Are we there yet…

Carly’s grandmother passed away last night in her sleep. I think we would all like to believe that our transition to the next life will be as peaceful. She’s now spending time with “her Lord and her Savior” that she spoke so much about during our conversations. I only knew her for a few years, but as Julie blogged earlier, we’ll be sharing stories about Granny for the rest of our days.

I’ve spent the day taking it all in, somewhat perplexed by this period in our lives. Never before have I been in a position to appreciate life’s ultimate dichotomy as much as I do this evening. Each new event threatening to divert my thoughts permanently toward life or death, only to be followed by an opposing event, offsetting the first and ensuring a tolerable balance as I move on. I use the word “balance” with hesitation. During a particularly emotional time, it’s hard to believe you’ll ever experience the other side again. But sooner or later you do, because one of the beauties of this world is that you need both to appreciate either.

As we welcome new family into the world this year, we remember the family members we’ve recently lost, as well as those in years passed. Just as our parents, aunts, and uncles were links to family we never knew, we will be the link to family our children will never know. I was always frustrated when I asked one of my links a question that they couldn’t answer, thinking to myself, “surely you should know that.” I now understand that it’s not the memorization of facts about a person that keep them alive. It’s the love for and memory of the person that guarantees survival. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to tell Mary Reese all the names of my grandmother’s 15 brothers and sisters, or convey what it was like for her to grow up on a farm in south Georgia during the 30’s and 40’s. But I have no doubt Mary Reese will feel Mema’s love in each and every story I tell, because Mema will live forever in my heart.

g

I always knew some preparation would be involved with having a kid. I just had no idea how much. Well, as of last night, we’re ready…we think. The last month has been a blur as we moved into a different house and tried to get ready for Mary Reese at the same time. Slowly checking things off of various lists as we got settled. It would have been easier if Carly wasn’t adding to the lists twice as fast as I could knock things out. But after a month, I’ve managed to catch up. We actually have time on the weekends to sit on the porch or go for a walk through campus.

One of the reasons that we moved was so that Mary Reese could have her own room and any of y’all could still have a place to crash when you’re up this way. Well, thanks to family and friends, the nursery looks great and is fully equipped. You’ll also be happy to know that Mary Reese can easily wear a different outfit every day for the first 3 months thanks to everyone’s generosity. Never mind the fact that she must endure her first winter in the nude after outgrowing all the 1-3 month clothes. In all seriousness, we have been fortunate and have pretty much everything we need and more to take care of her.

In addition to getting the house situated, we’ve got the car ready as well. I performed my first act in the interest of child safety yesterday, installing the car seat. This is when a little of my OCD kicks in and I must admit I read both the car seat and the car’s instructions 3 times each to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I’m sure most of you know, you either use the LATCH system if your car is equipped or you just put the seat belt across it. That’s it. It’s not rocket science. One to two clicks and you’re done. I averaged about 30 minutes per click. So you can rest assured that car seat isn’t going anywhere.

We’re now 1 week away from the due date, which basically means she could show up anytime. We appreciate everyone’s thoughtfulness and generosity during the last few months. We can’t wait for Mary Reese to get here and to share her with all of you. Stay tuned for more updates and pictures.

c & g