By Jamie Rieger
From time to time, we all make wishes; things we hope for and we hope for the best, but plan for the worst because more often than not, those wishes completely elude us.
As my daughter's due date drew closer, I started with my wishes. The first one that baby Paige would arrive safely, with both her and mom healthy. The second wish was for winter to stay away, and more specifically, that Highway Three would be in good driving condition when I got the phone call that the baby was on her way.
How fortunate it was for this new grandma that I had both wishes come true. Baby Paige blessed us with her arrival, after a marathon session in the delivery room, on Tuesday. With a good headful of black hair and the chubbiest checks I have ever seen in a newborn, Paige is finally here! There truly is no more joyous occasion than the birth of a child. Mom, dad, and their beautiful bundle of perfection are all at home resting, with mom healing from her (eventual) C-section, in the comforts of their home. Wish Number One received with gratefulness!
Up until now, winter has pretty much eluded us as much as most of our wishes do and for that too, I am grateful. I was able to make numerous trips into Medicine Hat (one of them in the middle of the night which turned into a fruitless journey) before and after the arrival of the baby without having to worry about black ice, poor visibility, or bad winter drivers. For as much faith and trust I put in the Volker Stevin crews, they are only able to do so much when the roads turn nasty.
Now that the baby is home, winter has arrived. It almost seemed like Mother Nature let up until Baby Paige got here...even if she was fashionably late. Wish Number Two received and gratitude expressed!
As the snow swirls in the wind, creating drifts and bad roads, Carmen is surely nestling with baby, watching the winter from the warmth of her loving home. And, this grandma can be rest assured that her family is safe and sound.
I think I am done making wishes for the time being. I just went two for two on my recent ones and really could not ask for anything more than what I have been given. Besides, those wishes coming true are rare events indeed, and I have most likely run out of my allotment.