The Hope That You Provide

This was kind of a dark week in the world. There was a viral video of George Floyd being suffocated by police officers in Minnesota, followed by angry protests all around the country and even throughout the world. It was sickening and heartbreaking and terrible, and some of the protests got violent, which was also very sad.

Three things made my heart better:

1. Finding POOLS to swim in when pools are mostly closed! The neighbors put an above ground blow up pool on their driveway that is wonderful, and I found out that the health club I was ready to quit would let me add all my kids at home to swim for the summer for a hundred bucks--much less than a city pool membership! Hanging with my kids doing regular things helps my heart.

2. Russell M. Nelson had the perfect response to what is going on. These things won't change without minds and especially hearts changing. This shows the signposts of how to approach healing while also acknowledging what is going on.

3. Most wonderfully and importantly, Eliza brought to light (in Spanish giving birth is 'dar a luz' which literally means giving to light) the most beautiful, perfect, adorable baby girl. Juliet Mariah Crespo, our first granddaughter was born on Friday June 5. I threw the last few things in my suitcase, totally forgetting quite a few, and went to pick up Alan from work. We drove into the night to Tennessee to be there at her other grandparents' home when she arrived. No visitors are being allowed into hospitals right now because of the pandemic. They texted pictures as we were on the road. I got all teary when I saw them. I was sure I would cry when I met her in person, so I just didn't even bother with eye makeup, which was probably a mistake.

Evan did the most awesome job taking many, many pictures and was just glowing with happiness at least as much as Eliza was. It was so much fun to see!

The moon rose over Missouri as we drove.

 And then after waiting and waiting and waiting with Mariah and Frank and Shelly, they came home! We all got to hold her and love her and hang out together. A little slice of heaven.

I'm still a little weepy that I had to come home. I miss her already! And I miss my own daughters who made me a mom--those days came back to us as we saw it happening to Eliza and Evan. But this baby had a whole houseful of adults to come home to who were all trying to be so polite and let each other have a turn holding her. Next time I see her I might not be so polite!