That Was Unexpected!

 I think most of you know that my middle daughter was diagnosed 6 months ago with Type 1 Diabetes. What you may not know is the overwhelming cost of this disease. I had no idea! Do you have an extra $500-$1000 a month to handle a catastrophic illness? Before starting an MLM we didn't! Now, would we rather have chosen to spend the extra income on fun stuff? Of course! But we were being prepared for way more than we could imagine! We don't know why, nor do we care why our daughter has been allowed to be a T1D, but it's going to serve a bigger purpose than we can understand!

What will you do when the unexpected happens?

My goal, and I believe it's my purpose, is to empower mommas and daddies with a backup plan. I have walked the journey before you, so let me show you how you can empower others. You may never be the family touched by financial need or a health crisis, but I bet you know someone who is in the midst of this storm or will be in one, soon. It's unpredictable.

Along with the expense of it, there is also a large time factor involved with Evie's diabetes. The better part of this school year, I have been in and out of the school helping to chase sugars, taking her to the emergency room, doctor's appointments over an hour away (because pediactric endocrinologists are not common), running insulin and test strips and forgotten meters to the school after returning home....whew...and you know that always happens when I am looking frightful! I think it's a plot...just how can Momma be embarrassed, today? Seriously.....y'all, it happens all the time!

As if that's not enough, let me just share about the toll it's taking on the other 4 kids! Yeah, the 2 big kids at college, well, they feel it, too. I'm not one of those Mommas that spoils their kids with lots of stuff (however if you look at my kids' rooms you'd swear we owned a department store!), but I have always given them every moment of my time! It's been really hard on them and on me to have to miss their activities. I'm so proud of all of these kids. I didn't make it to a single college football game this year...at either college...and both kids march in the band! My little twins, ok, they are 11 now, they were spending as much time with my parents as they were with me! Now, Gma and Gpa time is pretty awesome, I have to admit, however, I'm the Momma!!

Community....we would have been sunk without it! Whenever something life changing happens, trust me, you need to find a community of people who are walking or have walked in those shoes. The T1D Mommas are flipping amazing! You can't ask for a more tight knit, emotionally entangled, supportive group of absolute strangers than my FaceBook support groups! These total strangers have been the very explanation of the 'Good Samaritan" because they didn't know me, they say my need and took care of me. The same can be said of the business I run from home, these amazing strangers have become family, cheerleaders, support systems, prayer warriors, the tough love I need as well as my biggest believers! We need each other. We need a tribe!

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)

¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Have a character building day!