This is Grandma holding Elliette Angela Elizabeth McCurdy. She is eating well and sleeping about as well as newborns will sleep. Her brother loves her and she has impressed all of our family with her sweet beauty. Her dad is TDY in Virginia until the end of next week then Grandma can go home to be with grandchild #15! Speaking of Ammon's family, great news- Ammon has a job! He will be earning a good wage with a well-established company so we are all thrilled. Congratulations to all around in our family. We're making great strides! (Grandpa is still in Ohio working on the house. Pictures of that will have to come later when I can get home to download them to post.)

She's finally here!

After having contractions for nearly 20 weeks, our daughter Lisa finally gave birth to a 7 pound 4 ounce, 18 1/2" lovely baby girl, Elliette McCurdy at 12:41 pm Sunday, Sept. 9. (yet another September birthday to add to the family) Keith took Lisa in to the hospital at 2 am then had to report to work at 8 am, while Lisa was still in labor, to fly to Virginia for 2 weeks TDY (temporary duty yonder for those who might not understand all of the government-type acronyms). There was great disappointment all around even among the hospital staff that he had to leave. Grandma took 3-year old Aaron to a friend and neighbor of Lisa's then went to the hospital to be "coach" for the remainder of the time. After being there for about an hour, the door opened and in came Keith! His flight was postponed due to inclement weather at their destination. We were all thrilled and, very shortly after, Lisa experienced even greater pain, despite the epidural, a sign of advanced labor and the imminent arrival of their second child. This was a wonderful experience for me. I have given birth to 4 babies but never witnessed someone else giving birth. Lisa did really well, succeeding after only about 3 or 4 pushes. Tears sprang to my eyes and I gave Lisa a hug and kiss (as well as I could over the arm of the hospital bed and while she was being given stitches (20 or more!). Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Bowker are driving from my sister's in Alabama to my other sister's in Louisianna today and will stop here on the way through to see their latest family addition. The birth of a baby is the renewal of innocence and a sign that God hasn't given up on the world!

A grandmother's perspective

We are blessed to claim 13 grandchildren with #'s 14 and 15 arriving soon. It is so interesting to pass through each phase of life and recognize my thoughts and feelings as nothing new. It seems that every generation bemoans the lack of respect and good manners in the younger generations. Each generation of grandparents fears for the conditions of the world as their grandchildren come of age. I think it really is getting worse, though. There were certainly questionable morals in ancient Roman and Greek civilizations but they didn't have the technology we have to allow access for "the masses". They didn't have widespread pornography, even in the homes of "good" people. They didn't have people who made money making movies of everything from sexually abusing innocent children to brutal murder. They didn't have the deep fear of fellow human beings that seems to permeate our world. Even in what we call third world countries, people fear oppression and abuse by those who hunger for ever- more power and wealth. We have very few "simple farmers" who just go about taking care of their own plot of land, raising their family and living until they die, worn out from hard work but having loved ones surrounding them. I have been attending a birthing class with my youngest daughter. It has surprised me to hear many young, healthy women express refusal to undergo, naturally, the pain of childbirth (I am, of course, not including complications of birth which require more medical intervention). I wonder if it had been more prevalent, would I have insisted upon anesthetic to avoid what has been a very natural pain for billions of women over hundreds of years? I don't want to believe the human race is getting weaker at the same time we are getting more decadent. Do we distance ourselves from pain, by using complicated weapons instead of knives and clubs, watching repeated violence in movies or other media until it means nothing to us, or numbing ourselves with our drug of choice? I know we are spoiled beyond the wildest imaginings of nearly anyone but truly forward thinking science fiction writers of the past. We have "reality" shows about survival, but I wonder how each of us would fare when in a desperate situation without the promise of some huge amount of money and fame? I hope we would expose the hero rather than the savage in us. I think we have the potential to be stronger and more capable than we sometimes give ourselves credit for.

Sorry- still no pictures

Waiting and waiting......... That's the name of the game these days. I am still in Florida waiting the arrival of grandchild #14 who is to be named Elliette McCurdy, that is, unless there has been a huge mistake interpreting the ultasound pictures. I have managed to do some yard work in spite of the heat but there is only so much to be done on Air Force base housing. I have recovered a rocking chair and ottoman as well as making covers for a baby car seat and stroller. Yesterday Lisa tried to keep walking by using an exercise machine of her friend's after we came in out of the rain, hoping that would get something going. She was having some pretty good contractions while she was on her feet. But she was exhausted after nearly two hours and sat down to rest. The contractions soon stopped, much to her disappointment. The main reason she is so anxious to have this baby is that the Air Force is sending her husband away soon and she doesn't want him to miss the birth. I guess this little baby is not important enough for the Air Force to work its schedules around!

IT'S HOT!!

I don't have any pictures to post at the moment. I am in Florida with Lisa's little family. The summer seemed to have started pretty mildly everywhere and has now turned beastly hot everywhere. I understand that it got so hot in Ohio (while we were in Houston where they're more accustomed to such heat) that they closed school the day after they opened it! We went swimming at an outdoor pool on base today in an effort to get some exercise and "beat the heat". It was only semi-effective because the water was pretty warm. Still, we can't complain. Air conditioning is a wonderful invention! I really don't know how people used to get anything done without it. Even now, I see the lawns need mowing but nobody seems inclined to feel like doing it. If it would just drop below 90 I would be willing to do yardwork. Meanwhile, Ammon has been working like a fiend clearing what I was hoping to use as garden space but haven't gotten to working on it much. He has been doing wonderful work for us at the house in between applying for jobs and going to interviews. Children really can grow up to be wonderful blessings to their parents no matter how frustrating they may be when younger.

Just a note

Russ and I will be leaving on Monday to go to Houston. We will spend a few days with his family there then he will be driving a rental truck back to Ohio with furniture and other family things his mother is giving him as she moves into a smaller place. I will drive from Houston over to Florida to be with our daughter Lisa until her baby is born. I don't know how much I will be able to get on the computer or to post blogs while I'm there. I'll do my best.

Youth conference

Russ and I just returned from chaperoning at a youth conference in Nauvoo, Illinois. It was fun, educational, hot and humid, and wonderful. We were impressed with how well-behaved LDS teenagers are. The families and missionaries that act as tour guides and performers there in Old Nauvoo are just incredible. The LDS church encourages people to develop their talents and IT SHOWS!!!