Celebrations of Life
Yesterday we welcomed the arrival of Kendall Emilie Ingram, who was born at 11:02 AM in Newport Beach, weighing in at 7 lbs., 8 oz. and measuring 20.5 inches long, with dark hair and a strong set of lungs. She is petite compared to her brother, Keegan, who was well over 9 lbs. at birth, and she's absolutely gorgeous. Gary and I were delighted to be at the hospital with Cory and Emilie, along with Emilie's mom, Denise, and Kendall's big brother, Keegan. Three year-old Keegan announced to everyone in the hospital who would listen, "I have a new baby sister and she's very tiny!" We celebrated with lots of love. Unfortunately, in my haste to get to the hospital, I forgot my camera - but I have several photos in my cell phone to post, if I can figure out how to get them downloaded to the computer! Today Emilie was feeling much better, recovering from her c-section. Keegan spent most of the day with Mommy, Daddy and Kendall at the hospital. It's truly a miracle to welcome a new life to the planet.
The circle of life is moving steadily in my family. My wonderful, revered aunt, Carla MacNair, passed away on Thursday night. I have always called her "Auntie Carla" and I think that's because she was always sweet, serene, happy and graceful. She wasn't just an "aunt" - which sounded like an insect to me. She was the only one of eight aunts that my brother and I called "Auntie." She reminded me of Grace Kelly, always elegant, kind, gracious and beautiful. There was a twinkle in her eyes when she laughed. Her husband, my "Uncle Cy" (Cyrus - my mother's brother), whom Auntie Carla and everyone outside his immediate family called "Dick," because his middle name was Richard, was her Prince Charming, just like Princess Grace's Rainier of Monaco. Prince Dick of Arcadia and Monarch Beach was a California school teacher and principal, then a state education administrator in Hawaii and California and finally a dean at Pepperdine University before retiring. They raised two beautiful daughters, traveled, played tennis and actively served their community in South Orange County. Auntie Carla took great pleasure in gardening, something she shared with her late mother-in-law, my beloved grandmother, Alta.
On Thursday afternoon, Carla fell in her garden, was taken by paramedics to the hospital and died later of a stroke. It was a paradoxical passage - sudden and sad, but also a lovely and graceful, especially for someone who was in the beginning stages of brain disfunction. My cousin told me Carla had just had her pretty blonde hair styled that morning. And the day before, she had returned from four days in San Diego with her husband, daughter and son-in-law. Her death was swift and noble - a fitting end of life for my dear auntie - a gentle, intelligent woman I have always admired.
I feel the shock and loss that everyone in our family is feeling about Carla. My cousins didn't tell me about her death yesterday because they knew that Gary and I were welcoming our granddaughter. Today I celebrate and give thanks for the exquisite birth of Kendall, and for the peaceful death of Carla - two magical females who are leaving indelible imprints on my life, and who will live forever in my grateful soul.
The circle of life is moving steadily in my family. My wonderful, revered aunt, Carla MacNair, passed away on Thursday night. I have always called her "Auntie Carla" and I think that's because she was always sweet, serene, happy and graceful. She wasn't just an "aunt" - which sounded like an insect to me. She was the only one of eight aunts that my brother and I called "Auntie." She reminded me of Grace Kelly, always elegant, kind, gracious and beautiful. There was a twinkle in her eyes when she laughed. Her husband, my "Uncle Cy" (Cyrus - my mother's brother), whom Auntie Carla and everyone outside his immediate family called "Dick," because his middle name was Richard, was her Prince Charming, just like Princess Grace's Rainier of Monaco. Prince Dick of Arcadia and Monarch Beach was a California school teacher and principal, then a state education administrator in Hawaii and California and finally a dean at Pepperdine University before retiring. They raised two beautiful daughters, traveled, played tennis and actively served their community in South Orange County. Auntie Carla took great pleasure in gardening, something she shared with her late mother-in-law, my beloved grandmother, Alta.
On Thursday afternoon, Carla fell in her garden, was taken by paramedics to the hospital and died later of a stroke. It was a paradoxical passage - sudden and sad, but also a lovely and graceful, especially for someone who was in the beginning stages of brain disfunction. My cousin told me Carla had just had her pretty blonde hair styled that morning. And the day before, she had returned from four days in San Diego with her husband, daughter and son-in-law. Her death was swift and noble - a fitting end of life for my dear auntie - a gentle, intelligent woman I have always admired.
I feel the shock and loss that everyone in our family is feeling about Carla. My cousins didn't tell me about her death yesterday because they knew that Gary and I were welcoming our granddaughter. Today I celebrate and give thanks for the exquisite birth of Kendall, and for the peaceful death of Carla - two magical females who are leaving indelible imprints on my life, and who will live forever in my grateful soul.
posted by Shannon Ingram | 8:35 PM
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