Cherry Tree Lane

I remember the days before movies at home. When I was a kid, it was a big deal to go see a movie. Every year around Christmas time we would get to see our favorite movies at home on television. It's a Wonderful Life and the Wizard of Oz were holiday regulars. We would watch them on our black and white tv while we ate popcorn and apples.
when I was a teenager, the VCR happened. Now we could watch movies at home whenever we wanted to! There weren't a lot of options at first. We rented the movie Goonies many times. I remember walking around the TINY video rental store and being amazed that we could take any movie home with us. Our holiday movies changed to Goonies and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I'm sure we rented other movies, but those are the ones we gravitated back towards.
We started buying movies when they got a bit less expensive. Our book shelves that used to be full of books now shared their space with those big VHS tape cases. One movie that was watched a LOT was Mary Poppins.
My baby sister, fourteen years my younger, had a thing for Mary. She wanted that movie on all the time. It didn't matter if she was in the room or not. The movie would play 24/7 at our house it seemed. It could have been worse, she could have been adicted to Barney or PeeWee Herman instead of a really classy, creative, magical nanny that enabled children and brought families together.
I think about that movie often. It kind of worked its way into my brain since it was on all the time. This week, the phrase, "something's brewing at number 17 Cherry Tree Lane" has been going through my head a lot. Changes were in the air at our house.
Tuesday, my daughter went into labor with her first child. She was not due until November 21, so we were a bit less than prepared. We were both able to attend our college classes that day because she is a super trouper! We all went to bed around 11pm, I thought, and slept until she woke me at 2 am. We ended up at the hospital around 3:20 and my first adorable, sweet, wonderful grandson was born at 4:43 am Wednesday morning. Something was definitely brewing...
I remember when my daughter was born. She was my first and I had no idea what to expect. When she came out, I remember breaking down in tears. It was a huge mixture of relief (10 fingers, 10 toes), exhaustion, joy, and terror. I had a beautiful baby and I had no idea what I was doing!
My daughter let me be in the room when 'Teddy' was born. It was an amazing experience! I have had six children of my own, but I never got to see the action from those particular seats. wow. When they refer to it as the 'miracle of life'.....that doesn't even begin to describe it. It was an overwhelmingly wonderful and humbling experience. My faith in my Heavenly Father and his plan for us has been strengthened. His hand is very much at work with his children. Everything happens for a reason and by his design. Our bodies are amazing works of art.
I broke into tears when Teddy was born too. It was a different kind of emotion from when my daughter was born, it was cushioned a bit by the fact that I am not the mommy this time. I get to sit back a bit and watch my daughter learn and grow her way into mommy-hood. She is an amazing woman and is going to be great! I am so glad she is doing it here in my home. I don't want to miss a thing! I'm trying to be the perfect 'husband' for her....but maybe that just means I'm being a good grandma? I kind of like this new role.... it feels good. Especially when I'm holding Teddy bear.
Cause I said so.