Mary Millener Mitchell 1933 - 2008

Mom passed away Sunday evening at 10:15 at Hillcrest West Nursing Home. We had just moved her there Friday, another step on the journey to hopefully getting her home. I had been looking forward to having her so much closer to us and her friends. She did live long enough to see a photograph of her great-grandson Brett, which meant so much to her. We appreciate all the offers of love and support from so many of you. We'll get through the next few days (no memorial service, per her wishes), and try to get a grip back on the "reason for the season". Many of our holiday plans have been side-tracked by the events of the past few weeks and months, but we hope to be back to normal early in the new year.

Matt has continued to get better, and is starting to look like a somebody, losing the baby look! Hope and I are so happy to have him as a reminder of all that's good.

Merry Christmas to you all!

from meg

Matthew(bitsy)is the cutest thing ever! I can make him smile!!!!!!!!!!!!! He will giggle for me and get the best look on his face. He is getting soooooooooo big! But, it is still the same thing, he will be all nice and quite and I will want to hold him, I will pick him up, walk into another room, set him down, walk away, and he will start crying. I am so excited, this is Bitsy's first Christmas! His first holiday was Halloween, his first event was the UAB game. He liked it, he came out all red and hot!

from Meg

I am so happy that my brother is home safe and sound! I hope that does not happen agin!
So far he is the best brother in the world.I love him soooooooooo much!Like i said,i am glad he is okay.I thank every doctor that helped my little brother!

Home Sweet Home

We finally made it home today!

Matt did well off the oxygen and his breathing treatments so the doctor released us from the hospital. His immune system is still at risk (the reason for staying out of daycare for a week), so we will have to be more cautious with him in public - I guess that means no Christmas shopping with Mommy!

As Scott mentioned (in the loopy state he was), I was sick Friday with a 24hr bug, but came home and took phenerghen - this drug works miracles! I was back at things bright and early Saturday - so Scott would not have too much to complain about :-)

I want to thank everyone again for their thoughts and prayers, offers of food and/or relief at the hospital, and helping with Meg, it has meant a lot to us during this time of year to be reminded the importance of friends and family!

My wish for everyone this holiday season is good health, happiness, and love.

update

I'm a little loopy. Continuing the "it's always something", Hope calls me early yesterday (Friday) from the hospital, says she's sick and has been throwing up. I dump Meg on a neighbor at 6:30 (thanks, Susie), get dressed and off to the hospital. It's now10:45 Saturday morning, and I just got home. Hope had picked up a stomach bug of some sort (they said that something was going around the hospital), and had to have a neighbor (thanks again, Susie) come pick her up. So while Hope tried to keep her cookies, I had Matt duty for a double shift. That said, he's doing pretty well. They've taken him off the oxygen and reduced the medications, so we hope to get him home tomorrow (Sunday). Be another week before he can go back to daycare. Hope has recovered and is back at the hospital (odd, she's feeling better, so she's back at the hospital). I'm going to bed.

Under the category of "It's always something"...

So, Matt's had a little cough for a week or so. Last Saturday Hope gets concerned enough that she takes him to the doctor (Matt's group has Saturday hours). Doctor thinks Matt has bronchiovitis, wants him back on Monday to hear his chest again, see if there are any changes. So we take him back Monday, Doc listens, says he sounds better, probably just a mild case, call in if Matt gets fussy or irritable, off his food or runs a temperature. Tuesday evening Matt is fussy and irritable, off his food, and running a temperature of 102 something. Hope calls in, they say bring him into the emergency room at Children's Hospital (which we knew they would want). So Hope loads the little feller up, takes him in, and he's been at Children's ever since.





Sorry for the redeye, forgot to clean the pics up before I posted, too tired to go back and do it.

He had the bronchiovitis (not bronchitis), RSV (a nasty little thing), and a "touch" of pneumonia. They want to keep him as long as his oxygen level is down and he needs to be suctioned with more than a bulb. At least one of us has been with him at all times. Hope gets the night shift, I cover most of the day. That means I get Meg up and off to school, Hope gets her off the bus, etc. It's worked so far, but with his birth, the problems with my mother (who continues to improve) and this, my bosses are starting to sound a bit irked at the time I'm missing! I'm sure Hope's are not exactly thrilled, either.

Anyway, probably be there another day or two, hopefully home this weekend. I'll update when I get a chance.

My In-laws!

Hope's cousin, Kathy, sent this picture of the Leach side of the family, taken at Matt's baptism. It's nice anytime the 4 generations can come together. I love the fact that our 8 year old is barely a head shorter than her mother.

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted something!

For those of you still interested in the goings on of Matthew and his family and friends, sorry for the delay. With my Mom's situation, Thanksgiving, and Coach Fulmer getting fired, I've just been a mess. Oh, and somewhere in there we got the baby baptized.

Let's see, where to start. I guess I'd better stick with chronological order. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving we had Matt's baptism. Took advantage of Hope's cousins (and their families) being in town (or at least East Tennessee), and had a great group of friends and other relatives at the church, as well. My brother in law Russ and his daughter, Amanda, came up from the Atlanta area Saturday and spent some time with my mom, which she really appreciated.

Anna Calhoun, on the right, is one of Matt's godparents, along with Brian and Stacy Patterson. That's Molly Calhoun gettin' up in Meg's face!

Father Cal and Taylor


Matt gets a little wet. Episcopalians don't usually go for that dunking stuff! Molly Calhoun looks on.

Matthew does his best Simba impression, with Father Cal playing the role of Rafiki. If you don't know the reference, ask a kid. Thanks to Chris Vinson for taking the pictures. Had some camera battery problems, but got the good stuff.

I had to work Thanksgiving, but went straight from work to the Leach's home at Laurel Valley. Dinner was awesome, and had a great time watching football and enjoying the view. I left after dinner to take a plate of food to my Mom. Later on Meg made a gingerbread house. Turned out pretty good, I thought.

The Friday after Thanksgiving, while rest of the world went shopping, we loaded up the crew to have lunch in Maryville with my sister, Kathy, and her family, who had come up from Atlanta (or was it Destin?). Had a great visit, and they enjoyed meeting Matt for the first time.

Kathy and Terry Holt, their daughter (and soon to be college graduate) Laura, and her boyfriend Nick. Hope says I should call him a fiance' (there's a ring), but I'm waiting on a date, guys.


After lunch with the Holts, we went back to Hillcrest North so Matt and Meg could spend some time with Grandma Mitchell. She's continuing to do better (compared to where she was a couple of weeks ago), and has walked some, but still a ways to go before we can get her home. Her dog Susie is getting along ok at my house, Captain has been very tolerant.

For the Kentucky football game we had the best picnic in a parking garage while it's cold, dark, and raining that I've ever had. Then we (Hope and I, and my brother Mark, who was in town to see Mom) went and sat in the cold and rain as the Vols beat Kentucky and sent Coach Fulmer off into the sunset. I'll reserve judgement on the new coach for about a year, but looks good, so far.

So, I hope ya'll understand how all the running around can cut down on my blogging time. Hope all ya'll had a great Thanksgiving. It's amazing to me how many blessings I do have in my life!