One year anniversary from dx

Benson had his one year anniversary from diagnosis (dx) on December 27th. Since then I have contemplated how our lives have changed and what we have learned from our experiences. I wanted to share some thoughts about it:

1)We have received countless blessings from him becoming a diabetic. My testimony of the plan of salvation has been strengthened. It's comforting to know that this disease will only be with him during this life and that his body will be restored to perfection in the next life. It's easier for me to see the bigger picture of why we are here on earth and what our purpose is. I have had many experiences this past year that have made me appreciate how precious our lives are and how close our Heavenly Father is. It's comforting to know that Heavenly Father is in control of our lives and gives us help when we are in need of it.

2) The scariest part about the disease short-term is him going into hypoglycemia. I have spent many nights worrying about Benson and just praying that he will be fine during the night. Dr.Christensen told us that if his BG's go really low during the night he will have a seizure which will send glucagon through his system and bring him out of hypoglycemia. That is not a comforting thought. I worry more during the night then I do during the day about Benson's BG's.

3) We can't always control what we are given to deal with, but we can always control our attitudes. I have realized that no matter the situation--there is always something positive that can be learned. We aren't given trials to make us miserable, we are given them to strengthen us and teach us to be better human beings. Our family is stronger because of diabetes. It is easy to see the Lords hand in our lives. Here are some examples:
a) We were accepted to UW med school and were placed 6 hours away from home during our first year of school when Benson was dx. This allowed me to visit home often during our transition into our new lives. What a great Blessing!
b) We had many miracles and special experiences during the 2-day period when he was diagnosed--I felt very close to heaven and my Savior during those times. This helped me accept his condition with a grateful heart.
c) I have been given a calling that keeps me in touch with families who are either living at the hospital or Ronald McDonald House with children who also have medical conditions. I feel a lot of support and comfort from these people. Their spirits and attitudes are contagious and I feel very fortunate to have made strong friendships with them.
d) We live 1 mile from Seattle Children's hospital--what more can we ask for? They have treated us with love, compassion, and have given us LOTS of attention. I put my full trust in them. We are fortunate to be able to use their resources and knowledge. Barb (our nurse) is a full-time nurse who specializes in infant/toddler BG's. We talked almost on a daily basis during Benson's transition onto the pump. We could not have done it without her.

4) Reece prepared us for Benson. When Reece was an infant we learned the hard way that he was severely allergic to milk. It was a struggle to get him to eat and his weight was far below the 0 percentile line. When Benson was dx my first thought was "oh, this will be easy--atleast there is a solution to everything. If he's low then give him sugar, if he's high then give him insulin". Unfortunately I was naive in thinking that, but it helped! Reece and Benson are normal kids but both have health issues (one can't have milk or nuts and the other has to count carbs--no big deal). My hope is they will embrace their differences and be stronger because of it.

It has been a good year. It has been a rewarding experience to look back and see how we have overcome our obstacles. It wasn't always easy, our transition onto the pump was a very emotional experience for me, but I feel empowered now that I have accomplished it. It is still a daily struggle to get his numbers in target range, but we will get there. I just have to remember to have patience, be exact with my carb counting, and enjoying the blessings that come from it.

Lots of updating...here we go!

My computer is having troubles and so the writing is on the bottom of this post. I'm sorry it's the longest post ever but I'm getting ready to print it and so I wanted to squeeze in LOTS of pictures!

Why is it that everytime mommy has a party one of my kids has a meltdown (this was during Sarah's baby shower)?

The high school crew!!Reece Ivan Miller

My sister Natalie and her friend. Natalie is one of the funniest people I have ever met. She had us rolling on the floor in laughter all break!

Benson Mark Miller (notice the two trains in his hand...he ALWAYS has something in each hand. No matter where we go, what we are doing, they are always occupied w/ something)

He looks like a funny old man!

The Dunkley Girls! We all went out to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory!

This is my life with Reece. We play games and put together puzzles. Notice Benson in the

back--both hands are full with trains!! Love those kids!

My Grandma & Grandpa Dunkley (notice Bensons train?)

Sisters! I told Nicole I was going to do her hair and make-up for the New Years SND and she had a fit. Of course when I was done she was bouncing off the walls saying thank you....she's awesome and very beautiful!

Ewwww...PDA yes way! Happy 5 year Anniversary to the lovebirds! I can still remember how giddy and disfunctional I was when I met Spence. I couldn't believe I was actually dating my fantasy guy. 3 weeks of saying, "all I want for my birthday is a date with Spencer (yes...it was that cheezy) 5 weeks of dating and being in lala land, 3 months of engagement, and boom...another one bites the dust!! What a glorious story!

Reece spent way to much time reading Calvin and Hobbes. He's now been banned from the comic book because he started to act like him:

Grandpa Miller with the boys

Chad got a air hockey table for Christmas. The boys LOVED playing with it. Each time Benson scored he would throw his hands in the air like this:

Starfall.com. It's the best website and it teaches kids their ABC's!

This is how they act all the time--loving brothers! hehe I wish!

Seattle Aquarium.

I love this picture! Spencer looks hot, Benson is telling me to hurry up, and Reece is being a goof ball. That double stroller has saved my life. It's practically part of the family.

Mom and Reece at Alki Beach

Beautiful eyes.

Miller family photo

I love this picture. I took it in my parents pasture with my camera that came from Santa! If I was a puzzle maker, I would buy this for atleast $1,000. hhaha just kidding

I also love this picture! My Dad will laugh if he reads this...but I really think I want farm animals someday. I know i'm the most pathetic farm daughter--but it's growing on me and I actually do enjoy feeding the animals. I just don't appreciate it when they start chasing me, which causes me to wet my pants, and almost gives me a heart attack.

Dunkely family: doing what we do best--playing games!

Crazy miller family!

I wanted to give an update on what the Miller fam has been up too (it's really just for journal purposes). If you get bored, stop reading and have some ice cream! It will make you feel better!

Spencer: Spencer is busy as ever with school. He has fallen in love with medicine and loves to study. Last semester was very successful and this new one has so far been super busy. It's crazy to think that he only has one semester of book work and then he will be in the hospitals/clinics for the remaining 2 years. I feel like he is graduating in June but really we are only in the beginning stages of our adventure to become a doctor.

Juliann: I am really enjoying Seattle. I love my apartment complex, my friends, and all the fun things Seattle has to offer. I am easily entertained--driving on the freeways, walking downtown, taking the boys on walks or to the zoo are just a couple things that make me love Seattle. I feel fortunate to have good friends who I can call up on a whim and go hang out with. I would be miserable without them.

This is going to sound cheezy, but hey, I am the definition of cheeze! I really love being a mom and a wife and I feel so blessed to have a great husband who supports me in EVERYTHING and two awesome boys who constantly make me feel loved. It's almost a surreal thought that I have my own family. Time has flown by--Spencer and I have been married for 5 years!! It's been a fun experience for me to look back on the past 5-6 years and see how the Lord has prepared us for the experiences we have had and has directed us to the right places and people to help us along the way. The past 5 years have been packed with great memories, experiences, and growth. I feel very blessed to live the life I have and to have three great families (Dunkley's, Millers, and of course mine and Spencer's little family!).

Reece: Geez, where do I start? He is a gas in a half. I'll tell you just a couple stories that will give you an idea of his personality:

1) During the Christmas break, Reece woke up one morning and said to Spencer, "Dad, my blood went through my kidney, and my kidney made pee...so I have to go pee". No Spencer is not training Reece to be a doctor, he pulled this out of a Dr. Suess book that we hadn't read for months (you never know when they are paying attention).

2) On our way to Boise we stopped at a Burger King for lunch. We sat down and I gave Benson some chicken nuggets. He immediately threw them on the floor and in a joking voice I said, "Benson, you little fart". You better believe it--I knew I was in trouble--Reece stood up on the bench and repeated my words as loud as he could announcing to everyone that I just called Benson a little fart. I learned the hard way to watch my language.

3) Reece has been a super good kid lately. October-December were rough months (mostly due to the fact that I was consumed with Benson's diabetes and so Reece lacked attention--of course I didn't realize it until after it was over). Ever since we got home he has done everything in his power to make me happy. He gives me compliments all the time and is always trying his best to be a good boy. He is a great older brother and does a great job looking out for Benson.

4) Reece sings "Hark the Hearld Angels Sing" ALL DAY LONG. He has the whole song memorized!

Benson: Benson is my cuddle buddy. He is the sweetest kid you will ever meet. Every where we go (whether it's upstairs or outside) he has to have something in each hand. He doesn't go anywhere without both hands full. He is obsessed with cars, trains, and balls and will chase Reece around the house all day long. He eats like a champ and is pretty chill. Whenever I think about Benson I think about his continuous hugs, kisses, and his playful personality. His big brown eyes will melt your heart. Like his brother and Dad, he loves to tease! He is growing like a weed and learning new words every day. Benson loves cats and dogs (he is fearless around them). He started a new game--he hits Reece and then gives him a kiss to make up. They both think it's hilarious but i'm afraid it might not be funny when he does it in Nursery. Benson has many hidding places for his toys, the most popular is the VHS slot. Yesterday I found 4 cars and a remote in there. Crazy kid! :)

**For the last week Benson has been walking around the house saying "Halo". At first I thought he was saying "Hello", but after listening to Beyonce's song "halo" Benson started saying it over and over again and that is when I realized he is singing Halo!! haha