Our daughter-in-law, Sarah, is in labor even as I type this. She’s about to bring a baby boy into the world. A baby boy to carry on the name, which shouldn’t matter really, as we have a granddaughter who certainly seems to be carrying on the Irish stubbornness just fine. But all new babies are assurance that life continues, that we won’t be forgotten soon, anyway, that our name will be remembered.

We can’t be there because work is here, the trip expensive, and another trip back to Texas later this year already planned. It hurts, not being there for Sean and Sarah. Prayer will have to suffice.

I know Paul is thinking of his own dad, Paul Sr., gone several years now. I never knew him, but I love the sparkle in Paul’s eyes when he talks about his dad. A big man, first generation Irish-American, a tough Southie boyo who grew into a devoted husband and father, and made a success of his life. He taught his sons sarcasm, faith, fidelity, work ethic, and to maintain a sense of humor.

Hopefully up in heaven, Paul and Mary are looking down, two tough-but-loving angels watching over the new boyo and his mum.

Together Paul and his late first wife, Jackie, raised her two children and added two boys. Paul is as good a father, as devoted a husband as one can find in the world; it’s his youngest, Sean, who waits to meet his son today.

It’s in Sean I see the child who inherited the most from Paul. His is the quieter nature, the deeper thinker, the gentler heart beneath an outer shell. It’s interesting (to me) that both Sean and Paul are Friday’s Child, loving and giving, which is a form of grace, too.

Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace;
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go;
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for its living;
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

Welcome, Tuesday’s Child. My wish for you is the inheritance of Tuesday grace, the grace of your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and that you will come to know the grace of the Father of all. I can’t wait to meet you!