Familiar

Grammy and Savvy on the Stewart Falls trail. Wish I could have been there...

I was on call yesterday. My friend Catherine was scheduled to be induced, but it had been a busy labor night and all beds were full. But after little Andrew went down for his nap, a bed opened up and I was over in a flash while excited parents bustled off to the hospital.

I worked away for a few hours, and then Andrew woke up. The little guy was quite disoriented... his mother was always there, every time he woke up, and now there was this strange woman he'd only seen at the swimming pool or at church. What up? He cried dramatically, with big crocodile tears. And who can blame him?

I tried my best to comfort him but quickly realized a bigger distraction was needed. So we headed outside to look for Mama. Then I mentioned that Grandpa and Grandma were on their way, that they were at the airport. Andrew said, in his little 2-year-old way, "Grandpa. Airplane. Thursday." I said, "Yes! Today is Thursday! Grandpa is coming today!"

We rode his scooter down to the corner and waited, checking out every single car that passed to see if it was Grandpa, and noticing all the buses and dogs and trees. Soon he was chattering away, until Aunt Susan's car turned the corner. And there, in the front seat, was Grandpa! with Grandma tucked safely away in the back.

Andrew exploded with joy. This kid. Even though he had found comfort and ease with me, he found a very welcome, familiar face. Family. Familiar. I love how they come from the same root. I love how good it feels to put on a familiar pair of old jeans, or to walk a familiar route in a chaotic scene, or to create a home. But there's nothing like family. Familiar family.

Sometime today Andrew will probably find the familiar face of his mom at the hospital. And he'll meet his new little brother, and that probably won't feel so familiar at first. But it will. Oh it will.