Wayfaring Stranger

New Life -- Now and Later

My daughter and her two little girls came to visit for 12 days. They left on Tuesday morning. It was a wonderful, exciting time for us and for Kyra who is 3 1/2 years old. She was very excited to get to play in her little kitchen and read all the books her Nana has collected for her (and continues to collect even though they are so far away!). My daughter ran us half to death trying to see all her friends and the other side of her family while she was here. I remember doing the same things when we first moved to Indiana from Michigan 18 years ago. Sadly, friends went by the wayside as family became more important in our infrequent and short trips back. It's a hard truth it seems that comes with moving. It's the rare friendship that can survive a move. Maybe I am just jaded by frequent moves and lost friendships. It does seem to be a truth for me but, I digress...

Kyra now has a little sister named Siana who is three months old. She is precious and though she looks somewhat like her big sister, she looks more like her Daddy than Kyra does. She has darker hair and skin than Kyra who is very Scandinavian looking, and the jury is still out as to what color her eyes will be in the end. I'm guessing brown or hazel. I find it is absolutely amazing how even though this child has only been experiencing life outside for three months she already has this adorable and opinionated little personality. She lets you know when she is angry and when she is hurt. She laughs this deep little belly laugh and smiles huge toothless grins when she catches her mommy's eye. And she talks a blue streak. There is nothing like those sweet coos and sounds babies make as they learn language and how to make their voice work. She watches our mouths and works her little mouth and tongue in an effort to creat words. Her entire little body gets involved too. Her arms work and her legs kick and she twists and arches her back and suddenly this soft sound emits from her and she sighs and relaxes. It's amazing to watch.

I know we did the same things with Kyra when she was a newborn. I know we marveled and wondered at her every move and expression. The joy of new babies is that they remind us how wonderful God's world really is and what an amazing gift new life is. As a grandparent it also is such a joy to be able to stand back and watch my daughter learn and love and care for her own children. On one hand I can't even believe she's old enough to have two daughters of her own but on the other I feel very blessed to be able to watch her and enjoy her enjoying her children. She's a wonderful mother and she is married to a man who is a wonderful daddy.

As harsh as the world is and as frightening as it can be and actually is at this time in our history, it's such a blessing to be able to sit back and watch new life and new families going on with their lives just like people have since the beginning of time. It's what makes life worth living at all. That and that faith that Jesus will one day come back to take us all home where we will all be new lives and learning how to speak that new spirit language with our new mouths and voices.

How exciting is that!!!

posted by Dana @ 4:55 PM