She enters our world with Grace….

Good Morning from beautiful Long Island. June is a favorite month for me. Everything is blooming, growing and thriving. The sun is warm and bright and the birds are happy and chirpy (especially at 4:30 am). So, I get up early and plot my day. I stroll my gardens and sip my much weaker coffee than I got used to in Spain. But, I am grateful that I slept well. I am grateful for lots of things today. If you are able to open your heart, again and again, many beautiful gifts surface and grow. My daughter is a June baby, a Gemini. I swear she was born with a college degree.

I went to Spain in April. International travel was still closed. My daughter was able to get approval from the Spanish government for me to join her for the birth of her baby. I was so shocked that I got a special “ok” from Spain. I knew she needed her Mama. I hadn’t seen my daughter in a year and a half. So, off I went. I luckily was vaccinated and felt safer to travel abroad. I was very excited and eager to get there. She had her baby two weeks after I arrived. Our Granddaughter, beautiful little sweet pea was born right before Mother’s Day. Mommy and baby were healthy and I prayed many times during her long labor that all would be ok. I prayed to my son in heaven, please HELP your sister! Five minutes later, she was born. Our precious Emilia was born at 2:34pm. I immediately remembered my son was born at 2:37 pm. I smiled, thinking he may have been helping all along. It was a beautiful experience. Sharing all of it with her and her husband. Holding my precious, perfect Granddaughter in my arms. I felt love bloom even stronger than when I had my own! She continued to fill my heart in so many ways. She expanded our family and didn’t even know how healing and special she truly is.

I am so proud of my daughter. She had a clear vision and a commitment to caring for her baby in the most beautiful, organic way. She and her husband were a team. They both found a rhythm and a schedule. I was amazed at how mellow and content her little baby girl was. She mostly…eats, sleeps and poops like a pro. She cries little and is easily soothed. She filled my heart with such pure love. Each day, watching her thrive and grow and feed, feed, feed! I was so happy. I took a zillion pics and videos. I couldn’t even think of leaving her. I allowed myself to cry ALOT, simply because I didn’t want to leave them. Goodbyes can be bitter sweet. The cab ride to the airport was a snotty, hysterical mess. I tried to keep it together? Then I thought. Don’t hold back. Tears are our way of expressing the deep love and admiration we hold for those we love and cherish. I know I will return. I know they will come back and visit. We are lucky to have face time and whatts app. Yesterday, as Emilia turned 6 weeks, her Mommy got her first smiles from her. I can imagine that LOVE spreading through my daughter. I reminded her that it just keeps getting better. The bond grows stronger, she becomes more alert and adapts to life outside the womb. She will fill your heart and soul…like no other. Love is a beautiful thing.

This circle of life. One we certainly dream of, but, we can never quite predict the outcomes. I’ve learned to truly embrace and cherish the “moments”. I’ve learned to collect beautiful memories and write about them often. I’ve learned that love spans across countries and continents. I never even dreamed my Grandchildren would live in Europe. Up until 2019, I never even travelled outside the USA. Now that I caught the “bug”, I can’t wait to explore Europe over and over again. In my previous post, I shared about exploring Spain and how humbled I was by the culture and lifestyle. Life’s lessons. They keep coming if you open yourself up to new experiences and adventures. Embracing the GOOD….heals us. Expands our horizon. She is our Light…our little sweet pea of Hope and everything good in our world today. As I finish this post, my daughter sends me a video of her exploring her activity center. She is wide eyed, GORGEOUS, and kicking up a storm. Her little voice and excitement fills me with such pride and joy and I am teary typing this. A precious child, a Gift from God. Thankful beyond the heavens. One beautiful moment before I left Spain, my daughter was feeding her baby. She looked up at me and said… Mom, when she sleeps and closes her eyes, she looks and reminds me of Mikey. I was speechless for a moment. Then… I remembered his big, beautiful, sparkly eyes. The kind that can take your breath away. I’m so glad she see’s a glimpse of him in her baby. I like to think he is forever watching over her and his sister. It’s the little things…that become unforgettable, irreplaceable and forever in our hearts. Our sweet grandchild is our most precious gift of all.

Love & Light

~leelee