What's in a Name?

My husband pointed out to me that my FIRST blog entry should have explained the name of my journal. Oops. Here's the story:

Back when I was young and naive, I was expecting our fourth child. We were attending a party at my in-laws' house, and the guests included long time friends of the family who were the proud parents of TWELVE children, most of whom were married with children of their own. Still, any time you'd ask this lovely Irish couple how many children they had, the husband would invariably say "Twelve....so far," with a knowing twinkle in his eye and a nudge to his wife, who would just smile and shake her head at him.

I was only about half-way through my pregnancy, but was already showing plenty. When she saw me, Mrs. Miggins exclaimed with joy over my condition and placed a tender hand on my belly. She asked me in her lovely, lilting Irish brogue: "Have you felt life yet?"

Now I've been asked many times over the years if I'd felt the baby moving, or if I'd experienced "quickening," and the like, but never before and never since have I been asked about my child's movements in such a beautiful way.

Had I felt life yet?

Any mother who, immediately after giving birth, watches her newborn baby wiggling his head around and kicking the air with his feet, recognizes those same movements from when the child was in her womb. They are signs that he is alive.

So, yes. I'd felt life. And it is the most wonderful feeling in the whole world.