our collective digital self
Posted by Michelle on Aug 12, 2005 in Genealogy, Michelle
I took photos of photos of my grandparents when I was at my mom and aunt’s houses recently. These two of them young made me smile.
Grandma Falconer’s graduation from nursing school
Granddad Falconer’s Navy photo
Posted by Michelle on Jul 10, 2005 in Hayley, Jeff, Michelle
Another fun cul-de-sac July 4th!
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Posted by Michelle on Jun 12, 2005 in Hayley, Michelle
We are flying on several trips this summer and I had some concerns about what last name to put Hayley under since the adoption finalization could be done anytime from the end of May until the end of August (90 days to 6 months from when your lawyer files it all). And with all the new airline security, I didn’t know what she needed to have. Well, I called the airline and they said it wasn’t a big deal if she was traveling with parents. But I decided that was a good idea to try to get an update on our decree anyway because we have next to nothing that says she is our child.
I call the special proceedings dept at the clerk of court’s office. 45 minutes of waiting while I actually fall asleep and am awakened by their answering the line. Of course, they can’t ask and transfer me to a Ms McMillan. She’s not there, I don’t get her VM but end up in no mans’ land of their phone system. Frantically I push numbers to find ANY human so I don’t have to wait 45 more minutes. I manage to get someone who gets me to the front desk who gets me to Ms McMillan’s voice mail. I don’t have high hopes are all of this but I leave my name on her voice mail.
In 10 minutes later, she calls back. She starts very efficiently and I’m worried I’ve really screwed up and bothered her, that she is going to take our paperwork, step on it and put it at the bottom of the pile. However I’m wrong, she warms up – seems she’s been getting some snotty calls and when I didn’t appear to be one of those, she is charming and so helpful!
Turns out, she is the person who does the decrees personally and going to do the final decree for us the very first week it can be done – basically on the 91th day. She confirmed the file was complete with all the paperwork from our lawyer, Hayley’s social worker and our social worker. Then she offered to call me when it was done and I can just come pick it up!
The week finally arrives and I call her to follow up. She’s had to cover for some people out of the office and is behind but will get it done that week, she promises. And on Thursday, May 26th she calls me at 11am to let me know about 10:30 am Hayley legally became our child forever and is now named Hayley Elizabeth Hillison. You could not wipe the smile from my face and Hayley was tickled too – not as much because she thinks of it as her name and her forever family already.
I grab the camera and we head on down to downtown Raleigh, which I abhor after working downtown for the N&O. One way streets, parking decks, loud/drunk/crazy people, all very annoying but I was in such a good mood I didn’t care!
We parked and started taking fun pictures. We got to go through courthouse security – she thought she had to go INTO the xray machine on the conveyor belt. We head up to the 12th floor and around to Special Proceedings.
I ask for Ms. McMillan at the desk and turns out it is Miss Cookie herself there waiting for us. She comes out from behind the big desk unit as if we had been friends for a long time and we gleefully hug. She gives me the papers and it is all done! She takes a photo with Hayley and with me.
Then she shares her special story about why doing this job means so much to her, especially cases like Hayley’s. I’m almost in tears as she asks for copies of the photos. She’s only been doing the job for about five months and since everything is mailed out, she doesn’t get to be a part of many happy moments. She really made our day extra special.
Hayley and I grabbed lunch at Zaxbys and then made bead necklaces at BeDazzled over in Cary – or as Hayley calls it, the Pink Store as it is all pink inside. She made a necklace with her new name and picked me out some of the same beads that said M O M. And we met a wonderful grandmother with her daughters and ended up sharing our story with them. The grandmother was in tears and hugging Hayley. Having people share in your joy is awesome. She prayed for us even which was so kind.
We then saw a fabulous clothing boutique for kids with a moving sale. And you know we hit the heck out of that! Everything was 30-60% off! $250 later we had a ton of gorgeous stuff that should have cost $400.
We met up with Jeff at home and he made a funny, silly big deal about the paperwork that made me smile. And then we went out to Outback for dinner. I really wanted to go to Ruth’s Chris but Hayley wouldn’t have enjoyed it, so we wouldn’t have either… I was craving steak so Outback it was. Then we went over to friends, goofed off and went to bed at like 11pm.
Thanks to everyone for their comments and well wishes. I love you all! So many of you went though the infertility journey, then adoption journey and now that part of our lives is over. For all of you still waiting – HAVE HOPE & FAITH. It will happen for you too.
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Posted by Michelle on May 5, 2005 in Genealogy, Hayley, Jeff, Michelle, More Family
The Hillison line from when his ancestor Oman arrived in the US from Norway to Hayley. Oman, born in 1814, arrived in the US and settled in IL. We visited his grave this summer.
Father-mother, child that line came from:
Halge Digranes and Britta Maakestad, parents of Oman Hillison, who came to America from Norway.
Oman Hillison – Catherine Reinhart, parents of William Henry Hillison
William Henry Hillison – Anna Roth, parents of John Henry Hillison
John Henry Hillison – Anne Seeback, parents of Howard H. Hillison
Howard H. Hillison – Edna Reid, parents of John Howard Hillison
John Howard Hillison – Sharen Lefferson, parents of Jeffrey Thomas Hillison
Jeffrey Thomas Hillison – Michelle Donahue, parents of Hayley Hillison
Posted by Michelle on May 4, 2005 in Hayley, Jeff, Michelle, More Family
My mom was wonderful and a huge help, and it was just a great great time – we snuggled a lot, laughed, shopped and just goofed off. My stepdad brought Hayley a few clubs and they worked on golf – since he is a golf pro, he was in seventh heaven to play with a grandchild.
They left this morning to go back to St. Simons Island GA, as mom, Hayley and I cried our eyes out.
Best early mother’s day present I could have gotten – my mom and my daughter together. God they had so much fun together and my heart is happy.
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Posted by Michelle on Apr 28, 2005 in Hayley, Michelle, More Family
Grandma Sharen and her friends were staying in Raleigh at a hotel that had opened their pool so we hit the water!
And by hit the water, I meant it literally in this case.
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Posted by Michelle on Apr 11, 2005 in Hayley, Michelle
We hit the Rat after a day of shopping for Final Four gear. I was reminded of my days of being there with mom and her stories from eating there as a kid.
So for her, we scribbled on the walls, ate garlic bread and I had the lasagna aka bowl of cheese. I took some photos with my palm but this place is way dark and shady, so they came out bad. And unfortunately, the cave part is closed.
Posted by Michelle on Apr 8, 2005 in Hayley, Michelle
Carolina won the 2005 NCAA Basketball tournament! NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!
Hayley and Michelle went to the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill Tuesday night to welcome back the Heels. We had tons of fun and the Dome folks were smart enough to leave half the floor wide open for kids to run around… cheer for the players, run play, cheer, run play. An IC friend of mine was there – she actually saved us great seats!
I took a ton of photos but they are kinda grainy and out of focus at times – which is what happens when you are in the stands as opposed to media section, plus you getting tons of heads interfering with focus – being short stinks. The quality of the photos wasn’t that big a deal since they are just for us and the real fun was welcoming them back!
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By DAVE HART, N&O Staff Writer
CHAPEL HILL — “How great is it to be a Tar Heel today?”
The response to UNC Chancellor James Moeser’s simple question was a roar about 15,000 voices strong. It filled the Smith Center and the ears of Roy Williams’ returning basketball heroes, bringing home the 2005 NCAA Championship trophy.
The fans were a sea of blue and white Tuesday afternoon under Dean Dome scoreboards lit with the final score of Monday night’s game: Carolina 75, Illinois 70.
Ethan Bunch, wearing a big grin and a bib that read, “Next Stop — Carolina,” bounced a miniature basketball with his dad, Corey Bunch. Ethan, 18 months old, showed a deft touch. “Hopefully, he’ll be out here dribbling a real ball in about 2025,” said Corey Bunch, a 1999 graduate of UNC. “That’s the plan.”
Waiting for the Tar Heels to arrive, three times the crowd erupted in cheers. Three times they died down. False alarm. Finally, though, a roar grew and just kept growing.
Sean May was the first player out of the tunnel. Dressed in a sharp black suit, the most valuable player of the Final Four filmed the scene with a hand-held video camera. Climbing the steps onto the temporary stage, he was followed by the rest of the team, Williams and the assistant coaches. Forward David Noel carried the trophy.
“Just in case you missed it last night when Sean grabbed that last rebound,” said Woody Durham, the voice of the Tar Heels on the Tar Heel Sports Network and the emcee of the celebration, “Carolina has won the national championship!”
Williams’ voice, already raspy with exertion, caught with emotion as he talked about the three senior Tar Heels — Jackie Manuel, Jawad Williams and Melvin Scott — who had suffered through the Tar Heels’ 8-20 season three years ago and had now climbed to the pinnacle of their sport.
“After the game, Jackie and Jawad and Melvin were hugging and saying a little prayer,” Roy Williams said. “They allowed me to join in that. That — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart — that was the greatest moment as a coach that you could possibly have.”
Shari Stewart remembers that losing season. But she kept her head up and continued to wear her Carolina sweats and T-shirts.
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“People made fun of us,” said Stewart, a UNC alum who lives with her family in Pikeville. “But I told them a true fan wears the colors through the bad times as well as the good ones.”
Now, the times are very, very good. Stewart, with her husband and three children, made the two-hour trip to Chapel Hill on Tuesday afternoon to join thousands of other fans in welcoming the Tar Heels and their trophy home from St. Louis.
Almost every member of the team said a few words of thanks and encouragement, and the crowd roared the same back at them.
May, a junior who turned 21 Monday, was treated to a ragged rendition of “Happy Birthday” and a chant of, “One more year! One more year!”
He gave the fans what they were asking for. “Y’all don’t have to worry about me staying,” he said. “I just have to try to get some of these other guys to come back with me.”
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Junior Rashad McCants, who was reported earlier Tuesday to be headed for the NBA draft, said nothing about that report — although for those looking for signs, it might be noted that he was the only player not wearing a jacket or sport coat.
After the Tar Heels thanked the crowd — and treated them to a quick song by what forward David Noel called the Traveling Tar Heel Basketball Championship Choir — the players, coaches and fans all watched a 13-minute highlight video of Monday’s championship game.
Then, to yet another roar, they filed back off the stage, carrying the championship trophy.
“Thank you!” one fan yelled over and over. “Thank you! Thank you!”
Posted by Michelle on Mar 11, 2005 in Genealogy, Michelle, More Family
This might be a bit odd but I took photos of the graves of people I love. Hayley and I went to the graveyard to check it out, remarkably she wasn’t afraid, just curious.
Chapel Hill Cemetery
My dear Uncle Mike who died at 29.
My aunt Melanie who died at birth.
My beloved grandparents. Grandfather Caesar (Jim) and grandmother Jeannette. (photos of them below)
Grandma Falconer’s graduation from nursing school
Granddad Falconer’s Navy photo
Posted by Michelle on Mar 11, 2005 in Jeff, Michelle
With kids that fib (which most do at some point), a great idea that we got was the “truthtellers club”. Basically you make two boxes – one for the “truthtellers club” and one for what we call “the fibtellersclub”.
We got a ton of art supplies and two boxes. We made one wonderful and happy, the other dark and bleak. Hayley got to made the decision on what goes where, etc. I helped her with it some of course. Then you make figures of each of the people in the house with their photos.
You put it somewhere reasonably visible someone lies, you silently just move them from the “truthtellers club” to the “the fibtellers club”.
both clubs…
Liars Club…
Truthtellers Club…
