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Category: parenting

2016/Adoption/adventure/parenting/prayer

Where We Are Now: An Update of Sorts

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Jolie / 0 Comment

It’s not often that I get through a week without a question or two about our adoption. Where are we in the process? Are we on a list of some sort? Do we h...

2016/Baby Gray/parenting/Type 1 Diabetes

It was the Last

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Jolie / 0 Comment

It was a Monday. It was this Monday; not by date, but as it falls. The Monday between celebrating his fifth birthday with friends and celebrating it for real. I...

2016/kindergarten/parenting/teaching/tips

Back to School | Back to Cool

Posted on August 27, 2016 by Jolie / 1 Comment

(Do you remember that commercial? No? Just me? Okay, then.) Well, the boy and I have officially survived our first week of school–and by survived, I mean ...

2016/Baby Gray/faith/love/parenting

Start at Home

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Jolie / 0 Comment

I’m not big on the news. It’s far away; I can remove myself and allow a little head-in-the-sand time. It’s not that I’m unaware, but I&#...

Baby Gray/mom/parenting/Target

Not That Mom

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments

As it goes, we’re in 2015, and blogs full of mom feelings are floating around the ol’ world wide web. What I find most often, though, is that I don&...

Adoption/faith/marriage/parenting/pregnancy/wait

I’m Already Ready Already

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

(Let’s just be clear here, you in this piece is me. Feel free to group yourself in if you’re so inclined.)  Early marriage, before you’re...

#write31days/birthday/fall/parenting/soccer/Tuesday 10/Tuesday ten

10 Before 31

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

1. Today’s September 30th, which means I’m wrapping books. This was such a fun activity last year that I’m doing it again! (Click here to see ...

Baby Gray/parenting/sleep

Sweet Dreams, Baby

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Since the beginning, Baby Gray has been a great sleeper. Every now and then, he’d wake in the night for something, but for the most part, he (and we) get ...

date/date night/marriage/parenting

Keep the Love Alive

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Friday makes me think of our Friday Fun Dances when I was still teaching. We’d crank up some Miley...

Baby Gray/lunch/motherhood/parenting

Mommin’ It

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 7 Comments

Around here, we do a lot of things just the boy and me. Most of the time, this works just fine. Then there are the times you finish lunch and have three drinks,...

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Hi, I’m Jolie…

jolie-gray
Wife to Josh, mama to Hays (7), hopeful adoptive mama, and Jesus lover. I founded Purpose Box in July of 2014. I'm all about open sunroofs and coffee dates. Welcome to my space; have a click around. I hope you feel loved, encouraged, and empowered.

Texas forever.

Purpose Box

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If you saw my post yesterday, you know our endo ap If you saw my post yesterday, you know our endo appointment Thursday threw me for a loop. 

The best way I can describe it is feeling like the rug was pulled out from under me. I no longer knew which data was good. I had two data points on polar ends of the spectrum. 

My heart of hearts was telling me my large sample (the Dexcom data) was right. I know what we do day in and day out. I know what the math looks like for that size sample of information and the risk of error that large. 

My reading yesterday morning was about lamenting—crying out to God. As I journaled, I prayed, “Show me which data is good. Show me how to go forward in the best, healthiest way for the boy.” 

I had already shopped in-home A1C tests online. I called around and checked locally. One of our local pharmacies had one and pulled it back for me. Based on price and location, I was expecting a store-brand version—which still works. Instead, I was met with the better brand with good reviews all over the internet. 

All I needed was a set of numbers to match the info I had—or at least be in the middle to bring some light to the subject. I needed to be back on a solid foundation. I needed to know which data to use to drive decisions for the boy’s care. 

After school, we came right in and took the test. It matched our initial information from the Dexcom. Back on solid ground. Back to firm footing. Back to solid data-driven decisions. 

Mamas, trust your gut.

I’ll tell you, our doctor already knew I was leery before we left the office. She ran a second test for me (same machine) to verify. I am not upset or angry or even disappointed. We just needed more information. I’m grateful for the resources and opportunity to have it.
Yesterday the boy had his regular endo check up. I Yesterday the boy had his regular endo check up. I sort of left feeling a little bit like each one of our faces here. 

👨🏻 The face-value smile: On paper, what we are doing is working well. (Paper for us is our Dexcom info.) 

👦🏼 The hiding face: But—for some reason it did not translate to his A1C this round. 

💁🏼‍♀️ The absolute adoration for our boy: YES! He rocked his lab work yesterday. He asked good questions. He is growing and learning how to manage this condition on his own. 

Honestly, I left pretty disappointed and disheartened because our work on paper didn’t match what his lab info showed.

An A1C is not the only measure of what we’re looking for, but if that’s off it makes me doubt our readings, time in range, etc that we are always striving to improve and do our best with. If the data we are working with isn’t accurate, it’s not driving us to good decisions. 

I don’t say any of this for sympathy or a mom shout out or a hug or a pity party, but merely to encourage you if you’re walking through something similar. 

Today I’m going to shake it off, make a plan for double-checking our data and keep on trucking. Diabetes doesn’t stop for me to regroup and rethink. It’s all on the fly.

So, fly we will!
“If I wait on the world to tell me when to stop, “If I wait on the world to tell me when to stop, I never will.” — @handsfreerevolution 

As a family, we have made some choices that allow us time to be home more, time to be together more, time to be in our kitchen more, at our table more, you get the picture. 

I recently had someone tell me that I wouldn’t have all the time I had to get things done if I had their schedule. And they’re right. And it’s intentional. 

Each family has to find their fit. And for us, this is ours. We are over half-way done with the boy’s time at home. Soon he’ll have extra curricular obligations that we’ll have less control over the when and how of. So, for now, we’ll take the time to stop because it’s our time to take.
Rhythm. Once again, I came into the week of the Rhythm. 

Once again, I came into the week of the new year with no words or expectations. 

Lately, God has been showing me more about rhythm. Routine. Seasons. Cycles. 

2020 allowed us to take a step back. To focus on the important. To major on the majors. As things begin to return to “normal,” there are some things I don’t want to shift in my heart. I want to hold on to the rhythm of rest. The rhythm of grace. The rhythm of ministry and love and fulfillment. 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30
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