Boy Scout Patch

Not too long after Rheese died his Scout leader, Kimball Washburn, told me that he was working on something for us about Rheese. They had moved though so I didn't know if anything would really come of it but it made me feel good that he was thinking of us and him. Last month our troop had its Court of Honor and Kimball came back for it. He got up and talked a little bit about Rheese and how much he had made an impact on his life and how he thinks about him a lot. Just that right there was huge to me and had me crying, then he showed us what he had been working on. He had scout patches made in Rheese's honor. He used the picture of Rheese as a Bear in front of the flag but had the uniform changed from Cubs to Scouts and added the green because it was Rheese's favorite color and the Mickey ears because Disney was such a big part of him. Kimball told us that when he was telling the people what he wanted he said that the most important part was to get his smile : ). He told us that the Rheese Miller Difference is that we need to do our best in all that we do and not complain when things are hard. Rheese was always smiling and didn't complain about his heart. He didn't make excuses that he couldn't do something because of it and that's what we all need to do. I was definitely crying after that presentation. I cannot even begin to tell you how touched I was that he did that for us. Touched isn't even the right word. My heart felt like it was going to burst because I felt so much love. I am truely amazed everytime I hear of how Rheese touched so many people's lives. This little boy made such an impact on people in his short life. I was talking to Kimball afterward and he asked me if it was ok that he added the Mickey ears. Of course, they are perfect!
Rheese with his Scout leaders, Jared Bates and Kimball Washburn.

You'll Be Poor

Tonight we were at my parents' house and this story came up that I had to include on here. George told it at the funeral but it needs to be written. Rheese was very concerned about his cousin, Brandon, not being married and being 25. He used to ask me all the time when Brandon was going to get married. Well, one day he told Brandon that if he didn't get married by the time he was 30 then he was going to be poor. LOL! And he was completely serious. I don't know where he would come up with things like this but he did often. We now like to remind Brandon that he better find someone because he doesn't want to be poor. What a funny boy!

5 months

It's been 5 months today since we laid our little Rheese to rest.  Since those days in March we have been very aware of what day it is each month, whether it be the 11th or the 16th, until this one.  None of us recognized the significance of the 11th of August until a few days later.  I was upset with myself for not remembering but then we wondered if it is a sign that we are healing just a little.  I know I thought about Rheese that day because I do everyday but I must have been thinking of his beautiful smile or his infectious laugh instead of remembering the day he left for his home above.  Most days I wonder if the hurt will ever go away or if I can make it however many years until I can see him again, so maybe our forgetting the 11th, at least this one time, means that it will.  I don't think it will be for awhile, but maybe it will happen someday.  We miss you and love you Rheesey!!
-Niki

Heart Camp

I was at Wal Mart the other day and as I was paying for my stuff the cashier asked me if the bracelet I had on was a Rheese bracelet. I was a little shocked but said that it was. I did not recognize this lady and my mind was trying to figure out who she was. I then remembered a similar experience my dad had a few months ago and that it was Caitlyn's mom. Caitlyn is the girl that Rheese had a crush on. He would blush when he would talk about her. She also has a heart defect. After remembering my dad's story I asked her if she was Caitlyn's mom and she said yes. She asked how I was doing and I told her I was doing ok but there were definitely hard times. Then I asked how Caitlyn was doing and her answer was the same as mine. She then told me that Caitlyn was going to heart camp at the end of the month. This heart camp is on Catalina Island in California and Rheese really wanted to go to it. We thought about it last year but it made me a little nervous sending him off alone since he was only 10 yrs. old. We were going to try for this year. Wouldn't it have been fun for them to go together. But anyway, she told me that Caitlyn had Rheese's name put on her bag for camp in green rhinestones and she also has a Goofy on her bag. I was so touched. It meant so much to me that this little girl still thought about Rheese and wanted to remember him and take him with her. I am still amazed at how many people my little boy touched in his short life. As I left Wal Mart I had tears streaming down my face. How grateful I am for the Lord's tender mercies.