NEW LIFE . . . NEW HOPE . . .

One of the quotes I love best about children is by . . . hmmmm . . . I used to know, but it is late and I am tired and old, so I have forgotten who said it, but someone famous . . . I am sure you would recognize the name if I could remember and told you . . . but they said something like "each new baby born comes with the reassurance that God is not yet discouraged of man" . . .


Yeah . . . that is pretty close, I am almost certain . . .


There is SO much depressing news flooding our inboxes and newspapers . . . the dismal economy . . . wars and rumors of wars . . . political bumblings . . . natural disasters . . . personal tragedies . . . It sometimes takes a miracle -- a literal MIRACLE -- to get us to stop focusing on the negatives in life and realize just how very precious life truly is . . .


It is an INCREDIBLE gift . . .


And nothing reminds you of that more than the birth of a sweet new baby . . . all purity and innocence and HOPE . . . a new baby in a family brings a LOT of exhausting work and sleepless nights . . . but SOOOO muchlove and satisfaction . . . A brand new baby helps you to focus on what is most important . . .


Careers come and go . . . No matter HOW well and long and hard you prepare for the career of your choice . . . opportunities can slip through your fingers . . . there can be set backs and layoffs and doors slamming shut, despite your very best efforts . . .


Money comes and goes . . . It is nice to have the choices that come with money . . . You can do lots of fun, interesting things . . . eat well . . . dress nicely . . . travel extensively . . . there are, literally, COUNTLESS distractions that money can buy . . . but no matter how much you have, you can still end up alone, dissatisfied, and only wanting more . . .


Even friends can be fickle . . . Sometimes they get busy with their own lives, and leave you alone when you need them most . . . stab you in the back when you least expect it . . . disappoint you in any number of ways . . .


But if you surround yourself with FAMILY . . . despite their imperfections and weaknesses . . . you have people who will stand by you through EVERYTHING . . . They will be there to share your triumphs and cheer you on . . . They will also be there to share your heartaches and disappointments and setbacks, whatever they may be . . . You are linked, forever, with people who WANT you to be happy . . . who may be praying for your success and health . . . who enjoy hearing about all the little details of your day . . . who enjoy your sense of humor . . . who may very well roll their eyes at your antics . . . but who would take a bullet for you if the need arose . . .


A beautiful little baby boy has joined our family this week . . . I saw a picture of him in his first moments of life, and my heart absolutely FLOODED with a sense of awe and gratitude . . . for his safe arrival . . . for his good parents who love him and want to raise him to be a strong, capable, honorable man . . . for the opportunity *I* will have as his gramma to just LOVE him and cheer him on through all his accomplishments in the years ahead . . .


I am more thankful than I can express . . . for my life . . . for my family . . . for my children . . . for those they have brought into our family circle . . . for each new baby that lights up ALL our lives and reassures us, once again, that despite all the heartaches and hardships and selfishness and evil in the world, that God is not yet discouraged of man . . . because he has shared yet another of his precious children with mankind . . .


Welcome, little Gabe . . . We are delighted with your safe arrival . . . and we are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooOOOOOOO ready to love you . . .