Baby Adam in his grandmother Carolyn's arms

 For the past few days we've been on tenterhooks as our granddaughter Caitlin, two weeks overdue with baby Adam, was in labor.

Although Caitie, a third-year med student at KU in Kansas City, is tied into the best midwifery and medical science have to offer, she is simply a little, tiny person.  (Mom is almost 6′ tall, Dad is 6'3″, and brother is 6'5″–so go figure).

Nana here has been wringing her hands since learning of the pregnancy, unwilling to think of Caitie going through what I and her mom went through.

We were right to be concerned.  Baby Adam was born by C-section after 40+ hours of labor, which did not progress according to plan.

Jerry came home to find me weeping in the front yard into a glass of wine, sitting in my bird-watching chair.  At last news came from daughter #2 Martha that Caitie had been taken in for a C-section.

Then Kelly called an hour later, having received a text message from Carolyn, Caitie's mom, that baby Adam “is here”.  Kelly was super proud to be the one that announced the news, having quizzed me hourly for the past three weeks, “Is he here yet?”

Martha asked me, “You ready to be a great-grandma?”

Resoundingly, joyfully, YES!!!!!

How blessed are we to see our children, and our children's children, and our children's children's children, soon to be standing strong and tall around our table like young olive trees.

So, welcome to the world, Adam Lee Linscheid, 8 pounds, 3 ounces with a full head of red hair! 

Nana, Bapu, and Great-Aunt Kelly (at 27 yet!)