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I haven't posted in a while ... sorry. We've been busy buying a house, moving, having garage sales, finishing out the 4th grade (Samantha, not me, obviously) and I've found myself unemployed for the first time in 20 years and I'm job searching. So my plates been a tad bit full. However, that is no excuse!

Here's a re-post from a recent thread I started on the Children with Diabetes forum last week on the day of my daughter's 6 year diagnosis anniversary. I'm so proud of her ...

Today is Samantha's 6th year anniversary of diagnosis. I am in a bit of a funk. Last year was totally no big deal. This year it has just hit me weird. I guess no matter how good we start to feel about dealing with "the D" sometimes you just feel like crap. There is the part of me that has that gut reaction about worrying about complications (she's at that stage where they really start to watch for them) and remembering what life was like for her before dx. Then there is the more reasonable part of me that thinks about what a good job we've done of keeping her healthy and more importantly happy. So today is kinda bittersweet. I am proud of all we have done to not let this disease run our lives while keeping her in good control, but I am also aware that the grim aspects of this disease are never very far from my thoughts.

Also on a somewhat diabetes related note I have something to share that happened at Sam's school last week. Every year at the end of the year the school has an awards assembly where they give out one award to one child in each grade, the entire school and many parents are present. So 6 children total in the whole school are selected by their teachers to receive this award. This year Samantha's teachers picked her. Following is what Sam's favorite teacher said when she presented her with the award:

This year I met an amazing person, a curious, kind and respectful person. This person listens intently and thinks about things deeply.

Have you ever known anyone who redid a perfectly good assignment because she knew she could do it better? Have you ever known anyone who still thought through a problem she had the right answer for but really wanted to make sure she understood it? Have you ever known somebody who was still thinking about a concept covered in class weeks before? Do you know a fourth grader who is as creative and artistic as she is kind and caring?

There are many things that we take for granted. Such as being able to eat as much junk food as we want without having to monitor it. Most of us can run and jump and play at gym, field day and recess without giving it a second thought. This year's Eagle Feather Award goes to a student to whom these things don't always come so easily. She could easily use it as an excuse to get out of assignments and responsibilities. She does not.

I am proud to announce that this year's Eagle Feather Award goes to a student who excels despite overcoming this obstacle. The winner is: Samantha Bozin.

So I guess it helps a little having something like that to look at and remind me that no matter how much D can try to control us, we still have a choice to rise above it and be the best people we can be. If my daughter can be the kind of person she is, diabetes and all, then I can certainly get through one stupid anniversary, right?