Safe and Warm

For months Millie has asked to go camping- from spring to summer to fall she was expecting to pack up the car and drive with friends to a spot in nature where marshmallows were toasted, beaches explored, trails hiked, and tents became castles. Of course we could never be too far from Kaiser Hospital all year, which meant no Tahoe trips, and no camping.

This past weekend we granted her wish- now far away from neutropenia danger, we were able to drive to Big Sur and meet our dear friends for our annual "Big Sur River Run 10K" and campout. A storm was expected, but the skies kept to a steady light drizzle on Friday and Saturday, even opening up to blue and sunshine on Saturday morning for our race. (The race was fun, as always, and I was so proud of my 9-year old godson for finishing the 10K in Tevas with about an 11 minute/mile time!)

Millie was happy to be with her friends and her godmother Annette, who drove up in her VW Westphalia. After the run we hiked a trail to the beach and enjoyed a dinner out. The clouds gathered and poured on us Saturday night, but we stayed relatively dry and warm in our tent. Griffin was sad to see us start to pack up in the downpour Sunday, as he was so happy and cozy in his sleeping bag reading Harry Potter as the rain tap-tap-tapped on the rainfly.

Millie seems healthy now, although she is complaining of a pain in her lower right shin (tibia). I am so skittish about any pain, I feel like calling the doctor to move up her scans. I am sure it is nothing, but anxiously await her scans on November 9 & 11. Once those come back clean she can have her broviac line removed.

She does seem like a different kid now, and we're loving getting to know her. We hear her singing to herself all the time in this quiet, high, singsong voice. She laughs more and runs more, is social and excited about friends, activities, and especially the theater classes she and her brother take at the local playhouse. She seems to be adjusting well at school, and professes to LOVE math. She wants to be a good student.

Here is a picture of Millie and Griffin with Butterscotch. You can see her eyebrows and eyelashes grown in- and of course that lovely soft fuzzy head of light brown hair.