Life

I have put off writing about this for a while because it is so close to my heart. A week ago this last Friday, August 20, 2010 our youngest daughter Kristie gave birth to a long awaited little girl. This "little" girl was quite big, 8lbs 13 oz and 21 inches long so this gave her Mom a bit of a problem. Kristie was unable to deliver her except by C section. This was all well and good and after a very long day everyone was thrilled to see this new little member to our family, Ashlinn Mary. After much cooing and ooing we left to go home. When we got home my husband and I called it day and had "cereal" for dinner and settled down for the evening.

A short time later the phone rang and it was Kristie's husband telling us she was taken back into the OR for surgery. We threw on our clothes and headed back to the hospital. I called her sisters and my Mom to tell them and ask them to all pray for her. I must admit I wasn't worth much at that point. My baby was seriously in trouble. It seems she had a blood clot that had stopped her body from doing what it should after a birth. She was bleeding beyond what she should have been. After hearing what all happened I realize just how fortunate/blessed we were that her hubby Jared was there with her in her room and went to call for help immediately when they realized how much trouble she was in. The doctors and nurses worked very hard to save our daughter's life. Thank you to everyone that gives so much in their line of work.

This story does have a happy ending, our daughter came back from surgery not looking so great but has since been recovering rapidly. She looks like nothing so serious has happened but we all know. I won't soon forget how very fragile life is. I like so many others takes delivering a baby as "the norm" but it does take a great deal of work on Mom's part whether it be normal way or C section and the outcome can be so tenuous.

I thank my Father in Heaven for this miracle in our lives. For this precious little girl that has come into our extended family.

As I've said before we have 11 grandchildren and each of them are so special and wonderful. Each of them bring joy to our hearts and lives and we give thanks to the Lord for sending them to our family.

I thought having my own kids was difficult - ha - not anywhere as difficult as watching our daughter's give birth.

The difference between "old" people and "young" people

By old I mean 93 or so and by young I mean under 18. This past week I have had a chance to talk with our grandchildren. They never cease to amaze and surprise me. I love how smart they are and how clever they are. What their interests are and how diverse they all are. Like one Grandson has gotten a red bearded lizard. He has been talking about getting one and he knows all about them and so on and so. He wants this particular one because it is most rare. I told him I thought that was yucky and I was a wussss. He laughed and said I wasn't because I was Grandma to lots of grandsons. What a joy it is to know He thinks I am so fierce and unafraid of anything. Then another grandson asked me how old I was? I told him I was older than dirt. He wasn't sure about that. So I asked him how old was OLD? He thought for a minute and said 100, whooo, I'm not too old yet. So I told him I was 68 and he thought about that and said "oh". I told him I was 61 years older than he is. Well that one did not go over well. It just plain stopped him. Another granddaughter talked to me about her plans for college this fall and her schedule. She is so full of life and joy that it is contagious! What a joy each of our grandchildren are. They are all so interesting, they have very interesting personalities and joy for life. Of course, it is expressed in different ways, but none the less expressed. Thank you all.

Now to Old - my Mom is 93 and as you might think, she has started to lose some reasoning powers. I am so sad to see this happen because her mind has been as sharp as a tack. Many times I am now taking the roll of her "mother". That is a strange place to be. All through my life I have measured myself by what my mother has said or done and I have confided in her and she would tell me what she felt should be done. While I have taken a different path from my mom, I still love and respect her. One thing she has adopted in her later years and especially as her hearing and eye sight have been getting tired and not working like she'd like, she has started to laugh at everything - practically. I know some of it to cover up her not hearing but others is to cover up what she thinks.

Our lives are very diverse one from another of us - our families are different from how we've been raised. When husband and wife come together and form the beginning of a family and then children start to come. You bring certain traits from each of your own growing up families and convert them into this new family. Then you find new things you would like added. I find this so interesting, how we bring the best things from what we were raised with and add new and better ways of doing things. I love this. Each generation grows up and beyond the last one. Yes, the Old families (our growing up family) still have good things and bring many wonderful memories but the new families bring growth and love and joy and happiness and even a little sadness as the young ones grow up and out of the nest.

One thing each of these groups of people have in common the younger group are looking forward with so much expectation and the older group is looking forward to another place in their eternal progression and sometimes just as eagerly as the young ones are looking.

What a joy it is to be right here where I am. I learn and grow along with our children and grandchildren.