff's glucometer and poked myself and tested my own blood each time they did. According to his machine, I did NOT pass 2 of the 3 blood draws needed to pass the test. My doctor was glad that I had brought the glucometer and was pretty satisfied with those results, although it will be confirmed on Monday. So, it would appear, that another hurdle has been thrown into this pregnancy lane, and I will complete my pregnancy with Gestational Diabetes. While this is unexpected and, well, let's face it, unwelcome, I am thankful that God has already prepared me for this possibility. Because of Jeff's diabetes, I am not in the dark as to what I need to do, and the thought of testing my own blood doesn't scare me (although I do have Jack actually push the little button on the lancet because for some reason I balk every time). All I really need to know now is how many carbs I can have for each meal, and how many snacks I can have. If I keep my regular sugars down to normal amounts with my diet, I shouldn't have to have any shots or medication. That is a HUGE blessing. We are unsure if this is a recent development, or if it will get worse as time progresses, but all of that is in the Lord's hands. At this point in the game, I am just ready to take my hands off the wheel and allow God to drive. He obviously has a plan for all of this, and while it makes me uncomfortable, I am happy to just ride it out and see it through to the end. I've been blessed to be able to hold two precious little babies in the last week or so, and each one has given me strength to see it through. I'd appreciate your prayers, though, for me to be able to eat the way I should and manage my levels, and for the diabetes to not get worse.

The kids are coming tomorrow and we are so excited we can hardly stand it. God gives us GOOD GIFTS, just when we need them.

Our Little Anne

This is our beautiful daughter, Anne-marie. I first met Anne on our honeymoon, over 3 years ago. I cannot believe how much she has changed in just 3 years! It seems that our pig-tailed giggling little girl is being transformed before our eyes into a sensitive, lovely young lady. This picture was actually taken in her bedroom, by her 12-year old friend, Kindell! Not too bad for two girls "goofing around" in their room, huh?

Since the first time I heard Britt Nicole sing, "Set The World On Fire", I have thought of Anne. It is our prayer that the words of this song would be her ambition in life.



Set The World On Fire

I wanna set the world on fire
Until it`s burning bright for You
It`s everything that I desire
Can I be the one You use?

I, I am small but
You, You are big enough
I, I am weak but
You, You are strong enough to
Take my dreams
Come and give them wings
Lord with You
There`s nothing I can not do
Nothing I cannot do

I wanna feed the hungry children
And reach across the farthest land
And tell the broken there is healing
And mercy in the Father`s hands

My hands my feet
My everything
My life, my love
Lord, use me

I wanna set the world on fire
I wanna set the world on fire, yeah
I`m gonna set the world on fire
Set the world on fire

Oh No!

I just talked with my doctor's office and they informed me that I FLUNKED my Glucola test (166)! Again. This was the second time because I didn't believe it the first time. Ugh. I have to drink 40 oz of fruit juice every day today, Wednesday and Thursday, and then on Friday I have to fast in the morning (after midnight Thursday), then drink the glucola stuff, and then have my blood drawn every hour after that for the next three hours! I just cannot believe it, but I suppose that would explain why I am getting so BIG and not gaining that much actual weight.

I guess I'd better get rid of those cookies I bought yesterday.

Life Goes On

One year ago today, Jeff received the call from his grandmother that his father, Stephen Gray, had passed away. It was a very confusing, shocking time for our family, because it was unexpected. There were so many issues yet to be resolved......and suddenly, no time to resolve them. Throughout this year I personally have come to the realization that although there were many things left unresolved, if we truly do believe that he, at one time, came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then, for him, everything is resolved. In his glorified body there are no regrets, no tears, no addictions, no painful memories. And that is how I think we should think of him. He is perfect, and only capable of good things. And he would certainly be proud of his family. Here are a few reasons why....

Jeff--In the moment of crisis, you stepped in as the "leader" of the family. You have sacrificially given countless hours of your time to make sure that the legacy (whether good or bad) that your father left behind was properly taken care of in a way that was respectful of your grandmother, your mother and your siblings. You worked to shield them from potential hurts, and have evidenced a profound joy in being able to "pass on" the good things left from your father. You have grown in your relationship with Jesus Christ, in your own role as father, and as a loving, Godly husband to your wife. You have made it a personal goal to abhor evil things that would cast a snare around you and endanger those that you love. You have provided a good life for your family, and you continue to lead them in a godly way, lovingly becoming involved in many aspects of our church in an effort to keep your family on firm ground. He is proud of you.

Jill--You stepped out of a comfortable role in your career, and together, with Gary, have created a beautiful home, complete with the effervescent smile of your precious baby girl, Sierra. You have given of yourself to her with love and fierce loyalty. You have created a home in which she will be nurtured and taught to love Jesus. You seek to give her the best life you possibly can, even when the decisions are hard. You are striving to please God in your home as a wife and mother, making sure that Sierra will never doubt your love for her. He would be proud of you, Jill, and my goodness, oh so proud of that little girl.

Jason--You became a husband! You married a beautiful, intelligent girl, who, like your mom, has a desire to care for others. You also became a homeowner--and although those little neighbor kids may drive you crazy, it is a lovely home, and you and Ashley have woven your artistic talents together made it even better than it was before. You continue to go to work everyday to support your family. Your desire is that your wife would never do without, and that she would have the best of everything. You are working hard at finishing school, something that might have been really easy to just let go. And yet, you decided to stick with it, even though you knew it would be hard. God will reward you for your hard work, Jason, and your dad would be so proud.

Sharon--This has been perhaps the hardest on you. So many years ago you did what was right for your family, even though it was not what you wanted, and your heart has never mended. You stayed true to what you knew was right, and look, just look at the generations you have produced! Look at the hardworking sons, the hardworking, caring daughter, and the precious, precious grandchildren! In your heart you never stopped loving him, and I know that you have grieved as a wife would grieve for her husband, and re-lived so many memories over this last year. And yet, you have shown a determination to keep going, to keep making a better life. You have showered us all with love and generosity, even in the midst of a rigorous schedule. You give so selflessly, even when you are weary. You are almost finished with your master's program! You have been the example of "finishing strong", and signing your name to a job well-done. Your children are so proud of you! And your husband, in heaven, with clear eyes and well body, and mind completely encompassed with the beauty of Christ, is so incredibly proud of you.

And so, on this anniversary, it is not the life of Stephen Virgil Gray upon which I contemplate. It is his legacy, his greatest accomplishment on this earth--his family--of which I am so proud to be a part.

The T-Shirt Says It All

I've been meaning to post this for some time......

Good Morning!

Thank you so much for praying! I had a couple of phone calls and comments in my email that really let me know that my request for prayer did not go unheeded. And about the middle of the afternoon I started to feel better. All morning yesterday I walked around in a fog--it's really hard to describe. But about 2:00 p.m. the fog started to lift and although I was still tired, I felt like I was getting better.

This morning Jack slept until almost 9 o'clock! That was a HUGE help and I awoke this morning actually feeling refreshed and ready to get up! We had a playdate scheduled today with the triplets, but one of them is sick, poor baby. So, now Jack and I need to find something to do with this new-found energy. It is supposed to get pretty warm today, so maybe we will venture to the park. At any rate, it is wonderful to be "fog-less" this morning and just so grateful to God for seeing me through. I am also very grateful for my husband, who let me lay around last night and even went to get me a Blizzard from DQ! I love you, honey!

I hope that you all have a good day, and if you're not, just hang in there, because after all, tomorrow really is another day (to quote Katie Scarlett O'Hara)!

Tough Day

I just wanted to ask my friends to pray for me today. I am having one of "those" days....super tired, a lot of back pain and many contractions. It is frustrating in that I cannot point my finger at anything I actually "did" to cause me to feel this way today. I finally broke down at lunch and heated up a second cup of "wobbee" (coffee, as Jack says it), and so I feel a little perkier, but not much. Jack is driving myself and himself crazy as he is so bored. My mother is coming over in a little bit so that will help greatly. Just pray that I can get through this day without a complaining spirit, and still remaining grateful for the trial of this pregnancy. The end is so well worth it, but sometimes difficult to see.

In Case You Were Wondering....

Here's how we are looking these days......

Anybody?

Jack is bored. Does anybody want any company today?

We'd be happy to come to you.......