I have a new blog! I have decided that for my own sanity as well as for the education of those around me, I am going to blog about my daily dealings with being a diabetic. If you really don't care, then no harm done. If you are curious that is fine too! I am trying to paint a picture of what diabetes is, and how it affects my life every day. It is kind of to help me vent about the frustrations of the disease, as well as mix in a little bit of humor to help me deal with things. If you ever have questions or thoughts to share, please feel free to ask or post them! Love y'all!
The address is www.diabeticdopf.blogspot.com
Let me know what you think! ;)
Monday, September 8
Wednesday, September 3
I don't have very many soap boxes.. save one...
Okay, so I talked with one of my very close friends Shelly that I have known for years now. We are similar in very many ways (scary for her!) and yet we are unique in some of the opinions of things that makes our friendship all the more wonderful and enjoyable. I have long had a serious beef with people naming their kids outlandish or shall we say "out there" names. Let's just say that there is TOTALLY no shortage of strange or even ridiculous names here in good old Utah. People naming their kids names they have made up for themselves (probably seems like a cool idea at the time) or names from the scriptures not seen in mainstream society. You might call me old fashioned in this respect, but I believe in good and honest names that children who will someday be adults will even be proud of, and won't have to explain themselves when people ask "Where in the H&%$ did your parents get that?" or "What were your parents smoking when they named you?" Or even "Were your parents hippies or what??"
I know that people are often well intentioned when they name their kids. Often the excuse or intention for such names is that they are family names, or names for people that had a lot of character and made an impact on history. One result of this is people using last names as first names seeking to be "original" or "creative". I myself do NOT agree with this. I can tell you right now, there are some interesting names in my family's past, but I am not willing to put my children through a life of torture and scrutiny for an ancestor's namesake. I REFUSE to do it.
Maybe readers of this will find me close-minded, or stubborn.. if that is the case, that is fine with me. I am not going to give any examples of names for people because I don't want to step on any toes or hurt people's feelings. This is just something that I have a very strong opinion about.
I talked with Shelly for a while about this, with us trying to dream up or come up with names we have heard that were crazy. We had some serious laughs over this topic, as well as it coming down to her telling me the names I liked were dull and boring, but hey at least my kids won't ever be the butt of people's jokes (unless I name my kid Jack, but we won't go there) because of their names. I want to give my kids names that will make them proud, not make them embarrassed or ashamed.
I will get off my soap box now, but I just beg those of my many friends that are pregnant to please be kind and courteous to your children! Names are something they will carry with them for always. Okay, I am really done now! Good night!
I know that people are often well intentioned when they name their kids. Often the excuse or intention for such names is that they are family names, or names for people that had a lot of character and made an impact on history. One result of this is people using last names as first names seeking to be "original" or "creative". I myself do NOT agree with this. I can tell you right now, there are some interesting names in my family's past, but I am not willing to put my children through a life of torture and scrutiny for an ancestor's namesake. I REFUSE to do it.
Maybe readers of this will find me close-minded, or stubborn.. if that is the case, that is fine with me. I am not going to give any examples of names for people because I don't want to step on any toes or hurt people's feelings. This is just something that I have a very strong opinion about.
I talked with Shelly for a while about this, with us trying to dream up or come up with names we have heard that were crazy. We had some serious laughs over this topic, as well as it coming down to her telling me the names I liked were dull and boring, but hey at least my kids won't ever be the butt of people's jokes (unless I name my kid Jack, but we won't go there) because of their names. I want to give my kids names that will make them proud, not make them embarrassed or ashamed.
I will get off my soap box now, but I just beg those of my many friends that are pregnant to please be kind and courteous to your children! Names are something they will carry with them for always. Okay, I am really done now! Good night!
Added to the LIST!
Today was our meeting with our resource family consultant! She came over at 5 pm and sat down with us to ask us questions. We were asked the following:
RFC: Do you prefer boys or girls?
US: Either one!
RFC: That's great! It seems like everyone is waiting for a baby girl, so we will keep you mind for both!
RFC: What nationality/races are you willing to bring into your home?
US: We are open to anything!
RFC: Are you willing to take any children with medial medical problems?
US: Such as..?
RFC: Children with asthma, deafness (DUH!), blindness, drug babies experiencing withdrawals? US: All of the above, except for blind.
RFC: Great! I will keep you in mind for any Deaf babies or children then...
RFC: I am so glad that you guys aren't weird or anything, because sometimes when I go into people's homes, I get the feeling that maybe they are a little different, but you guys seem to be great. (little does she know!!) So I will be more likely to place a baby with you both instead of families that are kind of on my "weird" list. (maybe you had to be there when she said this, because we all just laughed. She was totally cool!)
That's the gist of what happened. She asked us other questions but those were the more critical ones! We are finally officially on the waiting list for a placement! Hooray!
RFC: Do you prefer boys or girls?
US: Either one!
RFC: That's great! It seems like everyone is waiting for a baby girl, so we will keep you mind for both!
RFC: What nationality/races are you willing to bring into your home?
US: We are open to anything!
RFC: Are you willing to take any children with medial medical problems?
US: Such as..?
RFC: Children with asthma, deafness (DUH!), blindness, drug babies experiencing withdrawals? US: All of the above, except for blind.
RFC: Great! I will keep you in mind for any Deaf babies or children then...
RFC: I am so glad that you guys aren't weird or anything, because sometimes when I go into people's homes, I get the feeling that maybe they are a little different, but you guys seem to be great. (little does she know!!) So I will be more likely to place a baby with you both instead of families that are kind of on my "weird" list. (maybe you had to be there when she said this, because we all just laughed. She was totally cool!)
That's the gist of what happened. She asked us other questions but those were the more critical ones! We are finally officially on the waiting list for a placement! Hooray!
Saturday, August 30
Getting Ready for the Near Future
I haven't posted anything for a while. My life has been pretty uneventful and mundane. I started back to work in full swing last week and the week before. I think this week has been the busiest since I started as a free-lance interpreter! I even went to Evanston, Wyoming for an appointment this week! I have been all over between here in Ogden and Salt Lake City. My poor car is getting some TLC this weekend at the shop with a new timing belt, tire rotation and balance, and a full inspection to see if there is anything else they would recommend (though we may not listen if they are not fully honest).
I signed up about a month ago for the Wasatch Woman Run that will be this coming Saturday. The option was to sign up for either the 5K or the 10K. For anyone that knows me and how I run like an old granny (hey, at least I am moving right??) I totally signed up for the 5K. I am anxious to do it, though my preparation for it has been a little rough. I started jogging religiously every night after work for a couple of weeks, and then got sick, twice. So this morning Brandon and I dropped the car off at the shop, and then rode the bike down to a trail where we jogged most of it one way, and then walked some of it. Jogging for me has a few purposes: to help me control my diabetes better, to lose some weight, and de-stress. I can already jog over a mile and a half without really getting too winded, but oh boy, I am worrying about the 2nd mile and a half that I am not used to doing.
In other news, we have finally set up a meeting with our Resource Family Consultant for next Wednesday in order to get to know her a little better and discuss what types of children we are open to bringing into our home. We are excited about this because it will be one step closer to becoming foster parents! I will post after that meeting to tell how it went! We are excited!
I signed up about a month ago for the Wasatch Woman Run that will be this coming Saturday. The option was to sign up for either the 5K or the 10K. For anyone that knows me and how I run like an old granny (hey, at least I am moving right??) I totally signed up for the 5K. I am anxious to do it, though my preparation for it has been a little rough. I started jogging religiously every night after work for a couple of weeks, and then got sick, twice. So this morning Brandon and I dropped the car off at the shop, and then rode the bike down to a trail where we jogged most of it one way, and then walked some of it. Jogging for me has a few purposes: to help me control my diabetes better, to lose some weight, and de-stress. I can already jog over a mile and a half without really getting too winded, but oh boy, I am worrying about the 2nd mile and a half that I am not used to doing.
In other news, we have finally set up a meeting with our Resource Family Consultant for next Wednesday in order to get to know her a little better and discuss what types of children we are open to bringing into our home. We are excited about this because it will be one step closer to becoming foster parents! I will post after that meeting to tell how it went! We are excited!
Wednesday, August 20
New License!
Yesterday we received our new foster parenting license! For those of you that may be confused by this and are thinking "wait a minute, I thought they were already licensed", let me explain.
In a nutshell, back in March, when we were taking the foster parenting training classes on our own account, we received that call from my sister in law asking us if we would be willing to possibly take her son. (so we were already in the process of doing this on our own with no family situations involved) We were told that the state of Idaho had to make a formal request to have us get our background checks, fingerprints done, home study, and health and safety inspection, etc. These were all things we would have done in the regular process of getting licensed as foster parents. When we got them all done and received our first license, we were officially seen as a fit home to have our nephew brought in. So through the formal request for a specific child (our nephew) we became licensed only for him, and not other children. It was his name on the first certificate. When we got word that my sister in law was going to be getting the kids back, we went ahead with our original plans and had to call the Department of Child and Family Services to request that our records be updated and modified so that we could get a certificate that stated we weren't only licensed for one specific child, but for any children. It is all a legal way of wording things.
With the long process it took to get anyone to answer our questions at the beginning of the summer and having any positive results not coming our way, it has been wonderful to work with our Licensor who has been a God send who really gets things done! We are thrilled!
In a nutshell, back in March, when we were taking the foster parenting training classes on our own account, we received that call from my sister in law asking us if we would be willing to possibly take her son. (so we were already in the process of doing this on our own with no family situations involved) We were told that the state of Idaho had to make a formal request to have us get our background checks, fingerprints done, home study, and health and safety inspection, etc. These were all things we would have done in the regular process of getting licensed as foster parents. When we got them all done and received our first license, we were officially seen as a fit home to have our nephew brought in. So through the formal request for a specific child (our nephew) we became licensed only for him, and not other children. It was his name on the first certificate. When we got word that my sister in law was going to be getting the kids back, we went ahead with our original plans and had to call the Department of Child and Family Services to request that our records be updated and modified so that we could get a certificate that stated we weren't only licensed for one specific child, but for any children. It is all a legal way of wording things.
With the long process it took to get anyone to answer our questions at the beginning of the summer and having any positive results not coming our way, it has been wonderful to work with our Licensor who has been a God send who really gets things done! We are thrilled!
Thursday, August 14
Taylor Update
Today was the day that we have been waiting for a long time now. Today was the court hearing in Twin Falls, ID that would decide the future of our relationship with our nephew Taylor. It turns out that the judge thought that Shannon deserved her kids back. She has been able to get her act together in just a very short amount of time, and we are proud of her. It is with mixed feelings, yet excitement that this is happening. We are thrilled that she is clean again, and has such a desire to get her little family back together. We just hope and pray that it remains such.
In lieu of this news, I wasted no time calling the Office of Licensing that conducted our home study and health and safety inspection of our home and notified the decision of the court. I told them that I would like our records to be transfered to the Utah Foster Care Foundation as soon as they were able. Our records and paperwork have been under the Department of Children and Family Services for the last couple of months in the process of Idaho requesting background checks, the homestudy, etc. Now we are looking forward to working with the foster care agency in order to get other children placed in our home. We are open to birth to 2 years, boy or girl, and any ethnicity except for Native American, because tribal laws are different than US laws when it comes to adopting one of their children. We have been told that the less particular you are about the kinds of children you are willing to take in as foster children and are willing to possibly adopt, then the less amount of time you will wait to have children placed in your home. So who knows what will happen for us next!
I want to thank all of those who kept us in their thoughts and prayers through out this process. There have been many tears shed, lessons learned, and blessings that have come through this experience. I just have to trust that this is the Lord's plan for that little boy, and as well as for us. I love you all!
In lieu of this news, I wasted no time calling the Office of Licensing that conducted our home study and health and safety inspection of our home and notified the decision of the court. I told them that I would like our records to be transfered to the Utah Foster Care Foundation as soon as they were able. Our records and paperwork have been under the Department of Children and Family Services for the last couple of months in the process of Idaho requesting background checks, the homestudy, etc. Now we are looking forward to working with the foster care agency in order to get other children placed in our home. We are open to birth to 2 years, boy or girl, and any ethnicity except for Native American, because tribal laws are different than US laws when it comes to adopting one of their children. We have been told that the less particular you are about the kinds of children you are willing to take in as foster children and are willing to possibly adopt, then the less amount of time you will wait to have children placed in your home. So who knows what will happen for us next!
I want to thank all of those who kept us in their thoughts and prayers through out this process. There have been many tears shed, lessons learned, and blessings that have come through this experience. I just have to trust that this is the Lord's plan for that little boy, and as well as for us. I love you all!
Thursday, August 7
Happy Anniversary!
Today is B's and my 4 year anniversary! I have mixed emotions about this. Sometimes it feels like yesterday we walked out of that temple together. Sometimes it feels like 4 years, but not in a bad way; because SO many things have happened and so many changes have happened in our lives:1. We got married August 7, 2004 in the Jordan River Temple.
2. December 1, 2004 I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and we didn't have insurance and our lives would be changed forever. (& Brandon was wondering if I came with any kind of Return Policy)
3. May and December 2006 we graduated from USU, moved to Ogden, and then to Washington Terrace to our duplex.
4. May 2006 Brandon got an internship with the Flying J Corporate office in their Information Technology Department, that later that year would turn into a full time job.
5. July 2006 I was hired on as an educational interpreter with the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind through which we had insurance the very first time!
6. In the four years we have been married, certain family members had their share of struggles that really made us grateful for the gospel, our temple marriage, and to really depend on eachother.
7. As of June 2008, we are certified as foster parents.
8. I sit here and realize that I am so very blessed and honored that Brandon is my partner in crime in this life, and will be forever. (He has a straight ticket to Heaven for agreeing to marry me)
So here is my VERY public showing of my love and gratitude for my wonderful husband, for all his support, love, PATIENCE, caring, devotion, and the infinite amount of qualities that make him so endearing to all who come in to contact with him.
I LOVE YOU BRANDON!
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