Tuesday Tunes: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”

Editor’s Note: Song lyrics denoted in bold italics.


Summertime always makes me think about summers long ago, especially all the family vacations we used to take. All this reminiscing, though? It can sometimes really get to me, and it’s times like these, during the end of the summer, when all those memories really kick in.

Of course, there’s one vacation that stands out in my mind — well, I suppose it’s more of a destination, really. It stood as my own version of Disneyland because for us, it really was the happiest place on earth. And magical and carefree and the perfect place to spend my childhood summers.

Alabama…

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”
From One More From The Road

It did feel like a sweet home, indeed. With my grandparents, spending days just relaxing — it was back in those before life got complicated and moved faster than a roller coaster. I didn’t know it at the time, naturally, but those days really had a hand in helping me become the person I am today.

Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the south-land
I miss ‘ole’ ‘bamy once again
And I think it’s a sin, yes

Although I technically didn’t “grow up” in the South, I still feel like a part of me was raised there. Even driving down there was exciting — we’d see the landscape slowly begin to change and our would begin to beat just a little faster. We may have been miles and miles from home, but we were also going home. In a sense, going South was like going home. It was a place where I felt so comfortable and all my worries seemed to vanish instantly. And, yes, we also sang “Dixie” numerous times during those car rides.

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I’m coming home to you

I know this all sounds like one giant walk through the poppies a la The Wizard of Oz and maybe it’s true that we do tend to romanticize the past, especially our childhoods, but this was really how everything felt. The skies really were an brilliantly deep shade of blue and the trees stood tall, green and majestic against that extra-blue sky. Even though I haven’t been there in almost a decade, I can still see those trees and that sky — with picture-perfect clarity. The way it all looked. The way it smelled, especially after the rain. Even the way the trees swayed in the breeze. It’s all part of those memories in my head that I like to revisit so often.

Because like most things in life, time moves far too fast and those special, life-defining moments can be all too short and fleeting. So we try as hard as we can to hold onto the memories we make because in the end, that’s really all we have. We’d better cherish them, right?? xoxo

10 Lessons Learned From Our Hospital Heyday

Yesterday was a VERY big day — and by big day, I mean of the medical variety, of course! It was an anniversary, to be exact, and it was quite an important one.

The 20th anniversary of my very last surgery!

Honestly, if you had asked me way back in 1996 when this medical roller coaster we were on would slow down anytime soon, I would probably have looked you straight in the eyes and just laughed. Why? Because back then, during our hospital heyday, I didn’t think our seemingly permanent residence in doctors’ offices and hospital rooms would EVER end. We joke now that any song from the ’80s and early ’90s is a “hospital song” and that’s completely true. We marked the years by the number of appointments we had and the number of miles logged in the car.

But you know what? I’m not sure I’d change one darn thing about those years. As odd as it sounds, those years shaped me into the person I am today and I don’t know if I’d be ‘me’ without them. I mean, remember our hospital tour photos? Oddly enough, there’s a sheer amount of joy that comes through in those photos!

Is that weird? I don’t think it is, so to celebrate this important medical milestone, here are some lessons learned from our hospital heyday…


You’re far more capable than you think you are: It’s amazing what you can do, even when things seem impossible and overwhelming. Even when things got tough, the pressure of it all somehow pushed us forward. Maybe it was all that adrenaline coursing through our veins?

Life can still be beautiful: We may have been going through some admittedly hard time, but my parents made a concerted effort to make sure that the medical world wasn’t our life 24/7; it could have been very easy to just let that world consume us, but we had a life outside of the hospital, and for that, I’m so grateful.

It IS possible to have fun while in the hospital: I know, the word ‘fun’ isn’t usually in the same sentence as hospital, but you’d be surprised how exciting it can be! Late-night trips around the hallways! Endless hours of daytime TV! Afternoon breaks in the cafeteria, complete with an ice-cold lemonade! And of course, swooning over all the cute (and smart!) medical residents who come by your room! Yes, it is quite the life.


I’m far closer with my family: Being in the hospital gave us all the chance to bond, and I don’t think we’d be as close today if we hadn’t gone through those times together. It all made us see what was truly important; in a strange way, I’m glad we had those experiences and that we had all that time together, especially in light of the short time we ultimately had with my father.


Fight for what you need: In the world of hospitals, you have to use your voice and ALWAYS be your own advocate. Speak up. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to be firm about what you need. If you don’t advocate for yourself, who else will?

Since my parents were by my side every step of the way, I invited Ms. Bear to share the lessons she’s learned over the years. Take it away, Mom…

Melissa, the human calendar, brought it to our attention yesterday that it has been 20 years since she last had surgery. For a person who had 26 surgeries in her first 15 years, that’s a pretty momentous occasion. And, it fell on National Ice Cream Day to boot! Anyway, she asked me to write 5 things I learned from everything medical that we went through…so, here goes…

Sometimes in life, if you know what’s coming up, you would give up and be convinced you could not do something: If I would have known what was in store for us, I would have spent all my time worrying about how I would cope with it, instead of enjoying the moments that all added up to our lives!

Denial is not an altogether bad thing: Sometimes you have to pretend things are normal in order to keep one foot in front of the other. As Martin Crane said on Frasier, “Denial is the whole secret to holding up!“

Good things really do come from bad: If anyone would have told me that some of our best family times would be at Children’s Memorial Hospital, I never would have believed them. But they were, and none of us will ever forget them.


When bad things happen, it brings out the best in everyone: We met tons of great people who helped us along the journey we took with Melissa. We realized that we were stronger than we ever thought we were. We met people we never would have met before. We know our way around Chicago like we lived there (and we kind of did!).


And, finally, no matter what happens in this life, if you have your family by your side, you are truly lucky and you can get through anything: So, Melissa, I say to you….Congratulations for getting to where you are today. Thanks for being part of our family! We did it! And now, let’s get our ice cream!!!

These Early Sketches Really Capture Female Disney Villains

 

 

In the world of Big Bad Evil, no one tops the infamous Disney villains — not even Regina George from Mean Girls. These adversaries were the cruelest, in that “I’m going to hurt you” kind of way and they made zero apologies for their badness.

Thanks to the new book Disney Villains: Delightfully Evil, some of our favorites finally get their turn in the spotlight, from Maleficent to Ursula. The book traces the origins of these villains, including early sketches and stories from the designers.How cool are these early sketches? They just capture the essence of these evil-doers, don’t you think, friends?? Who’s your fave villain?? xoxo

[Via The Cut]

10 Random (Probably Abnormal) Thoughts I Had While At The Hospital

We all have our “happy place” somewhere in the world, don’t we? That one spot where everything makes sense and you just feel like everything is right with the world. Maybe it’s your childhood tree house or your grandparents’ kitchen or your elementary school playground. Wherever your special spot is, you feel safe, protected and at ease.

For me, that place has always been the hospital.

Yes, you read that one correctly. I’ll let it just sink in for a moment here.

Have you recovered? OK, good! Hear me out for a minute.

Well, I found myself right at home on Tuesday morning as I sat in the hospital waiting room. I was there to get my blood drawn, but you wouldn’t have known it by the look on my face. Why? Because I was, umm, just a wee bit giddy. Seriously. I kid you not. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, like someone who’d just won the lottery.

Yes, I was that excited.

Now, before you bring it to my attention, I know this is slightly abnormal. It’s just that I have so many happy memories from days spent in the hospital growing up and being with my family. I know, that sounds even more abnormal, doesn’t it?

Anyway, as I sat there in that waiting room, waiting for them to call my name like I was the next contestant on The Price Is Right, I got to thinking about my relationship to the hallowed halls of the hospital. And sure enough, the thoughts began coming in rapid-fire succession. Just like that…

1. Oh, this place is so cozy. I seriously could just sit here all day.

2. Ooh, look at that big screen TV.

3. Be still my heart! It’s a doctor in a white lab coat! Quick, I should think of a pick-up line or at least feign sudden illness!

4. Today definitely calls for a little look-see in the gift shop.

5. I’m so jealous of everyone who gets to work here every day.

6. I even get a hospital bracelet! I feel like I’m at some sort of exclusive club. Score!

7. These smells bring back so many fond and joyous memories.

8. I sure wish I could book a room and get a bag of I.V. fluids.

9. I wonder what’s down that hallway.

10. The cafeteria is such a wonderfully calming place. Time to sit down and sip an orange soda!

There you go, friends! A little peek inside my mind. I’m sure there were many more random thoughts, but, you know, I didn’t want this post to stretch on forever. Don’t think I couldn’t, though… xoxo

Ms. Bear on the Stories Behind Family Photos

Melissa thought that the topic she gave me for the blog today — Fun Family Photos — would be an easy one for my first day at summer school. Alas, was she ever wrong! Why, you might ask? Well, we have spent a couple of hours looking through and reminiscing about all the pictures. Thank goodness for my mother, who saved and labeled all these hundreds of pictures over the years. Here are a few favorites (featuring Melissa Blake, of course!)…

Here is Melissa’s dad, who would spend literally hours holding her up at the beach. I remember him saying once, with tears in his eyes, “I just want her to feel the sand under her feet.” Melissa couldn’t have asked for a better dad!

The girls with their Cabbage Patch dolls…how they loved them. We couldn’t really afford them back then, but we made sure each girl had one! Melissa’s was named Emma, and you can see how Emma always got casts in the O.R. when Melissa did! Janelle’s doll was named Hedda, and how she loved her (and, as you can tell by the picture, she really loved her big sister!).

Even back in the day, Melissa and I were big game players. Not a day goes by now that she and I don’t have some spirited game-playing fun! (note from Melissa: I usually LOSE the games, even though, in my defense, I do try my hardest!).

And, we’ll finish off with the little red-haired girl, as Brian and I used to call her! She was soooo cute!!! This is her little bike that she could actually scoot around on her own. I still have the pair of shoes that have big, gaping holes in the toes from all the riding!!

Thanks so much for sharing some family pictures today!!!