So much worry. The world askew.
Tiniest girl so sweet and new
Bringer of hope as this grandma will learn.
This precious girl has just turned one! What a year it has been for her, for me, for our family and for the world!
We waited with such joy as the year 2020 began. Our tenth grandchild was expected to arrive in early May. We were ecstatic with plans for this new little girl to join the family. I was invited to be in the birthing room for her birth and we were blissfully planning a sprinkle to celebrate with friends and family. Prior to the big day, Hubby and I were planning a cruise to Mexico and I was thankfully recovering from a rather unexpected and frightening medical situation.
By the end of January, we began hearing news of a novel virus in China. Looking back I believe many of us thought that what was happening on the other side of the world would not, could not, impact our daily lives. Within weeks however, watching information first on international news, then national, then statewide and finally local news, we learned that life was changing for everyone. When our governor issued a stay-at-home order in mid-March, we complied, but were truly in disbelief at how quickly life was changing.
Questions abounded, with many of them centered on the well-being of my family living in three countries, and especially about my pregnant daughter living in the same town as me. Where would she give birth? Would the hospitals be safe? Would she be alone? Would it be safe even to go to prenatal visits? So many questions swirled in my head about my baby and her baby, and all of my children and grandchildren. Day by day, Hubby and I "sheltered in place" and prayed that all would be well and that everyone of us would survive this awful unknown.
Praise be to God, little Callie was born safe and sound in a birthing center with her daddy in attendance. Mommy, Daddy and baby came home within hours of birth. The weeks of wondering and waiting and decision making had passed ever so slowly, but a beautiful, healthy child arrived into the family on Mother's Day weekend. The photo above shows when we first met our littlest girl. We could only see her through the door of her home. My dreams of being at her birth were not meant to be. Our desire to hold her in our arms did not come to pass for several weeks. The months to come would not be spent together as hoped. Our joy was full, but also bittersweet.
Her arrival into our local family began nearly a year-long effort to be together but be distanced for everyone's safety. As we listened to the science, holidays were spent outside or in the garage with everyone wearing masks. Baby's first Christmas was done via ZOOM while this Grandma and Grandpa sat alone in our living room. Our pandemic efforts to be together were orchestrated with ingenuity by our oldest daughter, and her efforts towards family unity will always be appreciated!
Little Callie grew! Much to our surprise we learned that we could be delighted in sharing many milestones via cell phones. At a certain point our baby girl recognized Grandpa and Grandma on that tiny screen her mommy held. She learned our voices and we learned her little ways. We learned to be satisfied with the simple joys of watching baby's first year in a different way.
It was with extreme joy in late January of this year that we received our vaccines. As the weeks passed, all of the adults in our family followed suit. A year had passed since Covid had impacted our world so it was with tremendous joy that we resumed spending time together and sharing hugs and meals. We all slowly stepped from fear and isolation into our new post-pandemic world.
I think of all the babies who were born during the pandemic, and indeed are still being born where the pandemic is yet to be under control. Yes, they will go down in history being called pandemic babies, but perhaps more importantly they should be called babies of hope. Our darling Callie Marie, and all the millions like her are a reminder that life goes on...even in dark times filled with struggle, changes and fear. May these children be a blessing to us all as we watch them grow and learn in spite of adversity. May they help us look towards the future and have hope and plan.
May we also be a blessing to them as we impart insights we have learned through our growth during the pandemic. As we realize how much was lost and how much we took for granted, perhaps we can have an enlightened point of view to share with our children and grandchildren. Hopefully we can give these children a better world in which to grow. Maybe as they teach us, we can teach them about perseverance, tolerance, acceptance and understanding.
Callie, no doubt, will be told many stories as she grows up of how we managed this year. She will have many photos to remind her of how greatly loved and wanted she was. She will know that love flowed in this family in spite of the unimaginable. She will know that she was secure in her house and in her family of four even though isolation limited her experiences. And I will make sure that she knows how her coming, at this time, for this Grandma, made all the difference in how I made it through the year. Her darling little self helped me have purpose when things seemed quite hopeless.
Callie. The name means beautiful. And that's what you will always be to me.
Grandma's Baby. Oh yes, that term!
Lovely and sweet. The world renewed.
Darling curls and personality too
Bringer of hope as this grandma learned!
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