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Monday, November 5, 2012

What was I thinking??

I have had a very "eventful" last couple of weeks.  2 visits to Vanderbilt ER for high blood sugars, vomiting and  dehydration.  1 visit to the local ER via Ambulance from the doctor office for the same thing.  Then between this I talked to my husband about buying a Pampered Chef kit.  He agreed to the mini kit.  Hey! Now this was really big for me to ask for permission first before doing it on my own.  So there has to be some kind of treasure in this.  There simply HAS to be!!  So that next night I sat up late and ordered the kit. Looked around the website a bit and then went to bed.  The next morning started out ok.  I was a little tired but pushed myself through what seemed like a normal day.  I was cranky for sure!!  Instead of finishing lessons with Elizabeth because I couldn't concentrate while the leaf blower was blasting outside our window, I decided to go blow leaves too!  I love to blow leaves.  Instant gratification watching the line of leaves billow across the driveway!!  Mmmm...  Had my phone in my pocket, pandora playing music in my earbuds and everything was great!!  Well, not quite....

I had a phone call come through and I wasn't able to finish speaking the conversation before I needed help.  Looked to my husband sitting down the driveway as he was watching me and he knew I needed help too.  I crumpled toward the ground and he caught me before I landed completely.  The rest of this story is what has been told to me....not because I really remember any of it.

Somehow, Judge and Jacob had gotten me into the house and on the couch.  I do remember my face.  Oh my face was aching and shaking.  Judge said my left side drooped a lot and my words didn't make any sense.  (I know what you are thinking already.  Sounds like a stroke.  Sounds like bell's palsy.  It really sounded like a lot of things that were vaguely familiar as some of these things happened during my stroke 6 years ago.)  Kids each knew what to do on how to get my blood sugar meter, check it, check my pump, check my sensor...everything. They have it all down and work well together.  He said we stayed home for about 20-30 minutes and then we headed to the hospital.  I remember getting to the jeep.  But the next thing I remember again wasn't until later that night in a different city and a different hospital with different people.  Not too many people enjoy visits to our local ER as it has had a lot of bad rumors and probably actual things that have happened.  I, for one, have had not so happy visits.  But then again, I have been there on occasion and knew what I needed got it (bleeding kidney infections) and was able to go home with a happy story to share.  Because everyone has a hospital story.  Especially if they have ever accompanied me to the hospital.

This time was a little bit in fast motion as time was critical.  One thing I DO remember was a med they put in my IV called Dilantin and OMGoodness...I had a severe reaction to that and was screaming from the burning rash I was developing on my backside and all underneath.  Say Ahhhh with Benadryl chasing after it.  Had a CAT scan to rule out any brain bleeds.  All good.  No neurologist on staff at the hospital.  No surprise there really but what surprised my husband was the fact that they could wheel in some sort of computer that a neurologist was able to connect to and observe me.  She said, Can you get her to Vanderbilt?  Sure!  Oh wait, no beds available.  Time to go to Skyline via ambulance.  By this time I had already received lots of Ativan and Valium before getting to the new hospital.  Ugh...skyline and I have a rather unhappy relationship.  I don't agree with many things that they say and/or do.

I woke up that night after getting there somewhere between a garden hose seeking liquid and monkeys picking through my hair.  (Really it was the catheter going in and them putting eeg leads on my head)  But I am correct on how I perceived what was going on.  I know you laughed at this....go ahead and admit it.  I did too.  We had an low disturbance (that's what they called it) eeg for 24 hours.  It had a camera on me and everything. I was in the neurology ICU department so my visitors were scarce, even my husband wasn't allowed in most of the time.  I couldn't eat.  I couldn't hold up my left leg and after the 50th time of about 6 neurologists trying...I still couldn't do it.  My left arm as well.  I couldn't feel my face still and it was like pins and needles most of the time.

Went in to the hospital under the pretenses of having a seizure disorder which bewildered us.  While there, HEY! let's do a full stroke work up.  Everything was coming back pretty normal.  I went home. End of story.
Yeah maybe not in such a fast, easy way.

Yes, I saw about 6 neurologists.  Some that got mad at me because I couldn't remember if I stared when I was in school.  Sorry, 33 different schools from Kindergarten - graduation....ummm, no.  I don't remember.  To psychiatric nursing coming in to bully me for not taking my insulin pump off.  Two thumbs up there! Not!  Finally the last neurologist comes in and actually sits down with us and says...I would like to get records brought in and take a closer look towards MS.  This is something we have had brought to our attention about a year ago so it made sense.  Before leaving another neurologist stopped by and said, "You know, in the back of my head I am thinking this is MS".  Great...

In the meantime since discharge I spend my days either in my bed where it is really warm or on the couch.  I can get in between the two places by using a walker.  I have been out of the house maybe 3 times since then and it is really difficult.  It will take awhile to get an official diagnosis of MS as lots of things have to be done first.  I know a sleep study is coming up soon and then a spinal tap after I see the neurologist as an official in office patient.  Not someone laying in a hospital bed looking like a robot with tubes sticking out of every orifice.

So for several days I felt like there wasn't a tomorrow or a glimmer of hope.  Then one night Jacob helped me with an idea I had to fix a fanny pack to the front of my walker.  A little more independence!  I can now carry my phone, meter and earbuds! woohoo!  I spent well over a week not being able to swallow foods except soft stuff like jell-o and yogurt so I have lived on blueberry yogurt for far too long.  I started eating on Thursday night.  Friends have been kind and brought meals to my family so they can eat and not have that extra worry on them as to who was cooking and what?  Thursday night a meal was brought that I was finally a little better to be able to sit out on the couch and eat it.  This was the first day of us having home health therapy in the home too.  So I was still having a lot of emotions and trying to deal with what was to come.  Since Thursday mealtimes have improved.

Judge and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary this past weekend and I was glad I could eat by then so we could enjoy a dinner out together.  Sushi it was.  Still not a lot of chewing involved but bursts of flavor was a good thing.  Oh and Creme Brulee that they brought to us! Yum!!

Home health therapies are coming 4 days a week to help get me moving again and using all functions of my body back to where it was before all of this happened.  Occupational therapy should be here soon...wonder what today will bring?  I know what today has already brought to me.  It has brought more hope and I have felt more promises from God in just the last few hours.  I just got to the living room about an hour ago but before then I had a mini office set up on my bed.  Kids were up, chores done (I think) and everyone ready.  So Jacob and Emily had their school stuff ready and organized for the week.  I finished up Jesse's school work mostly for today and a little language for the rest of the week.  Tomorrow is another day for him.  My sister came by to chat for a few minutes, took a few catalogs and is willing to do an online/catalog party for me! Yay!  Elizabeth and I read through 3 social studies lessons today as well for her schoolwork.  I logged on to her k-12 site and saw that today and tomorrow are vacation days.  Perfect!  We will strive to get caught up on everything we have missed while I have been immobile or in the hospital!

So see...I can get some things done.  I laugh and tell people that for my anniversary my husband bought me balls.  Tennis balls, that is.  For the feet of my walker.  Makes it easier to glide across the wood floor and kitchen.  I was even able to go get my own yogurt after the kids left for dentist appointments! How about that for progress!  Its the little things that get us through.  My Grand Beginnings is my motto right now.  Beginning to relearn things that most take for granted and beginning this Pampered Chef venture.   I do have an open show right now that is closing this week.  Please look through...I am sure there is something you can find for yourself or something to create yummies before the holidays.  Grand Beginnings  If you would like to host a catalog/online show (as I am not vertical or cleared for cooking yet) please let me know.  I know many who enjoy the stoneware and you can get it for 60% off this month when you place your show order.

Enjoy your week and try to find the small things to give thanks to God that you have.


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Our Favorites...

Nobody that I know of has their very favorite Bible verse!  Not one alike.  I think that many people have some that they are familiar with and like the same verses.  But there all-time favorite...probably not!

Have you ever changed your favorite verse?  I do this a lot.  I think it all depends on what is going on my in life at the time and how I can parallel it with God's Word.  I found it very amazing to listen to the chatter that was going on around about who likes what and you stole mine and even a case of the "I don't knows".


I asked my husband what his favorite verse is and he said its part of Psalms 23:



Even though I walk


    through the darkest valley,[a]

I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

My current verse would be 1 Peter 1:6-7:

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Jesse said his favorite verse is in Genesis 1:27
2012-10-17 08.29.08.jpg
So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Emily likes the verse John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Jacob's favorite verse is Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
A
And Elizabeth's verse is Proverbs 3:1

My son, do not forget my teaching,
    but keep my commands in your heart,

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Music

One day I will get a link on here with all of us practicing our instruments.
Jacob is learning the guitar on his own.  Emily is playing the flute and trying out the viola even though she wants a violin I would like her to try the viola first.  Then Jesse and Elizabeth are playing the violin and I, the mama, am LOVING the cello!  Over the years I have played piano, violin and flute.  On to BIGGER and better things!
Music is very important to our family.  Not exactly sure how deep Judge feels about music other than he group up with an appreciation of all genres.  But for me, my grandmother was a piano teacher at a small school in Alabama.  Before I was kindergarten age I would carry my snoopy sleeping back to the small piano room and as student came in and out for their lesson I would take my naps, color, run errands and be a nuisance sometimes to the students. :)  But I did learn a lot.  I learned how to make lists, scheduling and hang up pictures too! (The recital pictures).  

It was a given, non-choice, that I would play piano.  I became very good and won a Junior Championship later on in high school for playing piano.  We have a full size keyboard here too but it seems that if I don't keep up with my skills I tend to plunk out the melody and have made myself feel that I am fine with it.  But I am not.  There just isn't the time of day for me to spend practicing....but I have tons of books! LOL  I could give lessons, but I just don't want to.  I played the violin in elementary school but had a hard time with the positioning of the instrument due to some dental/jaw issues I was having.  I played the flute in middle school but with all the moving around we did it was hard to fit in to class after class.

I spent 8 years in church choir but stayed in a safe spot in the midst of everyone else and just blended in.  I tried auditioning but my nerves were fried and couldn't even remember the words to Amazing Grace.  Oh well, I will go back to just blending in.  When I was in my late middle school years I heard an amazing singer at church!  She was the voice of an angel...I knew she was!  Come to find out she was also a Tennessee contestant for the Miss USA pageant.  Learned she was still taking college classes and DID offer voice instruction!  I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity right away.  I sang with the praise team at church every Sunday and usually left each Sunday with a colored dot on my chin from the microphone being so close to my mouth because I sang so softly.  Occasionally, I would sing the offeratory solo which usually was a song I had worked on from a soundtrack that I bought at a local Christian store.  Oh the good times!  At that time in my life I think it was more about being up in front and at the center of attention of everyone else.  I didn't really care if it sounded good or not but everyone else said I did.  And I was recorded and my mom has these recordings somewhere.  NO I don't want to hear them either!

My junior year the choir director in high school sent me to see a music professor at the local college.  I started taking lessons at that time and he wanted me to attend summer sessions at Oberlin College.  I knew I wanted to go but there was no way I or my family could afford to send me there.  I continued studying under his direction for 2 years.  I went away to college, joined the Navy, married and had children.  Re-enrolled back in to the local college and left him a voicemail that said "This is the voice from your past"...stumped him!  Did you know your voice deepens after having children.  Well it does.  I restarted lessons with him again for a couple more years and he wanted me to go to Austria to study voice.  Ummmmm....sorry I have 4 children here.  I just can't pick up and go to Austria for 2 months.  Great! There's a playground outside for them...but it wouldn't last long.  Sorry, couldn't make that a go.  

I still continue to sing and have struggled with finding my place in a new choir where I don't know many people.  Each week I say, "I am going to choir practice" but something keeps me back.  I LOVE to sing!  I really do.  I feel that my heart is in the right place now and know that I will be singing for HIM and not to whoever is in the audience.  I have three favorite songs I like to listen to over and over again.  My Redeemer   by Nicole Mullen, Total Praise by Avalon, Your Name by Phillips Craig and Dean!  All are strong songs with great melodies and range.  I hope to one day continue to sing for the Lord.  Oh and I am playing cello.  I love the cello...it has a deeper sound than I am used to and I often lose track of time when I am practicing.

Sorry this is so long but it is written in all honesty and felt that getting this out would help my motivation with music.  Music has been in my life and God has been my life.  This is the way it is and the only way to make everything work.

Romans 8:28

New International Version (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
Some changes have happened.  And some have remained the same.  Our "Song Has Remained The Same"

"The Song Remains The Same"
I had a dream. Crazy dream.
Anything I wanted to know, any place I needed to go

Hear my song. People won't you listen now? Sing along.
You don't know what you're missing now.
Any little song that you know
Everything that's small has to grow.
And it has to grow!

Remember this song?  I am not too keen on this music but the lyrics are very ironic to me right now.  I do have a dream.  I have a dream and a prayer that my children grow up to be happy, healthy, smart and productive adults!  Learning everything they can and answering each of their questions!  Go far and see much!  

Not everyone follows along in our song, some follow to a different tune but to us we are right on key for our family.  

The past month our song has changed a little.  But to us it has stayed on the same track!  Judge was diagnosed with a skin cancer over a month ago and we have been to several doctors, specialists and surgeons.  Homeschooling has that advantage to take our work with us or catch up on a different day.  Jesse and Elizabeth have been schooling with the K-12 program as I thought that would help us with our transitions and make things a little easier.  As of this week I have withdrawn Jesse from the program and I have his new plans and path ready to begin.   Elizabeth's k-12 experience has been phenomenal!  Her teacher is very caring, understanding and patient.  She is not pushy and she is open to any suggestions we may have.  She stays in the background for the most part unless we need her.  I keep in close contact with her so she knows exactly what we are up to.  I am really sorry the k-12 program didn't work out for Jesse.  But we are back on track now!

Diabetes has caught us at a little crossroads but I think everyone agrees that they still push through and we do this as a family!  Its our lifestyle its not a heroic deed we do everyday.  We take things as they come.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

our own -ism's

Genesis, Exoiticus, Deuteronemetry (Too much geometry on the brain?)...ok just stop right there.  I can't make this stuff up.  This coming from our 12 year old who we are teaching the books of the Bible to.

We were leaving the mall area Friday night after Jesse and Elizabeth saw Nemo together.  Jesse tells me, "In a few years I will be mowing lawns and taking Elizabeth to the movies".  Me, "on your lawnmower". Jesse quickly without thinking says, "yes"..."I mean NO!"  I wouldn't take her on a lawnmower...I need lots of Kubotas.  (Thanks to our Texas trip this is the latest and greatest thing to him)

While driving one day a few years ago Judge asks the kids what chemical change occurs in a toilet.  The kids all yell out answers.  Pee!   Poop!  Color! And Jesse yells, "FLAVOR"!!  


Monday, September 17, 2012

Its the littlest, tiniest things that matter

It is the smallest things in life that make a difference.  For me anything homeschool or diabetes related make my world spin a little smoother.  Having 4 happy, energetic and easily entertained kids help out tremendously too!
We now have a ginormous whiteboard in the study and it was fun putting Jesse and Elizabeth's spelling words on the board Friday.  So much fun I guess that Jacob and Emily felt a little left out and asked  for spelling words too! That's right...they asked for them!  Not sure if they will like the ones I came up with but maybe they will learn the age old "be careful what you wish for" saying.

We had a great weekend playing at the park, walking a ton, fishing, watching the kids goof off at the river, ice cream blizzards, falling asleep to the sounds of rain outside!  A fun filled couple of days that we hope to keep going this week and with a little math thrown in too!

Today is site change day for the kids and we will see how their numbers are doing and whether we can wait until this afternoon to do the changes.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Prayer Lists (yea or nay?)

When I was a kid I would make THE longest prayer list that I could make.  I did this not out of annoying the Sunday School teacher but only because I was fascinated to see if they would actually pray for these people. And they did!  What I didn't do was keep up with how many had answered prayers.

I would to make a private list and a public list.  Private only for my eyes only to prayer to God and a public list to share with my family and be able to show how God answers prayers.  Sometimes we don't get something put right in front of us to show our children how faith works...we just tell them if you believe then its true.  To kids this is a hard concept to understand and believe in something they cannot see.

This maybe a new venture for us but God is the one who woke me up at 12:30am for a reason....to blog this and to share with others!  I talked about Prayer in a previous post Here  We actually made those cute popsicle stick prayer pails.  They really ended up being a mess most of the time but it taught the kids about the first part of praying.  Taking time out of your schedule to give your heart of prayer to God.  Now I would like to teach them the power of praying and show them that God does answer prayers...in his own time of course.  But time is a very un-measured part of God.  Expect to be Blessed.
On this wonderful website she tells in detail how to make a prayer pail.

1. If you would like to share a prayer request with us that you don't mind sharing please do.
2. We promise to pray for you each day.
3 Please follow up with us if your prayer needs have changed as in worsened or changed as in a blessing/resolved.

Thank you!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Week of 9/10/12...fun with 4 learners!

Excuse my ramblings but I am going to place some plans here...best place for them!  Lots of links to share!
Will add to this page throughout the week for all the kids
5th Grade:
Story of the World vol. 1 (SOTW)
Lapbooks  http://runofthemillfamily.blogspot.com/2010/04/story-of-world-lapbook-for-volume-one.html

Netflix for this week:  Walking with Beasts

Spelling Words: 

Ancient
Nomad
+
Week 1

Monday - Writing words 3 times each
Tuesday - Writing words in alphabetical order
Wednesday - Paint your spelling words with water on front porch
Thursday - Write spelling words on 2 index cards and play memory game with the words.
Friday - Spelling Quiz


Math:

Review packet from Friday

5th grade math links

Large number addition & subtraction

Geography:

Mapping Mesopotamia pg 4 of SOTW 1 Activity Book
Coloring Sheet pg 5 of SOTW 1 Activity Book

Apologia Science: Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology

Skeleton Dance Song
Muscles and Bones  Activity 3
Learning the bones of the arms

Humerus
Radius
Ulna
Carpals
Metacarpals
Phalanges (little dangly things)
Will also teach the scapula and clavicle since they are easily identifiable too.

Other ideas I found:
Homeschoolblogger










Thursday, September 6, 2012

Is it Fall yet?

We have had a long end of summer.  I am ready for fall and all its colors, smells and cooler temperatures.  I am ready to wear my hoodies again, turn off the A/C in the house and van, see less bugs and take more bike rides.  Goodbye high humidity and scorching hot temperatures!  I have always said that I would rather be cold and add more layers than to be hot and not be able to take everything off!  

At the end of August we had to start testing Jacob's blood sugars for about 3 days to rule out the beginnings of diabetes.  His A1c was a little more elevated than our endocrinologist would like to see especially for our kids.  Jesse was diagnosed with a lower A1c than what Jacob's was in August.  But he is doing fine, blood sugars and fastings were great!!  

Judge had a biopsy on a bump he has below his eyelid and the pathology report came back that it was cancer.  After waiting for an appointment to see the plastic surgeon the day was finally here.  We discussed a plan of action and what the process would be like and he found another bump even closer to his eyelid.  Nice... Two days later the surgeon called us back and said that he wasn't comfortable doing his treatment and was referring him to an orbital surgeon in Nashville.  So tomorrow is the day for that appointment.

I have felt an urge and a need to get on more of a schedule this week.  I need to see something on paper and not have to rely on my brain to tell me what we are doing today.  Too many dr. appointments, music classes, music lessons and writing classes to keep up with our normal lessons, chores and LIFE!  We have to live, right?

This morning I took the time to download the SOS Spanish class for the older three.  While doing that I thought well, when are they going to do this??  I can't have them fighting over the computer and saying "Its my turn!".

I spent about an hour and developed an incremental time schedule with an appropriate subject to where I would be available to help if needed and staggered their computer time for Spanish, chores, lunch and all the other things that require my taxi service.  

While I am being a taxi service we also have to remember we need to EAT dinner!!  What better way to come home but to have dinner already made for you?  I found this website last night and have already combed through it and tweaked a couple to our liking.  Looking forward to getting the last couple of ingredients to make dinner for tonight! Crockin' Girls
Crockin' Girls

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Bible Curriculum

I am planning on ordering this Bible Curriculum for the kids this fall.  I really like the concept that it has of stick figures!  I can make stick figures!  My plan is while they are reading is I can make the art...oops I mean stick figures! LOL I think this would be a great visual!  Or maybe the older two can make the stick figures as they read :)  Those that teach retain 60% better!  So please visit Grapevine (button on the right) and see which level would fit your family dynamics!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Belize is our first country!

I am not a big fan of Wikipedia as the majority of the information is user placed.  Sometimes the information isn't double checked and I wouldn't want anyone to get wrong impressions.  In college, there was no way we would be allowed to reference or cite anything from wiki.
Today we are starting our country studies in coordination with our Olympics studies.  I found that it was the easiest for the younger to kids to use with their kindle fire.
Through the Homeshare website I used the petals form for the lapbooking of countries.
Today we worked on the country of Belize.  In each petal they wrote the following information:
1. Capital
2. Population
3. Religion
4. Military
5. Language spoken
6. Government


In the middle they wrote the name of the country then drew a picture of the country's flag.









Tuesday, July 3, 2012

2012 Summer Olympics...Homeschool style!

I have been looking for some ideas to implement the exciting Olympics into our curriculum!  HomeSchoolShare has made it possible for us to make lapbooks while we enjoy watching!  This will be for the younger two kids.  And a great way for others to start their school year if they are just getting started!
Here is the website's library list:

Eric Liddell: Something Greater than Gold – Janet Benge
Eric Liddell: Olympian and Missionary – Ellen W. Caughey
The Flying Scotsman – Sally Magnusson
Hour of the Olympics – Mary Pope Osbourne
Ancient Greece and the Olympics – Mary Pope Osbourne
Olympics – Chris Oxlade
Olympics! – B.G HennesseySwifter, Higher, Stronger: A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics by Sue Macy

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Lesson Plans in the summer

I thought I would share what summer lesson plans look like for the older two kids 8th and 9th.  Jacob is finishing up 3 high school credits this summer (Algebra 1, American Literature and 9th grade English) and then we just introduced Biology.  Jacob chose to use Apologia Biology even though I chose A Beka but I thought if I gave him a choice he will show ownership in what he learns.  So yay me! I get to teach two different Biology curriculums!  ::insert rolling eyes here::  
Emily is working on Pre-Algebra and Biology (just started too).  I didn't stay as consistent as I thought I would this summer as I really enjoy watching the kids play outside, which makes the inside really quiet at times! LOL!  The younger two kids are doing things sporatically.  Daddy is home today so he had them painting downstairs.  That's art, right??
I scanned their laminated schedules.  Oh before I forget.  I found the template for their schedules on Donna Young's website.  This is the exact ones that I downloaded:  http://donnayoung.org/forms/planners/5col.htm  I used the 9 week one (5 days a week) and I used the 6 week planner too.  Excuse the extra privilege restrictions on Emily's sheet.


I know you want to know how it went...

I did a 95% gluten free meal for myself last night.  The only thing that wasn't GF was the sauce.  I need to find a good sauce for my rice noodles.  I am leaning towards going back to gluten free because it helped curb my sweet tooth and kept me from eating breads.  I don't like bread but once I have some...I really like it!  As far as going dairy free again...I really need to.  My body does not like dairy and dairy doesn't like me either.  Some instances it does alright but not most!  My hope is to be dairy free though by mid-July.  Gluten free will be gradual as I read and research more!  But enjoy a picture of my dinner from last night!  There is chicken, zucchini, red pepper, onion, avocado and rice noodles! Delish!  Kids had the same thing except with mini penne pasta. :)

Monday, June 25, 2012

What is your liquid gold?

I always thought of myself as being a rich person in the sense that I don't have a need that isn't met.  I have a handsome husband of almost 17 years.  Four awesome children.  The right and blessing to be able to homeschool our children how we see fit.  Foods that help me make up my mind on what we feel like eating for dinner and not have that choice made for us.  A roof over our heads, cool air in the summer, heat in the winter and running water.  I know that many others have these things too.  What you may not have to worry about is...
Insulin.  Over the weekend my wonderful, handy husband built shelves in our downstairs closet to hold more of our "stuff".  Most are filled with diabetic supplies and it makes it easier to take inventory on the items we are getting low on.  It didn't dawn on me until this morning how low we were on our insulin for the insulin pumps.
I quickly called the children one by one and asked them to check their pumps and see how many units they had left.  Jesse and Elizabeth have enough to last them awhile but Emily only had 1.5u left which would only last her about an hour.  And my pump, well...mine said No Delivery.  Which means the insulin was used already.  We found a little bit of "gold" which I estimated to be about 75u but when I refilled Emily's pump we only got about 20u out...must have been air (in a pen).  I went ahead and filled her pump up.  Made a few phone calls and a few words to friends about our "need".  I took my pump off in the meantime, I was upset and really didn't want anything to do with it anyhow. As long as the kids were taken care of that was all that mattered to me.
Later we were able to get some apidra and some friends are able to send more to help us out as we get through this slump.
Sometimes you really don't know what you have that can be counted as gold until it isn't there.  And today, it wasn't there.  So if your "gold" is your children, be thankful they are there each and every day.  A lot of people are considering gas in our vehicles as liquid gold as it has been so expensive!!  Our "gold" today was insulin.  Insulin keeps us alive each and every day, for that...I am blessed and grateful!