1 Year Ago Today...

...there was a lot going on in the Weibley household.  My little girl was sick and we were waiting to see if it was Celiac.  We had already begun a gluten-free diet under the assumption that all the symptoms were actually pointing to Celiac.  Her biopsy had been completed on March 19, but we were told it could be a week before getting the results from that.  So we were just waiting.  And very confused about what to eat.  What in the world do you feed a 1 year old who can't eat gluten or dairy when all you know how to cook involves at least one of them?  A typical dinner in our house consisted of spaghetti or a box of Hamburger Helper, other meals with some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as a side or some boxed Au Gratin potatoes.  I could fry you up a great chicken fried steak, some mashed potatoes, and some corn, complete with homemade cream gravy, but I couldn't tell you how to make much else that did not come with packages of things in a box to mix together.  I spent literally all of my days just trying to find a recipe of something online that I could cook for my family.  I would have to go to the store several times a week because I could only focus on 1 or 2 meals at a time to shop for, and even then I wasn't sure they would have what I was looking for since our stores are so small.  After that, I had no idea what to cook. 

As I was going through all of this stress about food, I finally received the phone call.  It was in the afternoon on March 21, 2012.  Brandon was working nights so he was asleep, though he was off that day.  Sophie was laid down for a nap.  I was browsing Internet sites to find some new recipes.  The call was the results from Sophie's biopsy done 2 days prior.  It was finally confirmed that Sophie had Celiac Disease.  This was a relief to find out, actually!  I knew what was wrong with my little girl! 

As I continued learning about Celiac, the importance of knowing all I could about it to teach Sophie became very obvious.  I did not want to only teach Sophie, though.  Celiac is such a destructive disease when untreated and yet so little is known about it in the public world.  It is beginning to be seen as a diet fad, which for the thousands with Celiac is not really a good thing.  I wanted to not only educate my family and Sophie - I wanted everyone to learn about it.  My young daughter at 1 year old would have to spend her ENTIRE life fighting for eating food that is not going to make her sick.  This will be sooo much easier if more was known about it. 

A year later, I am no expert in gluten-free eating or Celiac.  There is still so much to learn!  I have learned so much along the short road we have traveled, though.  Since Sophie spent much of the last year on a gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and for the last 6 months egg- and corn-free diet, I have come a long way since my days of boxed Hamburger Helper.  The only things that really come pre-made at this point for Sophie are Chex, Larabars, organic fruit snacks, and canned tomatoes.  I have learned new foods with names like tapioca starch, xanthan gum, and guar gum.  I have learned there are more to flours than just plain white flour.  (Sadly, I didn't really know this.) I know how to make homemade French Fried Onions, that regular sugar is not easily converted to powdered sugar in a food processor, and that homemade spaghetti sauce is super easy.  I have not only been able to plan meals for the 2 weeks I like to meal plan, but even have some meals I can make as freezer meals in order to help save me time.  I can read a label and within 10 seconds tell you if it contains gluten, dairy, corn, or egg.  I know that Elmer's glue and Crayola's paints are both gluten-free.  I know that most infant and children's medicines contain corn.  I know that Dove hair products and Suave Kids shampoos are gluten-free, yet Pantene's hair products are not.  And I know that envelopes no longer contain gluten, but likely contain corn.

I could probably go on and on about things I've learned, but here's one thing I knew already that was reinforced in my journey the past year, simply put: God is good!  He has led me every step of the way, providing people in our path to help us and the right knowledge at what always is the perfect time.  The Lord has given me so much support in dealing with all the hardships that come with having a life-changing event such as this happen.  He has allowed very specific prayers to be answered to prove just how much in control He is and how He can make things happen that we cannot.  People have been so supportive in saying how great of a job I've done and how good of a mom I am.  Let me tell you 2 things regarding this: 1) I am human and make MANY mistakes, some that lead to dealing with a child that is sick or just feeling guilty about my reaction to things, and 2) the Lord is the One in charge of our family and my daughter's health.  I can only do what He leads me to and gives me the resources and knowledge about.  Support from friends and family do help me a lot!  Please don't think I take advantage of that.  But I see it as a testimony to what the Lord has done for us, not what I have done for us.  I am not smart enough, disciplined enough, or strong enough to have done any of this on my own.  The Lord has pulled these characteristics of me and put them to use, backed up and carried along with my hubby, family, and friends. 

What was the point of all of this??? The point is that we are still going.  It has been a year since we began this gluten-free journey for my beautiful little girl, but there are many more to come!  Sophie has gone from an 18 pound girl at 15 months old, which isn't even on the growth charts, to a thriving, active 2 year old at almost 26 pounds.  She was a sickly, pale, lethargic baby with constant diarrhea, stomach pains, and withering arms a year ago.  Now she is a running, jumping, creative, imaginative, funny chatterbox.  Nothing makes my heart warm more than seeing her healthy and doing so well.  I love sharing this journey with anyone who will listen.  Thank you to any and all that have shared in this with me!  It has meant a lot to have you along with me on the journey.  Just don't think I'm done because it's been a year.  I know I'll be bugging you about Celiac information and gluten-free living a lot more.  The next phase is seeing how a Celiac toddler does with a newborn brother!  Oh, the fun we will have!!!