Well, given my last 2 weeks, it would be hard for me to write about anything but the birth of my 3rd grandson, Brayden Tillman Swindle. I was honored to be asked by my oldest daughter, Jamie, to be present at the birth as I had been for my middle daughter Brittany for the birth of both of her sons!! The fact that Jamie lives 750 miles away in Atlanta, and was admitted to the hospital 2 weeks early for severe pre-eclampsia, made this simple request a bit challenging. 
I got the phone call from Jamie Wednesday night telling me that her doctor discovered she was at high risk for a condition that could lead to seizures and potential stroke, and that it was imperative she
be admitted to the hospital immediately and be induced asap. Needless to say, I had to scurry to find a last minute flight. I literally threw the clothes, that were on my bed from doing laundry from my last trip, into my suitcase and headed to the airport. Most importantly, I MADE IT IN TIME!!
I made it in time to see the everyday, ordinary occurrence of child birth. In fact, this Atlanta hospital alone delivers between 50 and 80 babies every day!! It's an event that has occurred since the beginning of time for years and years...and yet as any of you who have had the privilege to witness a birth well know, there is nothing ordinary about it at all!! Seeing the head emerge...witnessing my son in law announce the sex and cut the cord...seeing the joy on my daughters face when they put the baby on her chest. Absolutely nothing ordinary about any of it!! And even though I had witnessed births prior, being present for each birth made the ordinary extra ordinary!!
So, as I look for flights to fly home soon, I am hoping to take this message home with me (not that I plan on witnessing any more births anytime soon...exhausting !) but just challenging myself to see the extra ordinary in all the ordinariness of my everyday life. Challenging all of you as well, to stop and take in the changing leaves, the laughter of your child or grandchild, a sunset on the lake, or the hug of a friend. Challenging all of us to move through life a smidge more present, to see each thing in our worlds with a beginner's mind as if you had never experienced it before...to take it all in with the sense of wonder of a small child. Watch as life becomes a little more vibrant...and you find yourself so immersed in the present that you become less concerned about the past or the future. Challenging all of us to slow down...enjoy...and be more awed by our "now."
