Nick and Kristen playing Super Mario Brothers
Here is a picture of our laundry room door. On the left are Polaroids of people who have spent the night at our house. On the right is this year's Christmas card collection (so far). My mother always tapes her vast collection to her cabinets each year, and I just couldn't help but do the same in my own home. She calls it her "prayer wall" as soon as the holidays have passed. I think I'll do the same, at least until the tape becomes un-sticky and the pictures fall off. :)
I won second place at our church's chili cook-off out of eleven entries. Booyah! I got some of my Grandma Lavelle's culinary blood. My friend Kristin captured my best impersonation of my mother winning all of her game shows. I seriously love second place. You get all the prizes without the pressure to perform the next year. :)
This is my dear friend, mentor, college mom, and spiritual godmother, Kathy Blume. She also introduced me to Nathan. She is AWESOME! I'm so glad she came to the Christmas program last night. It didn't hurt that her son, daughter-in-law, and one of ther grandchildren were a part of the program as well. I chased after her in the parking lot and got a quick picture before she left to go home to Indiana this morning.
Can you tell that these pictures were taken early this morning? The bags under my eyes clearly communicate this fact. Anyway, I took some hair pictures for my mom to see. I definitely have a "hair pictures face." Kristi does the pouty lips for her hair pictures. I do the Michael Jordan tongue.
I went to the doctor on Tuesday for my 6-week post-diagnosis checkup. They checked my meter for all of the tests I’ve done over the last six weeks (239 of them), and I got back a fabulous report. As of about two weeks ago, my levels are completely normal! Pat, my nurse practitioner, showed me printouts from my meter that showed all kinds of charts and graphs showing my progress. My A1C level went from 11 (an average 310 blood sugar reading) to 7 (an average 150 blood sugar reading). I asked her to make copies of the printouts for me to show off to whoever was interested in looking at them.
Pat said that she’s never seen anyone get diabetes under control so quickly. Praise God! At my last visit she told me it would take six months to get regulated, and during those first four miserable weeks, I thought I wouldn't live to see six more months. BUT! God is good, and now I am feeling great! I just need to keep doing what I’m doing with my disciplined eating and testing, and you need to keep doing what you’re doing with your prayers.
I walked out of the hospital more proud of my A+ diabetes report card than I ever had been of any academic report card. On my way to the car, I was tearing up, overwhelmed with the thought of all of your love and prayers and time and help. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support for Nathan and me during this rough period.
I love you.
Nathan and I went to see the movie Australia for date night last night. Wow! I was so excited to be going to the movies in the first place, because the last movie we saw together in the theater was Babel, which was a miserable experience. Nathan had a hard time following multiple interwoven plots and was constantly asking me questions.
"Who's that?" he'd ask.
"That's Brad Pitt, honey."
"Is he famous?"
"Yes, honey."
"Has he been in any other movies?"
"Yes, quite a few, honey."
"Oh! I know him. He's married to that girl from 'Friends.'"
"Sigh..."
On the other hand, Australia was so, so amazing. I just loved it! It had beautiful cinematography, a great plot, multi-dimensional characters, complex social issues, etc. I enjoyed every minute of it. For more information, go to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455824/
You won't regret it!
Nick and Kristen playing Super Mario Brothers
Nathan got some old video games from Nick and Kristen. Here he is playing Contra in his PJs early in the morning, looking like he's about 7 years old. :)
Nathan and I got Mumers some scarves in Israel.
We got Daddy an oil lamp from Jesus' time. He bought one there when he came to visit me, but it broke a few years ago.
Mom and Dad Parker
I don't know why, but I thought it would be fun for me to stick my arm out and take a picture of myself with everyone in the family. I thought I had adequately explained this to everyone, but I think my sweet FIL was still confused when I took this shot. :)
Me and my MIL
DH and me
SIL Hannah
Look at my pretty new necklace!
Nathan shows off his new socks. 
Nathan got a suit jacket to match the pants and vest he wore for Jim and Courtney's wedding. Now he has a complete suit! However, he still can't shake the scary face when he wears it.
Here are all of our presents to each other. I'm sorry I couldn't flip them properly. I'm using my mom's computer. :) Merry Christmas everyone!
This one is my favorite. The gray area is normal. The dark black line is my median blood glucose reading since October 16th. You can see how I was feeling those first few weeks. ROLLER COASTER! Then, I mellowed out. Aaaah...
Again, the gray area is normal and the dark black line is my median blood sugar reading. However, this one charts my median score over an average 24 hour period. It's been highest at night. The individual little plus signs are each of my tests.
