Miss Northwest 2009

Tonie was chosen Miss Northwest 2009 as a part of the Sweeper pageant this year. Because she was Miss Pierce County's first runner up she was eligible for this pageant just a short while later.

We were so proud when they announced her as the new Miss Northwest 2009. She'll be competing for the title of Miss Washington this July and will be a great representative for our state! Here she is with Cole one of the Children's Miracle Network champions that was a special guest at her dance-a-thon! He was so excited!

After the pageant we celebrated Tonie's big win and Momma's birthday. Tonie recieved a letter form an old high school teacher (written by herself 5 years earlier and she shared it with the family.) It was cool to hear that many of her goals were being actualized.

This will also be a birthday that goes down in infamy for Momma. Tonie and Alex really couldn't afford to do much for Momma this year so they got her lotto tickets. She scratched them right there at the table. They were BIG winners - $10,000! Micheale and Wendy started to make plans to head to Ireland when Tonie and Alex couldn't take it anymore. They were fake and they had to break the news, and quickly before she scratched the other BIG winner of $20,000. They made the announcement ... You should have seen their faces when she won, and then when they were told they were fake. I think we are finally off the hook but she'll never let us forget we almost gave her a heart attack.

WHAT A DAY!

Diabetes Diagnosis - March 23rd 2009

Ben was diagnosed, at age 20, on March 23 with diabetes. He had to go the emergency room on March 22;

In the E.R. where he was diagnosed with diabetes. It felt like a very scary diagnosis and we still were not sure if it was Type 1 or 2.

Later in early April he was more specifically diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and we are working towards changing our lifestyle to be more diabetic friendly. Thanks to Dave and Heather for the fabulous Better Homes and Garden cookbook. They brought it the day of Ben's diagnosis. Pretty wonderful friends.


The most scary and serious health issue in Ben's life, diabetes, is not covered at all by our insurance for 9 months. But the great news is we were referred to the Benaroya Institute to be a part of a Type 1 Diabetes study, researching the drug called GAD. After a month or so of tests he was welcomed into the study by the incredible team of doctors at Virginia Mason - Benaroya Institute. We feel so blessed to benefit from their wealth of knowledge and are praying that we are part of making a change for diabetics everywhere. If the drug GAD does what they think it does then it may prevent Ben's health from deteriorating. It is believed to help Type 1 diabetics keep their insulin producing cells.

Here we are in Pike Place Market after a day at the hospital.

We go quite frequently for monitoring and for the GAD drug to be administered (although it is possible that he is just getting a placebo - we are praying for the real deal.)

There is so much going on in the area of diabetic research we are honored to be a part of it!

Thanks to the doctors, nurses, and dietician at Virginia Mason. Dr. Sanda, Dr. Hefty and Research Study Coordinator Marli McCulloch-Olson you are truly a blessing from the Lord. We feel so lucky and blessed to have your team as a part of our life!

Ben is pictured here with "stinging nettle" cheese! Good thing he didn't have to give up cheese post diagnosis. :)

Dance Through The Decades - fundraiser for CMN

Tonie, our sister, is competing in the Miss America Scholarship Organization this year and her community service platform is Children's Miracle Network.

The event raised over $3,000 far exceeding Tonie's goal. She was so overwhelmed. Ben and I raised the second most money, only second to the Seattle University Baseball Team boys.

Here Tonie is with 2 Chlidren's Miracle Champions. Jenea and Cole. The proceeds go to help kids like them and their families.

We are so proud to be helping her as she supports this great cause. In February she put on a Dance Through the Decades Dance-a-thon. People raised money for Children's Hospital in Seattle and their efforts were rewarded with this great celebration.

Dave and Heather Raley came along as the official event photographers. People loved having their photos taken in front of this giant mural I helped created.

What blast!

The dancing was so much fun, with DJ Jim Oas there to play fabulous music from all the decades. You can see my Dad and Ben really let loose and had a blast!

The event was well attended and the Duchemin family came out in carloads!

Congratulations Tonie on a job well done!