SIX

Six.

Six years ago today Sweets was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes.



Looking back... she was just a baby!  

It's hard to believe that it's been that long.  And yet it feels like it's been part of our lives forever. 

Year one... that was a big deal. 
Year two... we were inpatient after Sweets had a low induced seizure.  That sucked.
Year three... that one marked the point where she had lived longer with diabetes than without it. 
Year four... we celebrated by going to see Taylor Swift! 
Year five... that one was rough.  That one was really hard and emotional.  It was powerful for many reasons.  You can check that one out here. 

Year six. 

This one is different. 

Dare I say.... this one is just another day?

Not everyone celebrates a diaversary.  I get why you would want to forget that day.  There are parts I would love to forget. 

However, we choose to celebrate it.  We use it as a day to honor all that she goes through with diabetes.  We acknowledge all that goes into keeping her healthy.  And there is so much YUCK that goes with diabetes - if there's a way we can add a little fun into it - we are all for that! 

Because today was filled with school and work and JDRF meetings and dance class, we celebrated yesterday.  We went to dinner and got ice cream - which is what Sweets wanted to do! 

So today...

It was so different than the past diaversaries have been. 



In the past I've spent the day thinking of that day.  And what were doing.  And what it was like.  Reliving those emotions. 



But today... Today I barely remembered. 

Maybe it's because we've been so busy.  This past week has been filled with cheer clinics each night for a couple of hours.  Of course, before and after clinics involved practicing at home!  Saturday was try out day!  And then we waited all day for results.  This really kept our minds focused on one thing... cheerleading!  The good news is that Sweets made the competition cheer squad for fourth grade!  We are so proud of all her hard work!  Now we're already planning for the coming season - uniform fittings and coaching meetings (I'm coaching her basketball squad again). 

Maybe there just wasn't time to think about April 27. 


Or maybe...


Maybe we are entering a new phase of life with D.  A phase that I've felt might be on the horizon. 


Maybe after six years, diabetes is just so ingrained into the fabric of our family that her dx day is truly just another day. 


I'm sure there will still be days when it all overwhelms me.  I know there are still tears to be shed over this disease. 

But maybe it's truly become such a part of who we are as a family that we forget not everyone counts carbs and tests blood sugars and tweaks ratios and set countless overnight alarms. 


And maybe.  Hopefully.  There's a lot of hope in that. 

Because at first... I didn't know if we'd ever get to this place.   Those first days... year... was so overwhelming and scary and lonely.  All the what ifs.  All the fears.  All the unknowns.  All the firsts.  Wondering how we were going to have a normal family life.  How she was going to be able to be a normal kid. 

But we've done it.  SHE has done it.  We've come so far...


And so... I think that is definitely something worth celebrating!