Waiting for Lucy Elanor

Dear Faithful Family & Friends,

Today is the original due date for our first granddaughter, Lucy Elanor Stewart.  Yes, that is spelt exactly as Tolkein spells it, in “The Fellowship of the Rings.”  I am reading that work of literature for the first time and a few days ago I came across the word, elanor, the name of a flower.  Evidently, Elanor is also the name of the daughter of two Hobbits but I have not yet reached that part.

The days have gone swiftly by because our grandson, Benjamin, 2 & 1/2, has stayed with us for several days.  He was exposed to a virus and, in order to protect Haley and Lucy, we quarantined him until he developed and recovered from the virus.  While he was here, he amused me by some of the funny things he said.  Thank you for humoring me, by reading this, while I rest and recover from several days of Marmee Duty.

I took him to the John Deere Tractor Store and he saw all kinds of new and old tractors and attachments.  He saw the service men test-driving them, hauling them in, hauling them out, and repairing them.  They invited Benjamin to climb into the seat and “steer.”  He has told me this before but, after this “field trip,” with new admiration, he said, “Marmee really knows what little boys like!”  

Afterwards, he agreed that  “Looking at tractors makes a little guy really hungry!”  So, I told him we would go to Captain Pete’s Greek Restaurant and get a GYRO.  When we arrived, he walked in and said, “I want an ARROW.”

On another day, I came downstairs, after my morning shower and shampoo.  Benjamin said: “Marmee, your hair is kind of crazy but I love you, anyway!”  [Everyone in my family:  Stephen, Garrett, Haley, Daniel, and Benjamin has straight hair and I alone have curly/wavy hair.]

We have been watching the musical DVD, “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Sunrise, Sunset” has become one of his favorite lullabies.  He also enjoys “Matchmaker” and says, “When those girls sing about matches, they are not singing about making puzzles or fires.”

I told him a true story of his visit to Beech Mountain, NC, at our Summer Reunion, when he was only 18 months old.  I should mention that the three Blair sisters, Susan, Margot, and Amy, look very similar, each with short, curly/wavy hair and each wears glasses.  Before the trip, I rehearsed with Benjamin the names of the three sisters, using a photograph.

Here is the story that I told him:

“When you arrived at Beech Mountain, Aunt Susan was already there and she came out to greet you.  

We said, ‘Benjamin, who is this?’

And you said, ‘Aunt Susan.’  

We said, ‘Very good!  That is correct!’

Then, Aunt Amy arrived and came to greet you.

We said, ‘Benjamin, who is this?’

You said, ‘Aunt Susan.’

We said, ‘No, but that is close.’

An hour later,  Aunt Amy came into the room, and we said, ‘Benjamin, who is this?’

And you said, ‘That is Close!'”

When I told Benjamin that story, he immediately caught the humor, guffawed, and asked me to repeat it four times.  Then, he rehearsed it as he went down for a nap.

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I hope to have news soon of the birth of Lucy so keep checking!  And please pray for an uncomplicated labor and delivery and for safety, protection, and health for both Haley and Lucy.  Haley will be in a hospital setting and will have a midwife, Daniel, and a doula [me] assisting her.

Coram Deo,

Margot