The Birth Certificate!

Last evening, we went over to Tony and Katie's for a little family get-together. It was a very nice time. There was so much life running around in Anthony, Chandler, Will and Molly. Everyone doted on Stella too especially Chandler and Molly! So, I left there just thinking about life--how life changes, how life is... On the way home, we stopped to get the mail. Then, there it was addressed to Beth Houselog from the Office of public vital records (or something like that). I knew right away what it was. I tore it open. Tears of happiness filled my eyes. There is was--Stella Sylvia Houselog's living vital record--a certificate of her live birth! I thought back to last year. I thought how wrong it was that I recieved Sylvia's death certificate in the mail before her birth certificate. After that, I checked the mail all the time anxiously awaiting her birth certificate. Finally it came. I smiled. Then I opened it. Then the tears of sadness came. It was smaller than Dubuque County's birth certificates--drivers' license size. And it had a big old red DECEASED stamped right on it! I thought that her birth certificate would be a symbol for her life not her death...Disappointed... It was very nice to see Sylvia's name on a birth certificate without those big red letters stamped on it. Stella Sylvia Houselog...
Stella is my little star. Stella literally means "star" in Italian. She sleeps and eats well. She is very alert when she is awake. Yesterday she flirted with her daddy giving him some meaningful smiles... She pretty much has all of us wrapped around her finger already especially her big brother. He loves her so much. He thinks he knows when it is time for Stella to get up, what she wants to play with, etc. It's cute now, but in time Stella were perceive this as bossy...
My mom went home. We are missing her, but are doing well. We greeted many visitors on Friday. It was nice. My favorite comment that day was from Andy's Aunt Mickie--"I was so happy it was a girl. All I could think was 'Andy gets his wedding dance with his daughter.'" I was telling Andy that and he smiled. But, the pessimist in him thinks that perhaps Stella will choose the single life and he won't get that dance or she'll run off the the J.P. or something. I certainly hope not! This mama wants it all--the shopping for the big white dress, the planning of a wedding, the wedding, the reception--all of it.
Thank you all for your support. I'm going to end with a quote I now have hanging in our home... "God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow nor sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way." Lately I feel the strength, comfort and light.