TUESDAY SARA-GRACE

Our sweet great niece arrived last night at 10:46, weighs 6 pounds 13 ounces and is 19 3/4" inches long. She has so much dark hair and is beautiful! Paul and I went to see new mom Heather, daddy Ben and baby in the hospital (Helen Keller, Tuscumbia) tonight and there was a roomful of company - Marsha, Morgan, Darlene, her sister, Sue, their mother, me, Paul, Ben, Heather and Tuesday. No wonder they moved her to a larger room!  Morgan handed her to me right away and then Paul held her - beamed like a headlight! So soft, sweet, making mewing sounds. Hands all wrapped up in snuggies, wonder if she wonders, "Where did my hands go? I used to be able to suck on them! Now they're all dry and fuzzy!"

Wouldn't Mama have loved meeting this little angel? Well, maybe they did pass each other on their heavenly journeys. Little gift sent from God, Mama at home in Heaven. Who knows how these mysteries work. Anyway, she would have loved being GiGi again!

In other good news - encouraging news I should say - well, it could be bad news, but it isn't - so anyway, my echocardiogram was good - ejection fraction normal; valve leakage still small and nothing to do about it now, just watch, return for six month check-up in May; my eye pressure was good today - 12 in right eye, 15 in left, return in March for four month check-up; and I found a nearby (about an hour away) sedation dentist - my own sister-in-law Sandra's. I don't think she has to be sedated for her dental work, but they do that sort of work. So December 11 I have a consultation appointment with Dr. Gillespie. So glad I asked Sandra! She said I'd like her, good bedside/personality, excellent work. Feel relieved. Finally feeling like I'm getting this under control. I've been using a waterpik, plus an Oral B electric toothbrush, plus flossing, so hopefully I can prevent this from happening again. And I thought I was doing a good job. I recently read an article by Billy Crystal (comedian) in AARP magazine about his dental ordeal - so even celebritie's teeth age, too. Some of the same things I've been dealt with lately. 

Now look at this little baby girl - all that ahead of her - mercy, that picture of her with Paul looks so much like Amy - all that dark hair and her coloring. First teeth, first steps, first grade, lost teeth, new teeth. Okay, Mama, I'm trying to keep up the Generational Prayer for all these little ones. Lord, bless her and her family and the generations after her and after them all... I know prayer is timeless, boundless because God Is. Thank you, Mama, for all your prayers for us. Lord, forgive me when I get so lax about petitioning You. Thank You for this baby, this family, this generation, the ones past and the ones to come. Most of all, thank You for Your Son Jesus, Who holds all this together with His Hands. 

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There is so much going on in the US - Obamacare, the Senate changing the majority rule, so much going on in the world, so much, so fast. Today is also the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. The old I get the sadder it is. He was so young - only 3 years older than Amy will be in a couple of weeks. He and Jackie so pretty, so much promise, so challenging. At the time I'm sure I wasn't aware of all this, but through time, age and lessons learned, to think I am a part of that history is amazing, too. One shot literally changed America. But them so does every shot cause a ripple effect - nothing happens that doesn't touch everyone in some way, whether directly or if we only hear about it. Our minds and hearts must process it; we must make decisions based on what we see and hear. Even if we do nothing, we are making a choice - to stand still, to be still. And sometimes just to be still is the right choice. 

God Bless America.