Rachael's Birthday

My oldest grandaughter has been on my mind all day today. Maybe it's because she is turning twelve on Monday. She's a beautiful, smart and absolutely pleasing girl. I keep thinking of the day she was born, a day that held several revelations for me. One was about her mom. Before Rachael was born I didn't realize what a generous and trusting person her mom was.

There she was after just giving birth, looking lovely and not nervous at all about being a first time mom. Some new moms are afraid to let everyone hold thier new infants but Rachael's mom seemed comfortable letting us each have a turn.

We watched as the nurse tended to the baby, each one of us wanting to grab her but I had the inside track. The nurse was an old friend of mine and she wrapped Rachael up tight and handed her to me. I looked at that tiny little face and knew there had never been a more lovely child.

I wasn't an official family member then. I was Rachael's grandpa's long time girlfriend. But Rachael changed that. Loving Rachael made me a family member. Her parents probably never knew how much it meant to me the next Christmas when they gave an ornament that read "to Grandma Cathy. I love you. Rachael."

We have eleven grandkids now and they are all beautiful and smart and full of life and they all call me Grandma, except for Jack who is two and a half and calls me Gaga. I have to admit that most of them like Grandpa best but since I like him best too I can understand.

Happy Birthday, Rachael. I still think you are lovely and I'm so proud of you.