Ms V

Sugar and Virginia in 2011

        In the year 1903, my grandmother was born in West Bromwich, England. In 1914, her family emigrated to Canada, and in 1925 she married and moved to Buffalo, New York. In the year 2008, my daughter, Sarah, married John and they moved to Norwich, England. It was to be a stay of a few months while John worked on a fellowship with his law degree and Sarah did volunteer work and storytelling at the nearby libraries. When they returned to Georgia in the summer of 2009, Sarah and John had work experience, new stories, memories of a lifetime, pictures, and Sarah was with child!

        John and Sarah moved into my house while they both looked for jobs here in Georgia. Mike and I moved to his place in Flowery Branch so as to give the still-newlyweds some space and because it was possible to do so at the time. As the months went by, John found work and was continuing to look; Sarah began substitute teaching in the public schools while searching for full time employment. They also made the decision to have a home birth, researching all the options and contacting a midwife.

        Among the many preparations for the home birth, a kiddie pool was purchased – it would be set up in the master bedroom for Sarah to use during labor! When we were building the house in 1991 – never had we envisioned a kiddie pool in the master bedroom. This is why I could never have written fiction – real life is just so much more than anything my imagination could make up!

        On Sunday, December 6, 2009, I was at work at the lab with Mike. Amanda called and told me Sarah was in early labor! She would give me updates when they became available. I think this was around 2 in the afternoon, so I knew better than to expect hourly updates.

        Mike finished work before me and went to La Cazuela for a beer with Paul L. He told Paul that the baby was on the way, and he and Paul were shocked that I was at the lab calmly awaiting news instead of being obnoxious with grandmotherly entitlement. How about that - people passing judgement on me while my daughter is giving birth a few miles away!

        When the phone rang around 7:30pm, I thought it might be an update on Sarah’s labor, but I also knew it might be too soon for any real progress.

        Amanda’s excited voice said, “It’s a girl!”

        The baby had been born after just a few hours. Bodie assured me everyone was fine.

        Oh gosh! A grand-daughter! I would get to relive Sarah and Amanda’s childhoods all over again. Life is so good!

        The phone rang again. I think it was John this time – he said we were welcome to come over and visit! He said his parents were already on the way. Oh this was so much more than I could have ever hoped – after all they had been through that day, they were graciously opening their door so that one-hour old Virginia could meet her grandparents!

        Such a beautiful, emotional night!

Virginia summer of 2015

        A few months later Sarah began a full time job as librarian at the Lovett school. She and John and Virginia and the cats moved to an apartment in Atlanta. And Mike and I eventually moved back into this house. One afternoon John came by while I was cleaning and he said that he knew someday I will be selling this house – but it will always have a very special place in his heart because it is where his daughter was born.

        And so it is that 106 years after the birth of my great grandmother, Doris Elizabeth, in England, my grand-daughter, who was conceived in England was born in my bedroom. And today, another Sunday, Virginia Elizabeth turned 6 years old – and continues to be a joy to all!

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