Last 2012 Update...

Believe it or not, we are still here.  I know so many no one has been concerned, but seeing that the simple contact of Christmas cards didn't even occur, some might be wondering.  See.... here's what's up.   We had that little thing called a move taking place, right before Christmas.  We were super excited to celebrate Christmas 2012 in our new home.  Little did we know, it wasn't in the cards.  We found out the Thursday before Christmas that we would not be in the house until after New Years.  While we were both disappointed, I know that if probably worked out for the better, seeing that we would have had to move, unpack and set up Christmas in 2 days.  With that being said, our Christmas card was also our "We Have Moved" card, so we couldn't send them out until we closed.  So no worries, friends.  I will be "that girl" this year who sends her Christmas cards out in January.  No shame in my game, it's just the gift that keeps on giving!

We have made it thought the holiday(s), still living amongst the boxes and 95% packed up house, but can't help and reflect on the year that 2012 brought us.  2012 shared blessings, memories, tons of fun, life lessons, new friends and so much more that it truly keeps me on the edge of my seat for what 2013 holds for the Browns.  Hopefully, the next time I blog, it will be from the new house, and the magical moving fairies will have unpacked and settled all of our belongings.... but until then....

Blessings and Joy as we enter a new year!!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

MOVING!!  Yahoo!!  Finally... we can say that we are progressing in the move to our very first home.  We are very excited that in just a couple of weeks, we will be starting the tedious task of moving all of our belongings, finally getting them all under one roof.  This whole house hunting process has been far from fun for me, seeing that I feel we have looked at more houses than one should ever have to see.  But finally, we see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We hope to close the week before Christmas, just in time to host our families for a holiday feast.  I am sure that we will be far from settled in our new abode, but it will be nice to have everyone together, in OUR house. 

With the move taking place, we have not done much in the area of holiday decorating and probably look like the biggest Scrooge on the block.  But have no fear.... our Christmas tree might be the first thing that goes up in our new house.  I am so excited to decorate it for Christmas, that I might even leave my decorations up through January and become "those" neighbors.  But until the big day, our lives will include boxes, tape, more boxes, empty walls and lots of cleaning!! 

Our box collection

Empty walls!!

Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly and quickly!!

Awareness

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.  I find it a bit ironic that  we become aware of diabetes, directly following the sweetest, candy-filled holiday of the year, but it is awareness, none the less.  I have definitely noticed more attention to diabetes this month than I have in Awareness months past, but I am sure it is due to the alarming number of diagnosis' these days.  Over the course of the rest of the month, I am going to highlight facts, lessons and the flat out truths of living with diabetes, in hopes that it will make someone more aware.

Today I will begin with facts, myths and common misconceptions of Type 1 diabetes, a chronic disease that my brother and I both live with.

• Type 1 diabetes is NOT caused by too much candy, unhealthy diets and laziness.  Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, which results in the body attacking the pancreas.  This attack leaves the pancreas unable to produce insulin, a hormone that the body uses to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.  Type 1 leaves a person insulin dependent, which requires someone to either take multiple daily injections or use a sub-q insulin infusion pump.  For many decades, Type 1 was commonly referred to as "Juvenile" diabetes, but is now occurring throughout the lifespan.  It is unknown what causes the body to attack itself, but it can be due to a viral infection, illness or genetics. 
• Type 2 diabetes has more links to genetics than type 1, because often times it can be caused by lifestyle choices.  Many times, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by simple changes in diet and exercise, but can often require oral medication which aids the body in the absorption of insulin.  It is not uncommon for a person with type 2 to require insulin administration if their body does not make enough for itself.  Type 2 diabetes can be described as an insulin resistance, which simply leaves a person unable to absorb the insulin that their body naturally makes.
• Just because someone is an adult or overweight, do NOT assume that they are type 2.  I am an adult and my weight has fluctuated, but I have also lived with Type 1 diabetes for almost 18 years.  I will take offense if you tell me I have type 2... so watch yourself.
• Do not assume that if someone is on an insulin infusion pump, that they have the "bad" diabetes.  An insulin pump was designed to mock the actions of a pancreas, which allows someone to dramatically reduce the adverse affects of having diabetes and tailor their care just for them.  I have controlled my diabetes using multiple daily injections and an insulin pump.  At this point in my life, an insulin pump allows me to have tighter control and gives me the freedom and luxury to make changes in my insulin regimen, minute to minute.
• Insulin is NOT a cure for diabetes.  It is the only thing that will keep someone with diabetes alive. 

I will not preach anymore on my soap box, but I do encourage you to educate yourself.  Very few of us can say that we don't know someone who lives with diabetes.  I can't even begin to tell you how ignorant the medical community is when it comes to living with diabetes-- which might be the most frustrating thing in the world.  The fact of the matter is, diabetes is manageable.  It is not always easy, not always fun, but I take one day at time, one blood sugar check at a time (out of up to 20 a day sometimes!!) and deal with it.  Life could be worse and I am thankful for the lessons that diabetes and the people that came with it have taught me. 

Stay tuned for more info on diabetes and become aware and educated on the disease that affects over 366 million people in the world.

True Story...

Have you ever had one of those days that you have to ask yourself, "is this fake planet?"  Well not only have I had one of those days, I have had one of those weeks.  It all started when our hot water heater had to be replaced last week.  Luckily SJB's dad was able to get it taken care of in a very timely manner.  Next up, every shelf in my closet decided it should be in the floor.  And even better... this happened as I was getting ready for work on Monday morning.  Just so you get the point, let me provide a visual...

Yes.  This happened.  True story.  At the time, seeing that I was already running late for work, I decided to just leave it and deal with it when I got home.  Luckily, I have a handy husband who is excellent at building and fixing things.  He hit the road to Home Depot and gathered some supplies to whip up a closet organizational system.  While he played Bob the Builder, I went through all of my clothes (since I was told they were too heavy for the closet), and made quite the donation to Goodwill.  Once the shelves and everything were all installed on Tuesday afternoon, I slowly re-organized my closet until it looked like this.

What you don't see.... is as this picture was being taken, the left side of the shelf with 2 layers of hanging clothes decided it needed to be back on the floor.  Once again, clothes were everywhere... and I simply didn't care.  I decided it could wait until Wednesday, as I simply didn't have the energy to deal with it.  As SJB and I were settling down for a long night's nap, we hear the faint noise of water dripping.  SJB investigated and found the H2O dripping in our air return vent.  We He decided it would be best to turn off the air for the night until his dad could come back and check it.  I definitely do not favor hot conditions, but surprisingly, slept OK.  Thankfully, we are back in business with cool air, a closet that is put together and hot water.  Is it too much to ask to space out the problems?  Needless to say, as I grab my pajamas out of my organized closet, after a nice hot shower  and go to bed in my air conditioned room, I am thankful things were not any worse than they were.  But I definitely still ask myself... "was that fake planet?" 

House Hunting 101

Little did I know just how stressful house hunting would be.  We put a contract on a house that SJB and I both fell in love with and were riding on cloud nine until the inspection.  Inspection is now a word that I will be terrified of.  While we felt that our house would be perfect for us, the wall's insides and wiring had a different plan.  I am very thankful and relieved that we discovered this while we could still get out, but disappointed as I had my hopes placed on a pedestal and then knocked off with a bang.  I guess it's back to the drawing board for us!!

In the meantime, SJB and I have stayed super busy, getting back in the "school" swing of things (SJB, not I) and staying pretty busy.  We are both very excited to see the Auburn tigers kick off the season in Atlanta.  Also, I just returned from a trip from Chicago, helping host a DTreat Conference.  It was a great time and very exciting meeting new Dfriends and catching up with the old ones.  I am already excited for the future of our programs and feel proud to be on a team with such great friends!!  I also got to go to Huntsville for less than 48 hours to help my mom get out of the house (for the 2nd time since July 12).  While it was no easy feat, we were successful in our outing and even started some Christmas shopping!!

While this weekend doesn't include much, it will allow me time to dive back into the world of house hunting and hopefully find a few more appropriate prospects for us to peek at.  Cross your fingers and wish us luck!!

What DTreat means...

DLeaders at "The Bean"

The whole group.... by our school bus, on the way downtown!!

Home is where the heart is...

SJB and I have recently been on the house search and let's just say... it might be more stressful than planning a wedding.  We are looking in the Lee County area, more specifically, Smiths Station.  This would serve as the median for our places of work, as well as providing a great school system (for waaaaaayyy down the road in our future:))  I am not quite sure what I thought the house hunt would be like, but it is not easy.  Luckily, we have a realtor who is very honest with us about builders, locations, etc and it helps that SJB is familiar with the area. 

It seems that house hunting has brought out my OCD in full form.  I see a house I like, but then notice a small imperfection.  I guess that could be a good thing, but it probably stresses SJB out, as well as adds time to our search.  So far, we have only gone to 2 houses, but hopefully we will get some more scheduled in the next week.  Luckily, SJB and I have very similar interests in houses, including don't want a "cookie cutter" house, don't want our neighbors too close, no above ground aquatics, and definitely don't want to have to "flip" a house before we move in.  We are not excited when we see wallpaper or fluffy carpet, so it has been easy to make cuts off of our "to see" list.

I think that both of us are getting antsy in the condo.  While it has been a great space for us to spend the first 2 years of our life together, both of us are ready to move forward.  I am ready for a laundry room and having space for my fine china and SJB is ready for his shop, man cave and most importantly, yard work (this is actually the truth)!  I am most definitely not excited about the actual moving process, since I moved every year that I attended Auburn, but am definitely ready for the final result.  Feel free to cross your fingers that the perfect house falls right into our lap and exactly the right time. 

Regardless if we stay in our lovely and petite abode for the next 40 years, it will be complete, as long as we are together.  Simply stated.... home is where the heart is.

                         

Life Lessons...

First off-- get excited, Mom! I think I actually ENJOY reading! Well... let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, maybe I have just picked some really good books lately. Right now, I am knee deep in the book, "Bloom. Finding Beauty in the Unexpected." It is A-MAZING!! I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

This book by Kelle Hampton is the true story of her family's story of finding out their youngest child has Down Syndrome when she was born. Kelle reflects on this life changing milestone as well as the important things that aid someone in surviving the tough stuff, friends that go that extra mile, family that knows your mind's racing thoughts and communities that support your ups and downs. I have followed Kelle's blog for sometime now, but this book has taught me more about life than my prior 30 years. Not only does Kelle have the most amazing and cute family, but she is also a fantastic photographer and writer. I have truly been touched by her stories of life experiences that has brought her to where she is today.

Reading Kelle's experiences forced me to recall many life lessons that I have been blessed with in my day to day encounters. I can't help but be thankful for the many lives that I have crossed paths with and reflect on the lessons they have taught me. Working in the field I do, I feel like I get to really experience life as it was intended to be. Life was intended to be filled with experiences that teach you something, whether good or bad. The Hamptons have taken everything thrown their way, embraced it, given it 150% and shared it with the world. It only inspires me to provide open opportunities to all of the adults I work with, providing them with a foundation and education to take with them and live their life to the fullest. Everyone deserves the right to succeed and Kelle and her precious family are striving their daughter, Nella, with any opportunity they can. I can only hope that I can have her positive and eager outlook to strive for the best.

I am struggling to find my next read, since this book has placed so high on my reading list. I will gladly take recommendations, as I am drawing a blank. Kelle Hampton has truly put her thoughts and songs of her heart into words and shared with the world. I truly hope that others can take this material and take as many lessons as I have to maybe "better" the world.

I wanted to share a song that Kelle shares in her book that one of her dear friends shared with her while she was still in the hospital. The song,"Add to the Beauty" by Sara Groves speaks loudly to me how the world should be. I can only hope that these words can speak to mankind, that we might be a little more kind, a little more gentle and a little more beautiful to those around us.

We come in with beautiful secrets.

We come with purposes written on our hears,

Written on our souls.

We come to every new morning with possibilities

Only we can hold...

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces

Calling out the best of who we are.

And I want to add to the beauty

To tell a better story

I want to shine with the light

That's burning up inside...

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces

Calling out the best of who we are...

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful

...an invitation...

Calling out our best.

Kelle & Nella Hampton

The Best Kind of Post...

Since I have been such a slacker, I thought that I would recap the past few months by sharing some photos.  Sorry if they are not in chronological order, but rest assure that they were all good times!!

Gender reveal for Ashley & Jason!!

It's a BOY!!

Baby Anderson:)

Sweet Suzanne!!

Mardi Gras Ball!!

Sip & See for Georgia, Dustin & Suzanne:)

Suzanne & Eli's first date

Photo shoots with Friends:)

One of my favorites...

Eli & Zoe

Maddie turned 3!!

Easter 2012... and I won the egg hunt!!

My newest camera attachment....

And it has a remote!!

Jimmy Buffett with Amanda & Heath!!

All the parrotheads:)

My Buffett debut...

Stuart & Heath's new friend:)

Suart & Pat Dye at the CSH fundraiser!!

Birthday Beach Trip Destin

LAST BUT NOT LEAST....

My sweet Abby went to heaven:(  While I know that she is enjoying her eternal nap, she is definitely missed.  Abby is the only pet that I have ever had... and she was by far the best cat ever!!  My parents' house is just not the same without her.

Hopefully, you understand why I haven't been blogging since I have been so busy with all of the above events!  Next up, Josiah and Susan are coming South for 2 weeks!!  I am heading to Huntsville for a few days to play with them.  I can't wait!!

A Smile As Big As The Moon!!

My mom recently brought to my attention, a movie that will air tonight, "A Smile As Big As The Moon."  This intrigues me for many reasons... #1 being that it I have a huge interest in Space Camp, especially since I grew up mere miles from the Space and Rocket Center.  While I never personally got to attend, my brother did and loved it!  Being that we both have diabetes, Space Camp is our closest option to space exploration, so he opted for that route:)  I also have an interest in this movie since it involves a true story from 1989, where a passionate special education teacher from Michigan, who always had the highest regard for his students.  Due to the competitiveness in the program, typically only involving gifted science and math students, he fought many hurdles to allow his students the experience of a lifetime!



I have a feeling this will be my "feel good" moment of the week!!  What a great way to get it started!! 

Take a peek at the history and trailer for this movie!!  I have a feeling you won't want to miss it!!