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dawnie14
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Name: Dawn
Country: United States
State: Minnesota
Metro: St. Paul
Birthday: 1/16/1967
Gender: Female
Interests: MUSIC...listening to, performing, directing, attending concerts...
CHURCH...choir, band, children's choir, youth worship team, youth Bible study
MY KIDS...the coolest, smartest, most talented, Christ-centered, totally beautiful kids in the world!!!
MOVIES...Mighty Wind, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, Spinal Tap, Princess Bride, I could go on all day...
Expertise: Ha! Good one!
Occupation: Marketing
Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
2/11/2006
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| OK...I guess I need to preface this one with...I'm a pretty easy going parent. Some of my friends are much more strict and some a little more lax. Me...well...I guess I let my kids watch some shows others might not (Simpsons) or listen to music that others might not (see below).... So...my wonderful mother likes to spoil my children and bought Bette an ipod shuffle. (by the way...all my children have ipods of varying coolness...and here I sit ...ipodless!! Poor me, huh?) Anywho...so one of my favorite past times is watching Bette when she doesn't know I'm watching her. I've seen all sorts of things from her pretending to be an actress doing a commerical in her mirror to some crazy (very white girl) dancing. Today was my favorite. I peeked in on her as she was dancing around her room with her ipod on...singing at the top of her lungs. "some producer with computers mixes all my poopy tracks" (Ben Folds "Rockin' the Suburbs"...editing by Elizabeth) I love my baby girl...who, by the way, is 9 today!!!!! | | |
| I have had a crazy couple of months. I started this new position (Divisional Director of Christian Education and Character Building) on January 7 and we had a troop rally on the calendar for March 1st. I thank the Lord that my predecessor (Heidi Thomson Merriman) is a VERY organized and totally together person and most of the brief for the event was completed before she left in December...and Bao Howard (in the youth dept) is AMAZING and thinks of all the things I forget. Anyway...here are some pics from the event. I'll write more later...updating on other 'stuff'. (Have I told you lately how awesome it is to be in the youth dept.? Chipp and Trudi and Bao and Norman are just the best! Seriously...it is just SO indescribable!! I LOVE IT!!) My Elizabeth singing.... Lakewood's Sunbeams  
Bao and Norman's daughter Chantelle Don't ask...I have no idea. (look at how he's looking at me like I'm nuts!)  
Lakewood Sunbeams 1st place Jr. Troops (only 2 of them)  Capt. Chipp doing knot tying with Mpls. Cit. boys  Trudi with Judith's baby (Johnny 5) Captain Brian Reed's awesome Scouts...don't they look perfect?!  
Sunbeams from Minneapolis Citadel. What an incredible group of gals!!! (and SUCH amazing leadership...Judy Secord!!)   | | |
| Wow. I guess it's been a while. Let's see...catch up...
CMI was great. I love it...as always...especially because Stella and Andrew were there. I have a giant secret in my brain regarding that...and it's dying to get out. But no...I will TRY to be mature. But it is such a good, wonderful, makes me SO happy secret that I feel like I'm going to bust! In good time....
Kids back to school...3 different schools...3 different start times...3 different conference times...sporting events and concert schedules....ARGH!!! And now Bette is in elementary school all by herself...and it's the latest one to start so she needed to go to day camp before school. Before the boys were here with her and I could leave for work and they would be home 20-30 minutes by themselves before school...but now...day care. Not too bad $25 a week...but man, that's another $100 to add to the ever growing pile of bills. Then...day care lady goes and gets a new job (after 12 years doing day care) and now what? Mike said I could drop her off in the mornings at his house and they'd get her to school...but that doesn't work too well...they seem to still be running on Harbor Light time (if you know what I mean) and the kids, if they ever are at their house on school nights, are always late for school. And Elizabeth HATES that. Oh...well...we'll give it a try.
Now...on to the Zac saga...
On the 5th--7th the kids and I were playing pass the flu around. But Zac just couldn't shake it. Finally on the 10th I took him in to his regular doctor (Dr. Hasagawa...love that name...so fun to say!) He looked at Zac's throat and it was really red. So we figured..mono or strep. He did a rapid strep...nothing. He took a bunch of blood and urine and we waited. A few minutes later, he called us back in. We walk into the room, thinking we were going to hear something so minor...ya know...here's an antibiotic and you're all good. Nope..."Zac has type 1 diabetes. Normal levels are 60-120 and he's testing 635. You need to go right to Children's ER. Don't go home. Go right there and plan on a few days' stay." We walked out of the room and Courtney (Mike's youngest sister) was right there on a computer (she works at our clinic) She could see I was shocked and upset. And she gave me the hug I needed right then. I felt so terrified...so alone but knew I had to, once again, suck it up and put on the brave face for Zac. I tried to call Mike, his mom, his dad, Eydie...no one answered. So I asked Courtney to get ahold of them and tell them what was going on. And I called my mom...I told her (without tears) and then she asked, "Do you need me to come?" And I broke down, "Yes." They hopped in the car and were there by supper. We had classes and classes every minute of every day while we were in the hospital...learning all the ins and outs of diabetes. Mike and I had to learn how to give a shot...and we got to practice on each other. When I told his parents that, his dad asked, "Did ya get him good?" As much fun as that would be...I behaved. Now Zac gets one shot of lantis at bed time. This is the insulin that is slow released, long acting...to keep the levels down throughout the day. Then...every three hours he tests (except during the night) and if he's off he either does a correction shot or eats a 15 gram carb to get him back to normal. THEN (here's the hard part) before he eats anything with carbs, he must decide what and how much he's going to eat, tabulate the carbs and give enough insulin to cover it. He can eat anything he wants, just has to shoot for it. He is not limited AT ALL except no regular pop and limited fruit juice. (and can't join the miliatary...but really that wasn't in his mind anyway) He lost 13 lbs in a week and a half from this (before the hospital) The kid is 5'7" and weighed 91 lbs. He was literally skin and bones. (not that he was ever fat ...at all) But he is doing SO well...he is so mature and responsible. By the time we left the hospital, he had the whole carb counting down and could shoot and test all on his own. I almost never have to help at all except in figuring out carbs. He is doing great. So great that he was confident enough to sleep at Zach K.'s house (kid from the corps...20 miles away) for the past two nights. (teacher's convention) And he's done awesome. I think Sarah (the mom) was nervous but she's so dang cute...went to the library to learn more. Next step...football is over and basketball season starts soon...so it'll be a new adventure...figuring out how that intense excercise effects his numbers. But after the inital shock and fear...we're doing much better with this whole thing. And man, Mike's family (especially his mom and Tammy ...eldest sis) have been SO supportive...calling and checking in and visiting. They have been great. And Chipp and Trudi and the Tekautz's and Fjellman...constant love and support. It's been so nice having the love and support of family and friends. It's been rough and scarey but so good knowing they are there to step in ...gives me the strength I need.
P.S. Please pray for the family of John Hulteen. His memorial service is tomorrow. I look forward to a grand celebration of this incredible man's life who touched SO many through his music and prison ministry. | | |
| Look at my new pic! This is my friend Emma's son, Cody. (age 5) He is seriously one of the cutest little kids I have ever met in my life (and if you know my kids...I KNOW cute...he-he) He and his cousin come to my house every morning to hang out with my kids until Kyle (an awesome kid from our corps) comes and picks up my van and the kids and takes them to day camp. So...I get a few minutes of Cody time every morning...and I ALWAYS leave for work laughing my head off! (just thought I'd share who this was...as people have been asking)
He reminds me of my new favorite music camper this year...Kao (pronounced "Cow") It was the second day of theory class and we were talking about bass clef. I shared the different things people use to remember the lines and spaces...and as I was getting ready to move on, I noticed Kao was quietly giggling over his white board. I asked what was so funny..and he looks up (so darn innocent and adorable) "I don't eat grass." My best SPAM '07 memory.
Now for the sad, bad news....it's finally happened...KG is leaving Minnesota. Incredibly bitter sweet...he's so awesome, amazing, incredible...but we are getting SO much in return. Who knows? Maybe this will be good for us both.
Gotta go call my baby girl (she's in Wisconsin visiting Gramma) If you see her before I do...give her a hug for me. I miss her SO much! Thank God for cell phones!!!! | | |
| This is the first year that my two younger boys have played baseball. Since I am not a baseball player...don't really know ANYTHING about baseball...I never really thought about getting them involved. Well...my mistake...they have played all summer for North St. Paul (on separate teams...which was interesting and kept us VERY busy) But anyway...they are so good! It's in their blood (I take credit for their lightening speed...that comes from generations of track/cross country runners in my family...all other natural athletic skills come from Dad's side) Zac is the catcher and super duper power hitter. (think Mike at CMI, always hitting to the trees) And Eli (my little lefty) turned out to be a great pitcher. Apparently, no one can hit his pitches...I guess it has something to do with his left handedness. So...what I thought was going to be a nice little past time this summer, has turned into pretty much our lives' work....someone has practice or a game every night except Friday and Sunday every week. And now it's the play offs. Zac's team goes into the play offs UNDEFEATED!!!! And they have played 2 play off games and are still UNDEFEATED!!! Eli's team went into the play offs in third place and lost their second game in the play offs but won their 1st and 3rd so still can get at least 3rd. (something about some back door or something...I don't know...I just wait till one of the parents tells me when to be where...I can't read those silly bracket thingys) Unfortunately, the last day of the play offs is today (Sunday) and we will miss church. I have always said that sports would NEVER come before church and so far I have held my ground (coaches knew the boys would be at church on Wednesday evenings...and miss or be late for any practices on Wed) But how could I keep them from the play offs. (besides the fact that 1. the coaches would kill me...baseball is a REALLY big deal in North St. Paul and 2. I am really getting into this. It's so fun. And...added benefit...I, the whitest of white gals, actually have a tan this summer. And crazy day today.... what might be 3 more games each today...and usually at the same time...in field right next to each other...so some of us parents have to run back and forth...once even both boys were up to bat at the same time....ARGH...but I love it!!!
It has been a very tiring summer but I learned the importance of my children over my self (and lots of other things that might get in the way) from a woman very dear to me (Diane Marshall) and have kept the thought in my head as I wearily dragged my leather skinned body to each and every game and practice. Thanks Diane for the incredible example of what it means to be a real mother.
Well...gotta hop in the shower so we can get to the store before the game...cuz I have now learned the importance of sunflower seeds and gaterade. (Watch out CMI male faculty...my Zac is a faculty camper this year...and he's gonna help the boys kick your butts!!!!!!) | | |
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