Hmmm... it looks like I only get around to blogging about once a month.
But, this has been an eventful month. So....
I know I've mentioned my Grandma Leefers on here a few times. She was the best. She was very much a part of my growing up years. She had 4 sisters who lived here in Carlinville and because I was with her a lot, I spent a lot of time with them as well. Sometimes I think I was more connected to that older generation than I was my own. My grandma was also very close to my grandpa's sister - her sister-in-law, Zella. None of us 18 grandchildren ever knew our grandfather. He died when my dad was 4 and my oldest uncle was 12. But, I knew his sister, Zella, very well. She was truly my favorite of the great aunts. I spent a lot of time with Aunt Zella and Uncle Wilbur. I can't help but smile when I think of them because they were such great fun.
I remember vividly something that Uncle Wilbur said one time. This was in the late 60's maybe early 70's. You'll recall the hippie movement was alive and well in those days. Free love. The drug culture. Protests. Young people declaring their doubts about God.
For the people of my grandma, Aunt Zella and Uncle Wilbur's generation, that last part really did not set well with them.
One time when we were at Aunt Zella and Uncle Wilbur's house, some other family members were there with a new born baby. I have a theory, given the timeline of who that baby was, but I won't speculate because I'm not real sure. But, there we all were, oooing and ahhhing and admiring this precious new born child. And then, Uncle Wilbur said it.
"How can anyone look at a new born child and not believe there is a God?"
That stayed with me.
More than 34 years ago, I got one of those precious gifts from God. When I had that precious little boy, ultrasound technology was new. My doctor wasn't one to jump on that bandwagon as he felt as long as everything else was going okay, there was no need. So while I felt the kicks and the wiggles, we never really saw him until he was here. I'm sure during the process he was peanut sized, apple sized, cantaloupe sized and eventually watermelon sized, but I never saw that in black and white. Only in my imagination. Then, there he was. A little human with arms, legs, feet, 10 toes, 8 fingers and 2 thumbs. A mini version of his Grandpa Shorty.
My little A.J. grew up, fell in love, got married and he and his lovely wife, Abby, have recently received their own blessing from above. Throughout the process, Abby had many ultrasounds. I loved seeing each one. This time I felt even closer to the process of watching a human grow and develop in utero. Every step of the way we monitored and observed. We even saw her perfect little face by way of a 3D ultrasound. It was amazing to watch as God did his greatest work. Then one day she decided it was her birthday. She had already wiggled her way into our hearts and now it was time to wiggle into this world. She came with arms, legs, feet, 10 toes, 8 fingers and 2 thumbs. My heart is full.
I had the best paternal grandmother. I pray that this little girl does, too.
Uncle Wilbur was right.