Cause I promised I would....

Here are my favorite pictures from Memorial Day on the River! Our precious Harriet invited us to spend the day at her house (near my parent's home in Gadrock)....and it was an awesome day. I love the south in the summertime (well, anytime actually). It is simply amazing! Harriet has built her beautiful home on the river and she was kind enough to extend that joy to our little family.....

Mom made frozen strawberry, ginger ale slushies!

Chris took all the kids out for a spin on the waverunner...

and so did I!

I don't think Lucy expected me to be that much "fun"....

but I proved her wrong!

Mom bought a new paddleboat for everyone and Greer LOVED it!

Can you see that she is sippin' on her coke and lovin' it!?

Greer and Betty connected....

.....so did Lucy and Betty!

This one makes me laugh!

....and we'll call these "yoga at sundown"!

I really want to post more details...but I am hurting! Today I broke my tailbone (well, after much research and self evaluation, that is what I have concluded)! It is terrible, horrible, no good and very bad!!! I am h.u.r.t.i.n.g. It stinks.

Momma can't be broken. She just can't! Please pray for my "booty" to feel better soon. I have so much to do and no time to rest. Working tomorrow is going to be a challenge that I am scared to face, but I have to do it.

School's Out for Summer!

This picture of Lucy and our sweet friend Laura is just one of my favorites from our trip home to Gadsden for Memorial Day. I think I'll post the rest of my favorites tomorrow! Just saying it here makes me accountable to finally get off my DUFF to start blogging again. Oh how I've missed it my friends! Is there anyone still out there who cares? I guess we'll see.

I have a lot of really amazing, really exciting things going on my life right now. Things that I really want to write about here....if only to be able to go back and read about them one day. The trouble with blogging is, it tends to make me feel a bit self indulgent. Like I am expecting someone else besides me to really care about what I am going through in this little life. I've really been praying about when and how to make a comeback to this place. If I'm going to do it, I want it to be right.

I have to tell you, I've quit reading blogs pretty much altogether. Not because I think that bloggers are bad people or full of themselves or whatever....I just have found other stuff to fill my time. And I don't expect that people have continued to check on my blog in my absence of posts. I just haven't really given it any thought....

...but I want to keep posting here for me. For the transparency that it gives in this life here on earth. For the chance to spill my beans in an effort to remember the minutea. The snapshots and the memories. The conversations that shaped these years that sometimes feel like they are passing by in a blur. For moments like these....

Healthcare Reform hits Home....

Tomorrow morning, Greer and I will drive over to Duke for her 10th laser treatment. We have traveled almost 600 miles to seek the best possible care for our precious baby. Our insurance provider in Alabama has gone above and beyond to make this journey possible....to give our baby just what she needs. What a blessing that is! I work hard for a great company and they provide amazing insurance that seeks to serve my family. God bless America!

We have had a wonderful weekend with the Enseys here in Raleigh, and have been so impressed by the opportunity we have found here in North Carolina. Dr. Burton has a great plan and hope that Greer's birthmark has the potential for a lot more fading. He and his staff are confident and capable, and we were blessed to find them. We want to keep coming back till he makes her birthmark disappear. We feel that God has placed us in the best possible hands, with the best possible hosts here in North Carolina.

The passing of today's Healthcare Reform Bill is very disheartening to me. It could mean terrible things for babies born with Port Wine Stains. I feel like Greer was born in a blessed time. She was born mere months after research proved that early treatment of PWS was beneficial. Because of that, she benefitted from early, aggressive treatment. She saw incredible fading before she was even six months old. She is hopefully going to complete serial treatments before the new healthcare plan effects our benefits. We thank God for that! Even with this great opportunity, we feel as if we are in a race against time. She has a ways to go. Dr. Burton feels that she needs several more laser therapies to reach her maximum fading. I am afraid that we won't get there before Obama's plan goes into effect. We are desperate to give our baby every opportunity to erase a potentially debilitating birth defect that Our Current Government deems merely "cosmetically unfortunate". I am counting on our Great God to overcome this, and I beg you to read this position statement from our point of view.....

Healthcare Reform Position Statement from the Vascular Anomalies groups

Let's give babies like Greer a chance at the best life possible! Pray that something changes quickly and that this current plan is modified. Pray for a miracle for these babies, for there are so many less fortunate than we.

The here and now....

What do I do with all this stuff that is swirling around me? Life, love, relationships. Do I blog about the everyday or do I only give you the deep things within my soul. For now I have chosen to be absent, and it feels right for me.

I'm living. and busy with all this living. Milestones are passing and pictures are snapping, but they aren't shared here. But the moments happen and I treasure them just the same.

I don't know what it means for this space, but for now.....it is what it is.

I'll get back with you on this one!

At least I'm still updating my FB status

Megan Rutland Mileski Reeves asked our babysitter, "Hannah, are you on BookFace?" It made me laugh!

February 17 at 9:51pm

Megan Rutland Mileski I can't believe that tomorrow is my last day to work in good ole Jefferson Towers! It's been an amazing 13 years....

February 18 at 10:33pm ·

Megan Rutland Mileski Back from my cave in the basement bedroom. Thanks to my work peeps and my precious husband for taking over so I could recover from some kind of HORRIBLE virus. All better today!

Sat at 7:49am ·

Megan Rutland Mileski Tomorrow's the big day! WooHoo!!!

Sat at 8:43pm · Comment ·

Megan Rutland Mileski Reeves just asked, "Hey Mom, do they have Snowball Fights at the Olympics? You know, like for a medal?" Me, "No, baby, they don't." Reeves, "Well.....they really should!"

Sun at 8:00pm ·

Megan Rutland Mileski Overtime shifts in the new hospital, book reports, talent shows, children faking illnesses, dogs who love mud, recovering from a virus, mounds of laundry, late night Olympic viewing...I'm a bit overwhelmed by this week!

13 minutes ago ·

...and I took this really cute picture of Reeves on my iPhone!

Big Girl's heading to Duke!

****UPDATE! ****

Our Duke treatment won't be till March 22nd! Just be in prayer for

us till then! Thanks so much, sweet friends....

Playing in the Hotel Shower

January 9, 2010

We went for Greer's two-year-old check up today. It's crazy to me to think that she has been a part of our little world for over 2 years....CRAZY! She is such a blessed ball of joy, I can't even stand it! All wide open and curious and into everything. I think the best way to describe her is BIG! She sleeps big, she eats big, she loves big, she laughs big, she runs big, she grows BIG! In fact....she is the height of the average 3 year old!!! Off the charts for a child her age. I could just eat up all 33 pounds and 37.5 inches of her! Oh, and did I mention how BIG her feet are? In the words of my pediatrician....."those are Sasquatch feet!"

I caught my pediatrician up to speed on the current state of the birthmark treatments, so I thought I better catch all of you up, too! My last post on the subject was back in the fall when we were trying to come up with a game plan. It's kind of a long story, so here's the link if you want to catch up. We had some big decisions to make and we have prayed and worked through all of our options. I am still planning to write some letters to the "powers that be" here in Alabama, but for now we must travel out of the state to get what she needs.

We had a few options (California, NYC, or North Carolina)....but we decided that traveling to Duke made the most sense for us. Dr. B comes highly recommended, and we are blessed to have a home away from home in Raleigh. My precious Amy moved there last Summer and will host us for the long weekend. I'm trying to think of it as a little vacation and a good excuse to spend time with my beloved friend! I feel an amazing peace about all of it and know that God's plan is unfolding before our very eyes.

Greer's birthmark has shown remarkable fading through all of this, but we have seen significant darkening over the past 6-8 months. Last summer she had close to 75% fading, and now I would say it is more like 50%....some days it's darker than others. NOT traveling to seek better lasers is not an option for us. I want to know that I did everything within my being to maximize the chance to remove this birthmark. So we go. and we continue to pray. and we continue to praise our Heavenly Father for the opportunities he has given us.

As we were leaving the doctor's office this morning, I noticed a young hispanic mother with a large facial PWS. It was dark, dark purple with thick tissue in places. She was a beautiful woman. She seemed happy and confident, and I wanted to get to know her. I wanted to ask her a million questions, but I knew she would think I was crazy. I prayed that if Greer's birthmark never faded even one little bit more and if it eventually became as dark as the one on that lady's face that she would be just as confident and lovely.

I prayed that Greer's BIG, beautiful spirit would shine as bright as it did back on this day. This is a day I will never forget. This is a time I will treasure forever. I really don't think I could love a little soul any more than I love my Big Girl!

A whole lot of random...

...coming your way! No pictures for this first post of 2010, but I promise to dig up a few very soon....we've had a blast over the past 2 weeks! Now to catch you up and give you a giggle...

School's out till tomorrow, and it's freakin' freezin'! I mean seriously cold for these parts. We may even see the white stuff by the end of the week! I would really appreciate a snow day Friday since my kiddos probably won't make it to school before lunchtime anyway. Seems we have a rather important obligation this Thursday night! Can I hear a Rooooollllll Tide, Roll?!

My kids almost ended up at school today cause it seems I was a little confused about the actual "post holiday return date". Wouldn't it make since to start back on a Monday? Turns out that today was a teacher work day....I suppose they need to ease back in to the whole school routine, too!

So, we partied hard for 2 weeks, and I had a full "work weekend" to start the new year. Just so you know.....

....I really do love my job. If only for the entertainment value!

When I work in the maternity ER, one of our duties is to answer phone calls from the patients. Many of the calls are legitimate and straight-forward. A handful of them are little pearls meant to keep us on our toes and to give us a little chuckle during a long, hard shift! I thought you might get a kick out of a few that we got this weekend....

"How you doin'? I had my baby a couple of weeks ago.....is it OK for me to wash my hair?" Me, "Yes, honey, that's an old wives tale....PLEASE wash your hair!"

"Hey, how you doin'? I really want to have a cup of hot tea, is that OK, or will it burn my baby?" Me, "No, honey, it will NOT burn your baby. It isn't growing in your stomach!"

"Is this a nurse?" (my friend Amanda took this call), "Yes ma'am, this is a nurse, how can I help you?" Patient, "how you doin'? I have a headache. Can I put a cold cloth on my head or will it give me a seizure?" Amanda....

...."seriously?"

??????

Purpose....

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I haven't been blogging much lately. I can explain it in one or ten thousand ways. It is what it is. A dry season? A season of reflection? A step back? No good reason at all???

Whatever the case, that's the reality of it. I have a million things to share, but struggle with what will inspire, entertain, inform, or simply bore you out of your mind. I've prayed about my intentions, examined my actions, reflected on my beliefs. I've committed to the relationships that matter the most. Given my all to this thing called life. This life that God has given me. Somehow, the blog has taken a back seat. G0 figure!

But I'm ready to find the balance again....to share what I feel I need to share. I feel a responsibility to chronicle this thing called life. My one chance to get it right. I want to look back and see what I was doing on a cold day in the middle of winter. What we ate for dinner on a warm summer night back in 2011. When my baby lost her first tooth or when my oldest had his first date. I want this to be the place where I measure the moments. Where I share the minutia. The chance to share something that might possibly help someone....that might possibly change a life (more on that later...)

So, I'm back. Are you ready?

The Unexpected....

Well, today didn't turn out exactly how I had planned....

...but, does it ever? One thing I've learned since being a parent is that you've always gotta be ready for the unexpected. Amen?

I had a long (and quite busy) weekend at work. Working 24 out of 48 hours gets harder and harder (but is more and more rewarding) as the years go by. Most of the time, Labor and Delivery is fairly slow on the weekends. NOT this time! I didn't notice if it was a full moon or not, but lots of Mamas were having babies these days. And I mean LOTS!

As my Sunday was coming to an end, I posted this on my facebook status:

"Looking forward to my "Saturday" tomorrow....it's been a busy weekend at work! I miss my own babies!"

If I believed in luck, I'd bet that this status update jinxed me for the night....what do you think?! All kidding aside, it is pretty funny, don't you think?

I had the perfect evening/day planned. I would come home from work, throw in a load of laundry, kiss my babies goodnight and pack their bags for another busy week at school! I would load them on the bus around 7 am, drop Greer off in carpool at Mother's Day Out, and enjoy a few hours to myself. A few hours to shop, organize, shower in silence. A few moments to ready myself for all the business of the week and to get my house in order.

Yeah, that didn't happen.

When I got home from work, Chris told me that Reeves had had a tumble at a birthday party earlier in the day. He was coming down an inflatable slide (head first), crashed into the end, and hyper-extended his neck. Reeves was in terrible pain (and stiffness) by the time I got home and I knew that he needed to have it checked out. After a quick call to my parents, we decided that it was best to call the after hours service....Reeves just wasn't himself.

Much to my surprise, they recommended that we call 911 and have the paramedics come out to evaluate him before heading downtown to the hospital. They said that neck injuries are nothing to mess with (go figure) and that we should make sure he didn't need a c-collar before we drove him in. May I just say.....Reeves thought it was pretty cool that the firetruck and policeman made a visit to his house! (Making lemonade, friends!) Thank you to my sweet neighbors, the Holdens and Elrods, for checking in on us. Chris was happy to snuff out any neighborhood drama by explaining that it was NOT any sort of domestic incident...

...thanks for clearing that up, Chris. I know they were worried! :) JK!

So, the good guys at the Hoover Fire Department arrived in record time, gave us the Ok and and sent us on to Children's Hospital.

Where we waited.

and waited.

and waited some more.....

...poor Reeves was passed out by the time we were finally seen (and we were in the higher priority category.....I felt sorry for all those other children waiting to be seen!). The verdict? Bad strain/hyper-extension. Heavy doses of anti-inflammatory meds, limited physical activity for a while, rest, and TLC.

I can handle that.

So, we got home around 2:30. Crashed. Slept in. Ate a good breakfast. Drank coffee and hot chocolate. Watched Elf. Followed up with our pediatrician. Skipped school. Stayed in our pajamas all day. Were all-around lazy.

So maybe the weekend was crazy, and last night was not very fun....

.....but today is what memories are made of! I love any excuse to stay at home in my pajamas with my babies!

What has a hold on you?

It's that time of year when (along with all the gifts under the tree) we tend to get all wrapped up. Consumed by what we need want (steam washers and new clothes and the perfect tree and flatscreen tvs and the most beautiful decorations for our house and the cute holiday outfits for our kids and the list goes on and on and on). It's so easy to do....no matter how hard we try to contain ourselves.

And I am guilty. I confess that I am the world's worst when it comes to this attitude. I want and want and want some more. The sales and the shopping frenzy and the hustle and bustle get a hold of me and I am overcome (don't worry Chris, if you are reading this. I have NOT done anything crazy). I have friends whose kids have lists a mile long....who live for the biggest and best on Christmas morning. I was that way.....I remember revising my list over and over till I got it just right. It's something I have struggled with my whole life.

Why then, have I been blessed with such unassuming children? Sure, they have an idea of what they would like to find under the tree come Christmas morning, but I know they will love whatever they get. They've never asked me, "Is that all?" and they genuinely appreciate the gifts they receive. Sure, they have hopes and desires, but I know that if we could only get them a couple of very small gifts, they would still say they had a magical Christmas. They've always been pretty grounded like that.....I sure hope it lasts.

You see, my children are way more thrilled by the antics of their silly little elf than they are by how many gifts they will get from Santa. They could care less if our Christmas card is picture perfect or if the decorations will impress the neighbors.....they just want to drive around and look for lit up manger scenes and inflatable Grinches. My kids want to buy gifts for a little child who won't get anything for Christmas and hang ornaments on our tree.

They want to sip hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and a peppermint stick stirrer and sleep in for a couple of weeks. They want to tear off the paper rings and count down the days till their stockings are filled with chocolate. They want me to sit and tell them the story of the night Jesus was born (again and again and again) by acting it out with their little toy nativity scene. They want to bake cookies and visit family and watch Christmas movies in their pajamas. Hoping for Christmas Carolers to knock on our door.

Isn't all that the good stuff? The things that we remember loving about the holiday season? I remember singing Christmas songs in church and cookie swaps and live Nativity scenes and the taste of the Christmas turkey. I remember waking up before sunrise and leaving cookies for Santa. I remember the smell of the holiday candles and praying for snow to fall on Christmas eve. Curling up in one cozy bed with my sisters and our animals....

I couldn't tell you what I unwrapped on my 9th Christmas or who all gave me presents when I was 5. Most of it was quickly forgotten or broken or taken for granted. Only a few things were treasures that stood the test of time.....and most of those weren't really expensive gifts. They were things that meant something.

So, you wanna know what I want most this year? I want the spirit of Christmas that has a hold on my children.....that really stirs my soul. What about you?

Things I loved....

....about today.

1. It rained.

2. I got to stay home all day long! I love rain, but I love it even more when I get to stay home and enjoy it!

3. Greer slept till 11:00! Do you know how much stuff I was able to get done this morning while she slept? It is beyond belief....seriously!

4. I worshipped! I blasted my iPod and sang at the top of my lungs. God is sooooo amazingly, incredibly good! Nothing like praising Jesus while you fold your husbands underwear....Ha!

5. I laughed out loud when I couldn't get my front door to open for the Fed-Ex guy....it was really funny. Maybe you had to be there....

6. I got an unexpected call from a stranger dear friend! We chatted about life and fears and adventures and marriage and love and relationships and kiddos and the weather and the South and football and family. What a joyful surprise!

7. I fed my kids ice cream and cotton candy on the way to the dentist. What's wrong with me?

8. My kids didn't have any cavities!

9. Greer said Purple!

10. I figured out Apple TV.

11. I made a perfect pitcher of sweet tea. Ahhhhh!

Can't wait for the stillness!

We're busy, y'all. It seems like ye ole blog has fallen by the wayside....and I must admit that it has been low on my priority list lately. Sad, I know. It stinks that when I have millions of things to post about, I can't seem to find time to post about any of them! Oh well, I'll give it a shot!

The kids are pumped about Halloween, and frankly, so am I. We are heading to Gadsden to spend the evening with my parents and the kids just about can't stand it. It's our first year (in a long time) to not be dressing up as a family. We did a family theme for 3 years in a row....but this year I just decided to let the kids take their pick. I can't wait to unveil the results! Nothing spectacular, but every costume has a story. I promise to give you a full-on post on the subject later in the week....

Lucy has her first "real" fieldtrip tomorrow, and we are so excited about it. We are heading to a real "working" farm where we will pick cotton, feed cows, pet goats, run through a hay maze, and choose a pumpkin. The kindergarten classes have been studying all about farm animals (remember the farm breakfast) and are even awaiting the arrival of a bunch of baby chicks!

In FACT....

....those chicks are going to be hatching sometime tonight or tomorrow, and YOU can watch them LIVE by clicking here! Cool, huh? The kids are beyond excited! I bet your kids would love watching, too! Check it out!

All that and so much more. I'm trying to keep things in perspective and soak it all in. I love my life....all the crazy busy fun, but sometimes I just want to be still.

Still.

I'm not sure I even know what that word means anymore....

....but don't you worry! I'm about to have a rendezvous with stillness. Yep, that's something I'm going to find time for. Real soon.

How do you find time to be. still. ???? I would love to know!

It's been a busy week or so, y'all!

And I'm gonna go ahead and warn you...

....this post is going to be sorta long and have lots of pictures.

Just so ya know!

First and foremost, I need to share the sad news. I've just mustered up the strength to post about it, so I'm going to keep it brief as to not open the floodgates again.

Our precious kitty, Lily, is in heaven.

And yes, I wholeheartedly believe that she is in heaven (along with Sapphire and Clancy and Molly and Maisie and Savannah and Max and Bandit and Chloe....and probably some I'm forgetting). Well, maybe not Chloe, she was a a little mean :) JK, Erin!

Lily has been sick for a couple of years, and we decided that she just couldn't go on suffering anymore. The kids were so sad (especially Lucy), but I think they understand. We are attempting to let this situation jump-start some understanding of death and eternity and heaven....this has been quite a journey for all of us. We will bury Lily in Gadsden next week with many of my beloved childhood pets. The kids are taking it all in, and I would be so honored if you would say a prayer for this situation. It's still pretty hard.

Even with the sadness of losing Lily, life is marching on. We're busy with school and sports and church and friends and homework and all sorts of other stuff....

...like our first High School Football game! In cool football weather! Yay!

I can't say that the cool weather has lasted, but we're praying that it comes back real soon. Last Friday night was so much fun for us and the kiddos. We headed over to cheer on our Hoover Bucs (and sadly, they didn't win) against Vestavia Hills. Between their previous domination and my absence from all other games, I'm a little worried that we were the bad luck charm! Good thing I don't believe in luck! Go Bucs, you'll get 'em next time!

See, we weren't only there to watch a football game.....our favorite Buccanette was performing! We love us some Mary Kate!

And as you can see, the end of the game didn't do much for Lucy! That girl can fall asleep anywhere....as we would soon discover!

Our weekend marched on. Sunday was as crazy as ever....church, softball, baseball, small group, Lucy hiding under a bed and falling asleep. Us panicking and almost calling 911 and finding her and feeling complete relief...and after all that, we started the brand new week off with a bang.

Or the knock of the snooze button.

Yep, I let my kids sleep-in on Monday morning!

I know, I know....

.....but it was sooooo worth it!

We all need a mental health day every once in a while, right?

And speaking of that....I got a little mental health moment of my own this week!

Our old Bunco group had a little reunion at my friend Jenny's house....and it was so much fun.

We talked and ate and sipped and laughed and caught up on old times. I love these girls.

Wanna know what else I loved? Jenny's Halloween decorations....

....I found me some of those cool skeletons today, and you can bet they're already hanging from my dining room chandelier. I promise to post some pics real soon!