Two More Birthdays!

So. Guess whose birthday it is today?

The one. The only. The amazing LILLIAN ROSE MOON HARTMANN!  (Mother of Magnolia. Also Owen and Gibson.)
Yes indeed, the birthday week continues. 
It is also this fine man's birthday today. 

Obviously, September 27th is a very good day to be born. 

Now I wasn't at Vergil's birth. But I sure am glad he was born. He's so dear, that one. He is just the finest daddy and he's a loving husband and he works so very hard. Although our family is rather different than the one he grew up in, he has come to accept our crazy ways. He is always there for any of us who need help in any capacity. Strangely (or not?), in some ways he is much like Mr. Moon, capable of doing everything from carpentry to electric repairs to whatever-the-hell-it-is he does as an engineer, not afraid to take on anything, always eager to learn or do something new, family-centered, and very smart. I think Jessie chose wisely. We adore that man. We celebrate him. 

I was at Lily's birth. Oh yes. And I know I've told you about it so many times. It was such a gorgeous late September day, sky-blue and cool, and I labored in the bedroom that Glen and his daddy had built onto the house I was living in when Glen met me. Lily's birth was my shortest, but not my easiest. My dearest friends were with me and my wise and wonderful midwife, Erice. I reached the point quickly, however, that I would not have cared if my worst enemies and Count Dracula had the ones in attendance. I was in my own world but I did very much want my husband within touching distance at all times. 
And he was. 
Poor thing. He'd never witnessed a birth at all and here he was married to a woman who believed in home birth. But he trusted my opinion, he trusted my ability, he trusted my strength. 
Or at least he said he did. 
I won't go into details but I will say that after I gave birth to Lily, I felt as if my body could do anything. I'll never forget what it felt like when everyone had gone home or asleep and it was just me and Glen lying in our bed where our baby girl had just been born, with that precious child lying between us. We were beyond astounded. She looked like a two-month old child already, beautiful like a juicy ripe peach. We could not believe what we had made, that our love had led to this moment, to this bit of perfection. 
Believe it or not, this is what Lily looked like as a few-days old newborn. 

If you look carefully, you can that her umbilical cord stump is still attached. 

I will never forget that birth, that day. Not if I live to be a thousand. 

And here she is, all these years later, so very strong and so very beautiful, so determined to be the best mother she can be to her own children. And she is. 

I am still astounded and amazed at this child I gave birth to, now very much a woman. 

Here's another picture that I love. 

My girl and her girl. Things are not easy for Lily right now but with the support of Lauren and her family and her own innate strength, I know she is going to be okay. Better than okay. 

I saw her today at Publix because of course she was working. There is just something about hugging my Lily that is absolutely the best. She is so tall and she embraces me fully. I have never wanted my children to have to feel as if they need to mother me and I hope they don't but when Lily embraces me, I feel a comfort that is beyond words. 

Hank posted this today on FB. 

On September 27, 1985, I did some of the best work of my life. 

Another favorite picture. That's Gibson, right after he was born. 

Happy birthday, Lily. You are my darling girl and I love you to the stars and whatever lies beyond them. 

Always...Mama