P.O.P/Need I say more?

My neighborhood is very special. We live in a very close knit cul-de-sac where we are all really the same, but yet totally different. As our children have grown past babies and toddlers we spend more time as adults and friends. Our kids are growing more every day. It all started with my Hannah age 3, and their Austin just a few months older. As our toddlers chatted over a dirt pile in their soon to be new homes, us parents never knew just how important this life change would be for our families. We have cherished, we have lived.....we have grown into the families of Albert Lane. 9 years later, us parents feel a bit left behind. We all want the same things in life. Healthy, happy, succeeding kids with lots of family memories and fun along the way. That Hannah and Austin are now nearing 13yrs old. But, we totally have what we need to thrive in this cul-de-sac, and then some. We have each other.

Tonight we gathered for a P.O.P. as we like to call it.... (Party on the Patio) and it seems we are always adding new families to our gatherings. The entire cul-de-sac is the norm, but tonight L and her family joined in. L is someone that adopted one of our Golden puppies last year. Kinda a funny thing....L and her husband (and son) would walk by our home every day. Every day and night they would be seen walking their dog while we brought out our litter of 8 goldens to potty. Of course, our puppies were cute as could be. How could they not stop to admire these faces? It turned out that first time L stopped to admire the pups she saw my pump tubing hanging out from my shirt. She asked what pump I had, and she showed me her Animas. Need I say more?

An adopted puppy later, two Type 1's meet. L understood my triumphs as a mom with a child with Type 1. She was dx'd at age 9, after spending nearly a week in a coma. I'm not sure of the year, but I know "L" has 40 yrs of Diabetes behind her. And, she is amazing. She is the picture of health. She exercises every-single-day. She follows a very strict diet of whole grains, lower carbs, no red meat, high veggies. And, you would never know she wears an insulin pump attached to her hip. Every time we meet (which is often in this POP neighborhood) I learn something new. Something inspiring about her life with Type 1 as a child. Tonight while we had the usual Party on the Patio, the tough, the truth, and the past came out. We talked about Diabetes back then and how "L" was in a coma for so long at diagnosis. We talked about how one neighbor (a college professor) just had his student with Type 1 pass away. No reason. No explanation. They even promised themselves not to tell me anything about this young girl who parished, to spare me the heartache and worry for Maddison and myself. We talked about life, and how tomorrow isn't a guarantee. We talked about the 8yr old girl who's family tonight is grieving. And when it came down to it, we are all the same but yet so different. Need I say more?