'til it happened to me

Our choir is working on some great music for a Gospel Arts Festival.  We are singing some old time "gospel" songs that most of us grew up singing - i.e - an arrangement of I'll Fly Away that includes When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.


I've loved it. 


Sometimes I get called down a bit because sometimes I sing too loud.  I remember that one of my brothers said to my mother once -"mom, if you didn't sing so loud no one could hear you" and she has always taken that teasing in stride.  She tells us that once she had a beautiful voice and I know that she was the president of the Glee Club on High School.  She also has always said that she stopped being able to sing when daddy was in the Pacific and "if you don't use it, you lose it" - or so she said.


But I digress.


One of the songs we are singing features our soprano choral scholar, Brianna.  The choir is her back up group as she belts out '' I didn't know it was true, until it happened to me".  The song references that once we turn out lives over to God, there is a change.


Anyway


Just a few days after Mother's Day in 1971 I paid a visit to a local physician - who confirmed what I suspected.


I was pregnant.


I remember I said "Is it fun to have a baby?"


I know - weird question.


But I've always remembered his reply.


"It's exciting."


Who knew?  Not me.


I didn't know that it's true - until it happened to me.


With the birth of each of my children I became more convinced that yes, it was exciting and yes, it was fun and ye,s it was painful.


And then Renee gave me a list of things to purchase from the Johnson & Johnson company store - baby powder, baby shampoo, baby wipes -- a name for your first grandchild to call you.


I had heard - it's great to be a grandmother.


But guess what - I know it's true - because it happened to me.


7 times - but who's counting?