Carmen and Abagail

This past week has brought some changes into our life. Last Sunday I turned 66. It seems an uneventful age; just older. My family is very good to me; I talked with all of my children for my birthday. That was the best part. My sister Maryanne was here for a few days, including my birthday. She has a gift for making celebrations special. Layne took me out to dinner on Tuesday. He researched places that specialize in prime rib, my favorite restaurant fare. He found the Brass Door in San Ramon and that's where we went. I liked it very much!

Ben and Jessica were due to have their 5th baby this month; a little girl was expected. For awhile it looked like she would arrive on my birthday but she took her time and slipped into mortality on January 19th. She was over 8 pounds; a nicely formed child with a lovely little face. All went well and everyone is home and learning how to keep house with one more little one. We visited them on Tuesday and took lots of pictures of our new one. Her name has shifted from Isabel to Abagail and it looks like Abagail will stick. How wonderful it is to see a new, vibrant little life arrive in our family circle. Abagail appears to be a gentle soul, unruffled by the activity around her. She very sweetly let all of us take our turns holding her and looking into her lovely little face.

Our sad news came on the very same day as the good news just described. Our little Carmen has been given just weeks up to a few months to live! Her head now has multiple tumors and they have spread to her spine. After all this time of wishing for miracles, it looks like she will be leaving us after all. I am not fully resolved to it. I keep thinking that something will happen to somehow make her well. I suppose we could still have our miracle but it seems so remote now. However this turns out, Carmen will be okay. After all, returning to the Lord can hardly be a bad thing. But we were so hoping that we could keep her here with us. I see her smile and hear her laughter in my mind; I will do so forever.