Edisto Beach FIRE 2007

Nobody ever thinks that "it" will ever happen to them. Whatever that "it" may be...in this case, it was a HUGE house fire. As you all know from my last blog, we spent last week in Edisto with the Mote family. We came home last Friday and they were planning to stay until this coming Saturday...that is until lightning struck the rental house they were staying in and it went up in flames. This happened sometime around 7:00 last night and they all got out safely. You always think of the things that you would try to grab if your house caught on fire and from what I hear those important things for the Mote/Bell family were: Emory Anne, a paci and her blanket.
Billy had gone home for the night, so the only ones in the house were Virginia, David (Virginia's brother), Gene, Haley and Emory Anne. They got out of the house, stood in the pouring down rain and watched the house go up in flames. The obviously called the fire department who quickly came, the realty company found another house for them to stay in for the night and there were some kind neighbors who let Haley wear a pair of flip-flops so she wasn't barefoot!
The Piggly Wiggly stayed open late for them to get a few essentials and they fed them free breakfast this morning when they showed up. This was probably the excitement of the year down in Edisto. Not to make light of the situation, but this could only happen to the Mote family!
They met the fire department back at the house this morning to go through and take what they could from the house. They loaded up their trailer with bag fulls of burnt, black, smokey clothes to see what they can salvage. I will update you with pictures once I get some from Haley. For anybody who may know the owners of this house, it is Joy and Bill Snyder's newly built (last year) beach house on the marsh in Edisto. They came down this morning to assess damage and see if they could get anything.
Luckily everyone is okay and we all need to realize that the "it" could happen to them.
WELCOME HOME MOTE/BELL FAMILY!!!!!!! Glad you're safe :)

Edisto Beach Khaki, White and Black 2007

So every year we go to Edisto Beach with the whole Mote/Suggs/Bell/Milliken clan. We do nothing but relax on the beach, eat great meals and enjoy plenty of cocktails while we're there. The only other thing that is a annual MUST is to take group pictures dressed in khaki and white. This year there was a twist to add black into the mix. It's always fun to see what combinations we put together...and Arthur (the not so patient, but tries to be photographer) takes all of the shots for us. This year might be a record breaker for the amount of poses and combinations that were put together, but the pictures turned out GREAT thanks to Dad the great flash :)THE WHOLE GROUP

Back Row: Hunter, Dad, Billy, Benjamin, Graham, Gene, Joe, Sandra and Nick

Front row: Hannah, Amanda, David, Mom, Walks, Aunt C, Haley, Virginia and Emory Anne

The parents of the only babies on the trip (although I consider myself to be the baby :))

Emory Anne and Gigi, Mimi and Hannah

Aunt C with her girls

T's 1st Birthday

We all had a great time at T's birthday party...wonderful summer supper, cake and ice cream!! T had fun, but the time started to catch up with him and by the time we sang happy birthday, he was about to fall asleep. After cake, it was time to open presents and that woke him up...he had such a good time and loved all of his fun gifts. The Cate and Pope children
GrandAnne, T, Emory Anne and Haley playing with balloons Joseph, Emory Anne and Pamela Ann playing with T's toys
Aunt Pam, Nana and Pamela
Happy Birthday to you, happy bithday to you, happy bithday dear T, happy birthday to you.
Poke, poke...not sure if I'm supposed to do this or not
Nana with T's cousin Emily

Pamela Ann, Joseph and Lucy Mills helping open T's gifts

Thanks Godmother Grace for the firetruck
T, Anna and Emily checking out the inch worm toy
G-Daddy and T...

Baby Update

I had a doctor's appointment today for a Baby Milliken check-up (I'm in my 18th week). Everything looks great and the baby had a heartrate today of 150. It weighs a whole 8 ounces now...that kind of reminds me of the size of a steak...weird. Anyway, we could have found out today what the sex is, but we have decided not to find out. Any guesses?! I've been thinking boy the whole time, but today I think girl. Who knows...only Sylvia (the ultrasound tech) :)
Oh yeah, weight gain to date: 9 lbs...

Emory Anne's Birthday Party

All I can say about Emory Anne's birthday party is, IT WAS WILD!!!!!!! We all had a great time and I think Emory Anne enjoyed her party too. Below are a bunch of pictures of all the different moms, children and babies there...Amanda and Hannah T

Papa, Emory Anne and Gigi
Mimi and Hannah
Kristen and Jackson, Sarah Preston and Sally, Betsey and Cooper, Brie and Addie, Haley and Emory Anne and finally Durham (without Ariail in the picture)
Will helping Emory Anne open her presents

Sarah Preston and Sally
Brie and Addie


Betsey and Cooper

We loved the party and we love you!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY T!!!!!

Happy Birthday T!!!!! One year ago today was such a special day for the Milliken family...we all welcomed T into the world. We are all so lucky and blessed to have such a sweet boy like you as part of the family--what would the last year have been like without you?! I love you very much and look forward to celebrating many more birthdays with you! Love, Aunt C3 weeks old
One week shy of T's 1st birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMORY ANNE!!!

Happy Bithday Emory Anne!!! If you only knew our anticipation one year ago today! We didn't know if you were a boy or a girl, what your name would be, what you would look like, how healthy you would be...and it all turned out according to a grand plan. I don't think your Mom and Dad would have had in any other way! I love you very much and can't wait to celebrate your birthday with you on Saturday. Love, Aunt C

McClellanville with The Milliken Clan...but really all that matters is T!!!!!

Our first full day down there was Wednesday, the fourth. Anna got T all suited up and sunscreened in preparation for our boat/sun/beach outting. This is how T's hair looked all day: Little Punk Rocker Boy!

Boy's love their trucks...or tractors in this case.
Haley, Gene and Emory Anne got down there Friday afternoon.
T's profile shows how much he looks like his G-Daddy.
JUST PRECIOUS!!!!

He wanted to spend every minute outside...hence, standing at the door...

Anna packed most of T's toys in this Huggies box for the trip down to Mc'Ville. The toys were fun, but the box was MUCH better than the toys were!
This shows the progress of getting in...it was a task, but he did it.

This is the look of, "okay Aunt C, push me around or pick me up in the box now".

Haley and Anna decided to bathe Emory Anne and T together- kill two birds with one stone. You know this is their first co-ed bath and these pictures will come back to haunt them one day!T was trying to help Haley wash Emory Anne's hair...what a sweet boy!They traded pacis for a minute. I think Emory Anne was asking for hers back...boys don't look too cute with pink pacis!!!This is T looking out the window...where's Daddy?!?!There he is, I see him.Cheerio spill...and you might think, "who did that? T or Emory Anne?". You would be correct in saying neither, that might have been a Mommy accident :)!

This trip was so much fun. We relaxed, took naps, got a little sun, took golf cart rides, ate, ate more...or maybe that was just me and Baby Milliken :) and enjoyed everybody's company. We look forward to many more family trips down to McClellanville!