d-awchumness d-meet-up

Before I talk and share photos from the fabulous ThreeThirtyThree/My Sweet Bean and her Pod meet and greet . . . . . . ah, I'm just kidding. 

:: drum roll please::

I am happy and honored to introduce;

Ellie and Bean!!!

Aren't they so cute together?  I just love how they took to one another right away and didn't hesitate to show off each other's medical bracelets.

What? 

You want to see ALL of them? 

Geeeeesh.  P-i-c-k-y!

I am happy and humbled to present;

(from left to right) Ellie, Bug, Ben and Bean!!!!

Adorable!  They all got along smashingly.  Unfortunately my oldest was off exploring with her cousins during part one of our d-meet-up.  No worries . . . . Maddi met and approved of the whole Bean/Bug family later.

What?

You want faces?

Look at the faces in the reflection!  It's (from left to right) Dave, me taking the picture, Ubergeek and Denise!!!

What?

What is with the cartoon heart on Bug's bum?

Well, before we all met that cute little Bug was scooting across the stone fireplace in the lobby and got all sooty on her rear.  I didn't want the world to think Denise walks around with dirty-bummed kiddos . . . . cause she doesn't . . . I don't think.  And, I guess if you look close enough you will notice a dirty seat on my Ellie . . . . . but that is due to traveling and exploring and . . . . . ah, let's just change the subject.

I am thrilled and tickled to present;

(back row to front row) Amy, Denise, Ellie and Bean

Yes, I am really that short and no, Denise is not standing on a stool.  But look at the smiles!  The mountains!  The trees!  Look at anything but the height disparity . . . . can you tell I feel just a smidge inadequate?!

Back to the d-awschumness d-meet-up.

Bean and her family drove 5 hours (was it 5 or 4, Denise . . . I can't remember) EACH way to come and meet up with us.  Let me just put that into a picture for you:

See that green balloon letter 'A'?  That is where Bean and her family reside.  Follow that curvy yellow line?  That is the path they had to drive to get to Denali.  They had to cross a canal, drive through mountain ranges and criss-cross the same river all to meet a fellow T1D family.  THAT is the power of the DOC community, my friends.

It is not about judging how others treat a low blood sugar.

It is not about comparing A1C results.

It is not about bragging about who has the latest and greatest tech device for managing T1D.

It is not a place to gather the most 'followers' or host the most giveaways or boast about having the greatest and most diverse 'blog-stats'.

Nope.

The DOC is about s-u-p-p-o-r-t and if you can get that support in the form of a real life hug . . . . . well, you go for it.

I have to be honest here and share my truest feelings.  I was not 100% excited to meet Bean and her family.  Um, I mean I WAS excited when we were making plans and getting closer to the appointed day and time and when we were texting details back and forth and all . . . . VERY excited. 

But,

Also kind of nervous.  I had never meet anyone from inside my computer!  I felt like I knew Denise from what I read on her blog and heard of her crazy-cool song (on her home page) . . . . but what if she was psycho and her family was really a gang of crazy little people who were coming to tie up my family and torture us with bear claws?

Or,

What if we met and they didn't like us or thought WE were the weird ones?!

However,

Once we got past the awkward handshakes and introductions (I know Ubergeek's REAL name, btw.  I bet you all are so jeal.  I pinkie swore I wouldn't tell and no amount of bribing will get it out of me . . . . fell free to send me cool stuff to see if I will buckle, though) and sat down to dinner, it was all smooth sailing.

We talked about meters, test strips, bs numbers, pods, foods, activity, highs, lows and all the in between workings and make-up of T1D. 

We laughed, we cried, we took photos and then we went back to Ubergeek's hotel room.  Hehehehehe

What?

We did!  I thought about sitting on their bed but that would have been awkward so I sat in the one chair in the hotel room.  The kids ran around and Bug followed Ben while Ellie and Bean craft'ed it up with the fabulous kit Denise thought to bring along.

The wonderful Bean family gifted Ellie with an Eskimo doll, me with a grey T1D ribbon necklace charm, and the family with a hand-painted and pod-decorated flower pot with a package of Forget-me-Nots waiting to be planted.

So stinkin' sweet! 

We exchanged addresses so we could later exchange the large flower pot and I would have a change to reciprocate the kind gesture. 

It was all so perfect until Denise went home, dropped and broke the flower pot and then lost my address.  Hahahahahahahaha!  NOW we are talking friendship.  No, even better; kinship.  (That is something I would soooooo totally do!)

The evening ended too soon with my family needing to get some rest for a 7am departure and, honestly, it was obvious Ubergeek was in need of some beauty sleep ;).

All in all I HIGHLY recommend a d-meet-up whenever possible.  It is worth the awkward moment and extra time it may take in order to hook up with people who 'get' you.  Your 'peeps'.  Your T1D family.

Thank you Denise, Ubergeek, Bean and Bug for driving up to meet us crazy people from the corn state.  Or is it the pig state?  I can't remember.

But, I will remember the laughs.  And I will remember sitting across the table from Denise, making eye contact, and knowing she 'knew.'

Knew what it felt like to be a D-mom.

Knew what it felt like to be tired and scared.

Knew how much I love my child with T1D and would move mountains to find a cure.

She knew it of me because I knew it of her.

::sniff, sniff::

Next up I will tell you all about food poisoning, Mt. McKinley and seeing a cruise ship for the very first time.  Yep!  I've got more to share of our trip to the 49th state and I hope you will humor me in reading all about it.