2009

Maybe it is because I have another stupid sinus infection (thanks to Christmas craziness) or maybe it is because, as I get older the years fly by faster than ever. Either way, I am feeling a bit of nostalgia. 2009 was a great year! It started out with my last few weeks of maternity leave, it was hard going back to work, but we made it through. Colby had a hard few months with Devon on the weekends, but now Devon has daddy wrapped around his little finger. Victoria got to go on a spring break trip to Houston with Colby's parents and her cousin Seth. She enjoyed getting to see the ocean for the first time. Victoria also enjoyed many a day at the Gardner pool, and we all were sad to see it close for winter. I can't believe she started High School this year. Jake started pre-school this year, where he met his new best friend Nick. Jake also got glasses, but we are still working on him wearing them all day long. My little Devon turned ONE! I can't believe(and am kind of sad) that I will never have a baby again. I love watching him grow and learn so much. Jake and Devon are great brothers, even now, they stick up for one another. Colby and I continue to get our debt taken care of, it will be a joyous day when I can blog about how exciting it is to be debt free! Until then, we know that we have already won, just by taking the steps to get to this goal. It sounds crazy, but even though we still have debt, just the plan to wipe it out, makes us feel secure. I can't wait to see what 2010 brings, I am sure it will be full of surprises...I hope more good than bad. No matter what though, I know that I have everything I need, my husband, kids, parents, siblings, and great friends. I am blessed. Here are a few pics of my 2009. Happy New Year!

Devon when he was only cruising around

Jake loves the park

Look at Jake's muscles....whew!

Devon is a birthday boy

Victoria is off to High School

Merry Christmas

and Happy New Year

From the Millers!

Conversations with Jake

Yesterday when Colby was getting ready for work Jake came in and told him:

"You needa put a shirt on, da people at your work don't wanna see dat"

KC Free Health Clinic

This week was the KC Free Health Clinic at Barttle Hall. We saw around 2300 patients and had to turn away a couple of hundred. I had the privilege of volunteering for this event. I am so lucky. I was able to help many people receive health care that they as human beings DESERVE!!! (yep that is the correct adj to use!) They came in for so many different reasons. Most hadn't been to the Dr in so long(one man it had been 10 years), that they just needed to get the things their kids or their friends had been bugging them about checked out. I saw a college student, who couldn't be on her parents insurance any longer. I saw a man who had his eye on a coveted job, but had been passed over once before because he needed a physical, but couldn't get one without insurance (he can't get insurance without a job) we happened to be here just in time. I saw a man in his late 30's who had been putting off being seen for a very bad tooth infection, and was able to finally get relief by having it pulled. I could go on for 2 days about the people that I saw.

The bottom line is this...I saw PEOPLE. Every type of person, not just one. There are people out there who may not be grateful for help that is given to them, but not most of these people. I heard more times than I can count "Thank you so much," "You don't know how much this means to me" and "I am so glad you came here today to help me." These are not the sounds of ingratitude.

One interaction will always stand out to me though. As I was leaving on night 2, I was going down the escalator to head to the garage. In front and below me was a tired mom leaving with her young toddler. They had multiple layers on to help them keep warm, and it was obvious that they had been waiting a lot that day in order to finally get seen by a dr for her and her daughter. As I walked passed them when exiting the escalator, the mom turned to me and said in an exhausted/grateful mom tone "Thank you so much, please have a good evening". Wow! that said so much to me. I have a great job, so does my husband, and we both have great health insurance. I may gripe about having to take my kids to an appointment too near nap time or having to wait an hour prior to being seen. I am ashamed of myself. I have so many blessings. I am sad that we can't all be treated with the same respect that we demand of ourselves. Why can't we live in a country that values the human factor more than the greed factor?

Visit with Santa

Today after we picked Jake up from school, we took the boys to see Santa. We went to OakPark Mall to see Santa. We have learned that going during the day on a Weekday is the best way to avoid a line. Jake of course had a list of things to ask Santa for and went directly up and sat on his lap. Devon was a different story, he clung to Colby until it was time to take the picture (that they charge an arm and a leg for!!). Devon took one look at Santa and freaked out. The picture captures the moment, as well as makes me laugh.

Of course what trip to see Santa is complete without a Trampoline/Bungee experience? Next to Santa was this combo experience. They strap the kids in Bungee style and have Bungee cords attached to them, while jumping on a trampoline. Jake LOVED it!! he got pretty high too, in case you can't tell, that is the second floor of OakPark just above his head.

Trip to the eye dr

Because of my husbands eye history, my boys are monitored yearly for their vision starting at birth. This week we went in for our yearly visit. This year I made the mistake of going alone. Colby was at work so it was up to me to take on the two boys. I started out smart, brought the portable DVD for him to watch the ever mind numbing "Santa Buddies" we got from RedBox. I brought drinks for both boys as well. When we arrived the boys were fine...they played in the waiting room calmly until we went in to be screened. That is when it all broke loose. Devon was first up, I held him down while the tech looked in his eyes. All the while Devon is kicking and screaming, Jake is messing with the DVD in the DVD player and mad it isn't working. Then comes time for drops to dilate Devon's pupils. Devon kicks the screaming up a notch and Jake comes over freaking out..."don't put the drops in, don't put the drops in. I don't like it when you put drops in Devon's eyes." me.."don't worry buddy it wont hurt" Devon still screaming in the background. Once that is done it is time for Jake to have his eyes looked at. Oh, no, Jake is not having that, he just witnessed what was going to happen to him. Jake refused to sit in the chair and have his eyes looked at, he threw himself on the floor, and kicked and screamed. I literally had to manhandle him to get him to a point we could put the drops in his eyes. By this time I am breaking a sweat, have a headache and have tried every bribe that I know of....until I saw what came next. While I was pinning down Jake, Devon was busy destroying the DVD player... it was in 3 pieces when he was through with it. Jake and I saw this at the same time. Jake is screaming that Devon for breaking it, I am screaming at Jake for screaming for Devon and I'm screaming at Devon to stop freaking out because I took the remnants of the DVD player from him. At this point I look over to see the tech looking at me as if I had lost my mind...and I had. I apologize profusely to her...after all I am a nurse at this hospital, and she knows this. She then sends us back to the waiting room to wait for the Dr to see us....great. Much to my surprise the boys did great out there, and I even fixed the DVD (go me). By the time we get to see the Dr, Devon was not happy again, and Jake was back in protest mode. I am very impressed with the Dr for being able to get both boys examined as I am so traumatized that I can't even tell you what happened next. I just remember being told that Jake's eye crossing that we had been noticing throughout the year was because he was farsighted and was focusing too hard to see and causing his eyes to cross inward. We went in to try on several frames for the glasses he needs to get. The picture doesn't look like it, but he is very excited to get glasses. He gets "to wear glasses like daddy". When we decided on a frame (after texting pics to Colby and discussing them over the phone) Jake put the pair in this pocket and said "Ok, lets go" He was going to take them with him that day. The Dr told us it would be 10 days before the frames were in, and this bums Jake out. Now he just likes to tell us that his new glasses will be here in 10 days and that they are "flexy in the nose". Whew, that makes me tired to just recap the story, I'll post more pics when Jake gets his own glasses and is happier.