Justin, my one and only, makes me proud every single moment of every single day and I'm not sure exactly what I did to deserve such a wonderful son. He is my father reincarnated, very smart, very level-headed, amazes me with his common sense and wisdom, and is funny beyond belief. I didn't realize when I named him Justin, and I must admit that I heard the name Justin on a soap opera and snatched it up immediately, that the name would fit him so perfectly since he turned out to be one of the most just persons I've ever known, another trait in common with my late father, who died before Justin was born.
I couldn't love Emily more if I gave birth to her myself. She's an exceptional young woman, who is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. When Emily takes you into her heart, she gives you a piece of her heart that belongs to you forevermore. She doesn't expect or ask for it back; it yours. And her heart must be endless because she gives pieces freely and generously and by all accounts she should have run out by now, but her supply seems to be inexhaustible.
Justin's fiancee Tory engineered a great surprise party for the two of them this weekend. Being born two days apart, they've celebrated together for all of these 30 years, so it was fitting to combine once again. The surprise, however, was on us since the two of them had no trouble figuring it all out beforehand, but graciously went along with the gag, and a great time was had by all.
Although I am struggling to arrive at an answer as to why they have made it to 30 years of age while time has stood still for me and I am an amazingly young woman to have a 30-year-old child, I've been doing a lot of reminiscing this past week, and I'm starting to think maybe I have gotten a bit older because a lot of time has gone by and a lot of things have changed; changed, yet strangely stayed the same. I do realize however that my nightly anti-aging routine was merely one tenth of what it is today.
I remember watching the last royal wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles while I was up very early in the morning with my unhappy infant and all of the networks carried coverage of the wedding, and now this weekend their own son is being married. I hope I will not be awakened early by anyone who is unhappy as I would prefer to just see pictures after the fact and if I am awakened before dawn it is I who will be the unhappy one.
I also can remember that the weather pattern happened to be identical 30 years ago this week. Cold, wet, and miserable going into the hospital, sunny and beautiful with all of the trees and plantings having learned that it's spring when we came home. What a wonderful treat to come home with a precious new gift and find that not only your life has blossomed but that life all around you has blossomed as well.
I am blessed, I am truly blessed, and I am grateful that God chose me to be the mother of this amazing man and the paternal aunt of this wonderful woman. Somehow, I did something right. Somehow, the stars all aligned in just the right pattern at just the right time. Somehow, my prayers were answered and I became the beneficiary of a beautiful miracle.
Copyright Priscilla Garamella 2011
