For my newborn granddaughter, Micah
What shall I tell you about the day you were born?
Your Grandpa and I were waiting in the carpool line to pick your big sister up from kindergarten when your dad texted: Micah is here! 9 lbs!
Gratitude flooded our hearts as photos flooded our phones.
We wept at sight of you. Your sister would say “happy cried.”
Looking at your beautiful rosy face, a thousand thoughts fluttered in my mind, like birds descending from the azure sky, landing one by one on soft, moss-covered branches…
I remembered it was supposed to storm that day, and it didn’t; the late October sun shone for all it was worth, illuminating the countryside with brilliant gold, orange, yellow, and scarlet.
I forgot the shadows, worries, and grind of daily life.
I remembered the story of my own birth, told over and over to me by my grandmother: She, Daddy, Granddaddy, and Grannie stood looking at me through the nursery window, Grandma “happy cried,” Daddy said I looked just like Granddaddy.
I forgot to be sad about not going to the hospital to see you on the day you were born due to limited visitors in COVID protocols.
I remembered that I’d be able to come the next day, and that it would suffice.
I forgot there was even a pandemic.
I remembered the joy of your father’s birth, the fierce motherlove which surged in my veins, which surges still, and exponentially now, for you.
I forgot about fearing my own inadequacies.
I remembered to wear Grandma’s locket.
I forgot, until your curious big sister opened it, that your father’s newborn picture was nestled inside.
I remembered the promises of God, that blessings fall on the generations of those who love Him, my precious, precious baby Micah, daughter and granddaughter of pastors: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments (Deuteronomy 7:9, ESV).
I have never forgotten that.
Thankful for the infinite grace of God. Love you always, Micah. – Franna
********
with thanks to Denise Krebs for hosting November’s Spiritual Journey Thursday group, with a focus on gratitude.
and also to Two Writing Teachers for the weekly Tuesday Slice of Life Story Challenge.
I am deeply grateful for you all.
lit bits and pieces 
Gratitude and Love abound! I love the remember/forgot structure. I hope you save your writing in a special way for dear Micah.
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I am currently archiving it under a category for her at present – and contemplating a compilation in the future!
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First of all, Franna… love that! But Fran, that glorious soothing, rocking rhythm of what you remembered and what you forgot in that moment of joy, that was breathtaking. Thank you for sharing this precious moment with us. What a blessing!
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Thank you, Susan!
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Oh, Franna! Your writing brought tears to my eyes only three verses in. I’m so happy for you. I love the I forgot/I remembered form…that kind of mind work that euphoria brings when we are in a new moment! Blessings on your family with this new little one to love. God’s promises are real – He doesn’t play.
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Love the strength of spirit with which you write, even in comments, Kim! That last line on God not playing – I suspect I’ll be quoting you henceforth! Thank you ❤️
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She is a treasure, you are a treasure. A blessing to all who know and love you. Happiness is holding and loving Micah and all your kin here and departed. Beautifully written as always, Fran. So happy for you all.
This will be something that Micah will treasure for eternity and so much more when she is older. Like that late October sun shining for all its might, your words are ablaze with love. And I rejoice with you from afar.
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You’re a treasure as well, Janet. Thank you for every word.
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Congratulations, Fran! Welcome to the world, Micah! I love that you call yourself Franna for your grand-daughters. What a wonderful way to honor Micah’s first day in the world – something to treasure for a lifetime.
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I wanted to capture the moments for her, having had the gift of my own grandmother’s narrative. Many thanks for your words!
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I love the balance between remembering and forgetting in this piece. I love “happy cried” and “blessings fall” and “birds descending from an azure sky.” Lucky you and lucky Micah to be able to generate and inspire these words that will never be forgotten.
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I am savoring every moment – and thank you!
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Beautiful tribute to this blessing! Love that you were able to document and share your joy!
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what a fun post to read! Such joy along the family line!
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Is there a greater treasure on earth than a new grandchild, a precious new baby? Congrats to one and all! So beautiful! These lines are breathtakingly poetic, I think:
“a thousand thoughts fluttered in my mind, like birds descending from the azure sky”
May you beam with love for days and days and days on end!
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Thank you for this most lovely response, Maureen!
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Oh! Oh! Oh! My heart is so very happy to read this! Mazel tov, as they say. I can’t stop smiling to hear the good news. And Micah. It’s a beautiful name. May he be a blessing. =))
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Thank you for the good wishes, Lainie! Every day is a celebration of life and love with our beautiful Micah. She is a profound blessing already. ❤
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Oh! what a wonderful welcome for Micah – so many beautiful lines in here as you remember and forget and remember again. I was really struck by this one, “it was supposed to storm that day, and it didn’t”. Mmmm… there’s something powerful in that.
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Thank you for catching that symbolism, Amanda ❤
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I loved this slice and how you captured this day so beautifully! What a wonderful slice to look back on and share with your new grandchild.
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I loved the I remembered, I forgot- great way to weave the memories together. Congratulations!
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What a beautiful love letter to Micah! It is a treasure for her to have into the future in this life, and one she will surely pass on to future generations–tying even more of those thousand generations in God’s covenant of love. So beautiful! I love the forgetting and remembering. Love allows ones to forget many things and remember the important things to remember. The locket is a precious symbol tying generations of love together.
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“Love allows one to forget many things and remember important things” so true, Denise! The connecting of generations, so vitally important – keeping the big-picture legacy in mind during the daily grind of life, wherein such joy as this is sprinkled.
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Congratulations! What a beautiful post for Micah. Writing it “to Micah” will make it a treasure for years to come. Not being able to go to the hospital to see our grandchildren right after they’re born is so hard after generations of floating newborn hospital photos with grandparents, but I have to think this post will be even more of a gift for generations.
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First, hooray! Next, Amen! What a lineage…what a story to have at the very beginning of life. The night my nephew was born, I wrote a story about all the details and gave it to him as a gift. I am grateful that you shared such a tender and beautiful part of your story with us. Many congratulations and enjoy that little one.
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I can only imagine how much that gift of story meant to your nephew, Linda! I am hoping my archived scrapbook of posts will mean much to my beloved granddaughters, someday.
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What a blessing, your little bundle of Micah. I am so so happy for you! And your memories are so vivid, so in the moment, so filled with awe and gratitude… I loved reading them. Thank you, Fran, I am grateful for you and your writing.
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Karen, thank you – and I am grateful for you and your writing as well.
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Ohhhh, this makes me happy cry! The things you forgot are so poignant and perfect! And the connection to your own birth! So lovely! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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I so wanted to capture my thoughts and feelings on this day, Ruth – for Micah. Many thanks for your words.
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Of all things to be grateful for…welcoming new life into a family, with all the promise and joy such an event brings, tops the list. I suspect Micah will bring new inspiration for your writing too, Fran. She is lucky to have a writer-Franna who will scribe memories to read for years to come. Welcome to the world, Micah! Thank you for sharing her with us, Fran.
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Many thanks, Chris. I started a category for her, to archive posts I write in hopes that someday they will be meaningful to her. And I’ve gone back and tagged her sister’s under her own category as well. It’s my way of compiling a word-scrapbook of how indescribably much I love these little ones and the daily marvels they are.
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What a beautiful poem to dear Micah on her birthday! I love the structure of I remembered/ I forgot. I celebrate that final “I have never forgotten that!”
Love to Micah and Franna (Grandpa too) and big sister and Mom and Dad!
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