Halloween 2010

Kitty, Julio, and Minnie think you might have an easier time keeping up with us if you follow us on Twitter (or are my friend on FB). The Blog is On Hiatus....obviously!

Blink....7.22.10

Home, Sweet Home....

This is only a test!

I've had this blogger app on my iPhone for a few months now, so I thought I should test it out!

And post a picture to see how that turns out, too. I call this one....

"goodbye baby, hello big kid (sniff, sniff)"


That's all :)

The Jesus Storybook Bible

Reeves is a very active kid. He isn't a big fan of slowing down to read or write or do much of anything "school related" during the summer! Nope, according to Reeves, summertime is all about the fun!

Don't get me wrong, I love some fun, too. We have very few rules during these lazy summer days. I take each day as it comes and let them get away with a whole lot more than I should! I hope they'll look back on their summers with the same kind of fondness that I do. My mom made summer fun....big time! I want the same thing for my kids. We have sleepovers and playdates and pajama days and picnics and snow cones whenever we feel like it! We eat all sorts of junk and fresh produce (I am blessed with fabulous eaters.....summer fruit is at the top of their list), stay up as late as we want, sleep in as late as we can, and wear whatever we feel like wearing. Our hair stays wet, our feet stay bare, our beds stay unmade, and our plans are always ready and waiting for a new adventure!

But alas, school will be in session in a few short weeks, and I figure I better try to get in at least a few moments of structure before the first bell rings! Reeves and I have been searching and searching for a good book for him to read, and this morning we found just the thing!

Our pastor at a2 Church recommended The Jesus Storybook Bible to me a few months ago, and I made sure to pick it up when I saw it at Barnes and Noble. Every once in a while I have flipped through the colorful pages and read a few stories, but have been too busy to really dig in. I wish I hadn't taken so long to crack the spine! Let me just tell you....it is one of the greatest books I have ever read!

This morning my kids blessed me by sleeping in. I woke up at 8:45 and Reeves was soon to follow. We had about 30 minutes all to ourselves and I decided to take advantage of our quiet time. I was flipping through the book when he asked what I was reading.....I couldn't wait to share it with him. I got my pot of coffee going and cuddled up with him on the couch. We took turns reading pages, and by the time we got through a few stories, tears were streaming down my face.....it is such an amazing interpretation of the stories in the Bible! I loved when Reeves would retell what he had heard about a story or character in his lessons at church....I soaked in every detail of his recollections from his lessons. There is such truth and beauty and detail in every word of the book we were reading.....it is beautifully and intricately written. It's like no other children's story Bible out there, I can promise you that!

Just read this....

No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this Story is - it's TRUE.

There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day - but wait! Our Story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning.....

~Sally Lloyd-Jones

Wow!

Simply said, it just might take your breath away. Could she have said it any more perfectly?

So for these last lazy days of summer, Reeves and I are going to dive into The Jesus Storybook Bible. We are going to learn more about the love of our great God and precious Jesus while we get a little reading in.

Nothing beats cuddling up with my favorite little man and a good book.

No more promises....

....that was what I should have said! Yep, yet again I have gone weeks and weeks without blogging. It is what it is, but I have been busy with a few little kiddos! We are livin' and lovin' on each other this summer! Having a blast with friends, running around in the Alabama sun, supporting our beautiful gulf coast by visiting often and encouraging friends (near and far) to do the same. I will post more about my feelings on that topic later.....my heart just breaks for our beautiful gulf coast friends and beaches!

But here are some pictures to give you a little glimpse into what we've been up to...

Lucy and her silly friend LauraBeth

Reeves and his beloved skim board....

...and Greer's infectious smile!

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....

a2 Church this weekend.....

Easter was awesome, and we're following it up with a new series on the Book of Ruth.....I have always wanted to learn more about this book of the Bible. If you live in the 'Ham and you are looking for something new or something different.....

....then join us at a2 Church this Sunday at 9:45. I promise you won't regret it! Click here for more info. If you have questions, I'd love to answer them...shoot me an email.

Have an awesome weekend no matter what your plans are! It's gorgeous out there!!!

I do have 2 other children....

....and this post is gonna be about Reeves.

This blog has been a bit "Greer" heavy lately. Port Wine Stain treatment, first trip to Disney World, all around baby-ness! Yeah, she has gotten the bulk of the focus here on the blog, but in our REAL life (yes, I do have a rather busy, crazy, amazingly full life outside of this here blog), the big kids have also been capturing a lot of my attention! Thought I might take a minute to fill you in on a few of the best moments!

For at least the next several posts, Greer will NOT be the star. :)

This one will be about Reeves. My biggest baby. My only boy. My lover boy....(sorry, Charcey, he's YOUR lover boy, too!)

Reeves lost his first "top" tooth today.....

....and it was a big. STINKIN'. deal!

Reeves has been DYING to lose a tooth at school, and today it happened. His teacher sent me an email around 9:30 letting me know that our school registrar (Mrs. Sally) had tugged it loose. He was quite proud to wear it around his neck for the rest of the day! Thanks Mrs. Sally!

So now my big kid is sporting a totally big-kid look, and I am sad. And happy. All at the same time. I love this stuff.

Home from Duke and Happily Healing

I can't believe that I have let 2 weeks go by and no POST! I know a lot of you have been praying for my sweet girl as she has been recovering from her latest laser treatment, and for that I am so very appreciative! We were blown away with the team at Duke. Every single part of the experience was exceptional.....not to mention the precious time we were blessed to spend with our dear, sweet friends the Enseys. Oh how I have missed my Amy!

Dr. Burton and his PA, Corbin, were so very informative and kind. I was able to stay with Greer until she was asleep, and met her in recovery. After what felt like mere minutes, we were heading back to Amy's house to sleep off the good stuff....

...or so we thought! Greer vomited most of the way from Duke to Raleigh, and we decided that next time we'll stick around till she's had a little time to sip some juice and wake up a little more. Live and learn I suppose.

We stripped her down midway home, and she spent the majority of the day in her diaper. By the time we got to Amy's she was feeling much better and asking for food.... "I HUNGY Mommy!" I took these pictures while my very drunk girl ate 3 containers of jello! She was lovin' some jello....

....and the ring pop that Corbin gave her!

....and on Tuesday, she ate gobs of pudding! But didn't she look grand....

....very little swelling and lots and LOTS of smiles! She was back to her old self in less than 24 hours. I did notice her scratching at her face more this time. I had never really noticed that before. Other than that, the healing has gone very, very well. I am already seeing some new fading (in particular, her ear.....there is NO noticeable PWS anywhere. Thanks be to God!). But she is still a bit red (and will be for another month or 2).

This picture was taken on Saturday. She is looking beautiful as ever, and we are praising God for leading us to Duke. It has been another miracle in this journey for our family and we plan to pursue further treatments there for now. Dr. Burton wanted us back in 8 weeks, but his office is booked till August. We are praying for an opportunity to go back sooner than August, but if it doesn't happen....well that is OK, too.

For it's God's timeline, not our own. He has us in His hands, and that is all I need to know!

I need to post, I need to post....I NEED To POST!!!

....but how 'bout tomorrow?

Treatment update, Easter pics, Baseball Frenzy, Lucy Drama....

....what could be better?!

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.

My Button Said "First Visit"

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!

It was a Good, Good Night!

I wanted to share a fun little video with all of you! I have been busy with work and school projects and all sorts of other things, but the hard work that went into organizing this little number for the talent show paid off. We had soooo much fun doing it! I was so proud of these sweet kiddos! 22 in all, Kindergarten-Fifth Grade. We got the Talent Show off to a great start!

(before you click PLAY, don't forget to scroll down and pause my playlist at the bottom of the page)

That's Lucy out front and Reeves off to the right! Enjoy :)

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!

What A Weekend!

I can't believe that it's been over a week since I got a post up on the blog. The week has flown....thanks to all sorts of excitement around the ole Mileski hizzle! We are soooo busy. Work, school, talent show rehearsals, school projects, church stuff, sniffles, 911 calls, household projects, birthday festivities, snowdays.....whew! B.U.S.Y. !!!

This weekend was all kinds of fun though. Snow....

WE. HAD. SNOW!!!!

Greer and Daddy marched around in it for over an hour before the big kids finally made it home from school. They managed to make it for over half the day, and enjoyed a snowy recess....a rare occasion here in the deep south! Days like these are what memories are made of! Right? Right!

Gotta love a snowy sunset......something we rarely may never, ever see again.

I want to freeze this picture in time! Gorgeous, huh?

....or maybe this is the most gorgeous photo of the weekend!

Chris and I went out for our Valentine's date last night (more on that and the 911 call tomorrow)....

....but today we made it special for the kiddos!

It was cold and dreary this afternoon, so I decided that an afternoon at the movies was the perfect solution! I took the big kids to see "The Tooth Fairy" while Chris and Greer set up for an awesome candlelit dinner at home! The kids LOVED it!

Dim lights. Candle-light. Cheesy, dollar-store gifts and decorations. Plastic Champagne Flutes filled with sweet tea (we forgot the sparkling grape juice). Norah Jones on the Apple TV. Jarred Spaghetti (their favorite). Paper Napkins. Mom and Dad waiting on them hand and foot (we had the waiter and waitress thing down pat!).....

Lucy said, "Y'all are the best Mom and Dad, EVAH!"

Reeves asked, "Are we Rich? Are you our Servants?"

Chris said, "Yeah Buddy, something like that...."