Twice Blessed

Every now and then,

when the world sits just right,

a gentle breath of heaven

fills my soul with delight...

Hazelmarie ‘Mattie’ Elliott, A Breath of Heaven

Life is a deliberate mix of good and bad, unfathomable lows and magnificent highs and every variation in between.  My Dad’s illness and passing was a weight that overshadowed everything; but it was framed by the joyous arrivals of a granddaughter in August and  a grandson in October.  Having these two pure infants to love and hold has been healing.  Twice blessed! What precious gifts they are!  Our daughter miscarried just a year before and we didn’t know for months if she would carry her second child to term.  We prayed mightily for her and her unborn son. Delivered by Cesarean Section, he arrived big and healthy in October.  Our little grandson is five months old now and smiles with his whole body when he sees me! He has such a sweet, calm, tender spirit.  Being able to see him grow and develop is a cherished blessing.

A birth in August, a death in September and a birth in October.  Is the timing Heavenly Father’s compassionate way of softening the pain?   The photo of the two tiny cousins was a Christmas gift from my two youngest daughters, mothers of the sweet miracles.  The story behind the photo is that the when placed in the basket by the photographer, the little boy began to cry.  When the baby girl reached for him and put her hand on his, he stopped crying.  Oh, the comfort in the touch of a hand!  How grateful I am for these two precious babies and for the touch of my Heavenly Father’s hand to wipe away my tears.