The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Rock-A-Bye #13

Dessa Rodeffer-Quill Publisher-Owner

22 September 2004

In the midst of the busy month of September came another grandbaby, born in the wee hours Monday at a northern Colorado hospital September 20th.

My daughter Darci and her husband Dan Ericson, have named the 7 lbs. 6 oz girl, "Gracie Elizabeth".

I went to Oak Lane Nursing & Rehab to explain to my mother that she now has 21 great grandchildren and that Darci is a mom. Mother just smiled and hummed in her relaxed sort of way.

I told mother that my plane tickets are purchased, and I will soon be singing "Rock A Bye Baby" to my 13th grandchild as she always did for me. I can hardly wait.

My mom was the best mom and grandma in the whole world ~ at least that is how I view her. She didn't neglect home, husband, or job, and still always had time to care for the children or babies in the house.

And now she smiles, and hums, as if she still recalls how wonderful it is to hold those babies. I think it is something you just don't forget.

Mom was always there throughout every birthing, but I haven't been lucky enough to make it to one of my grandchildren's birth, mostly due to distance, and three due to early delivery surprises.

But, as soon as I could get there, I was.

This is the time I wish my children all lived at my back door, and the only job I had was doing things with my grandkids, loving and spoiling them a little, just like mom, and my grandma did. It's a good tradition.