A Birthday for Doll Face

Most things that I write, like you, I don't care to reread. The following is a blog I wrote one year ago that talks of the birth of a grandaughter. I have gone back from time to time, not to admire my writing but to relive the events of that day and my thoughts at the time.

Originally posted July 2004
Breathless
Last week we had a great family reunion for my wife's side of the family. Even her Brother from New Zealand came, along with his wife. In the midst of all of the eating, visiting, and picture taking, we had a family baby shower for our son and his wife from Lincoln. They were expecting in the middle of August. I had to leave in the middle of all of this for a truck driving job to Wichita. I was feeling sorry for myself, I had to leave too late in the day, company at home, and I even had to stop on the way down to snooze. I couldn't stay awake and that little nap made it so I didn't leave Wichita until 4:00 AM. I stopped at the first rest area at 4:30 and went to bed.
At 6:00 AM, my phone rang and It was my son saying. Dad, where are ya? North Wichita. Why. We had a baby last night. Right there, July 20 went thru my mind. My Dad's birthday. I thought about how we have our time here to try and make a difference and then make room for the next.
Well that changed everything. "How soon can you get here Dad"?
"I'm leaving right now".
The sleepiness was gone, the reunion was on the back burner, along with truck driving, and I was on my way to see two of the happiest people in world.
Everything was as it should be. Smiles, Grandmas, and Dad proudly handing the baby from visitor to visitor saying "meet Madilyn Rose". The reunion had moved to a hospital in Lincoln, NE.
I recieved an email the next day. At the bottom it said, Life isn't measured by the number of breaths you take, it's by the moments that take your breath away.
Grandma and Grandpa are breathless.