Our first Grandaughter, Gillian Alanna Corkum, was born on her due date, January 21, 2010, at 7:55 pm. She weighed 9 lbs, 10 ozs and is healthy and beautiful. Her parents, Colin & Jennifer, are calm, cool, and collected for first-time parents and we are so proud of them.

Wayne and I have decided that if each blessing we've received in our lives was worth $1, then we are multi-millionaires! I can't think of anything that compares to holding a new baby and inhaling that wonderful smell that only new life seems to have. You can stare at a new baby in the same way you stare at a bonfire or an aquarium filled with colourful fish...an hour can go by without realizing it.

We were so anxious to have grandchildren and I think it was because we loved our own children so much that we wanted to experience the extension of them, without the responsibility of parenthood. When Ty was born we were, and still are, in awe of him. Each time I see him I am instantly transported back to a different time--when his Father was that age and I can see Tim in my mind's eye. It's a comforting feeling and just when I'm able to focus on one point in time, Ty changes again.

This new Angel is my own answer to a prayer for a Grandaughter. I had brothers and sons and longed to have female in my life that I could grow and have a special bond with. Prayers clearly are answered because there's another special Angel arriving end-Mar--Ty is getting a baby sister! I've fulfilled one wish by shopping for pink things and both little girls already have a dolly and baby stroller just waiting for them to race it up and down the hallway, laughing together and probably fighting for each other's toy.

Oh yes, blessing come in bunches and we've received our fair share and more.

Day 101-Thurs, 9 Apr 09 - daytona Beach

It was a gorgeous day here and we spent all of it enjoying the sun. I think I got out of my pjs at 8 am and was on the baloney for a bit before setting up downstairs on the pool patio by 8:45. We packed up and came inside for a shower and supper at 4 pm.It's unusual for the wind not to be blowing here so sitting on the beach means there is a fine layer of sand always shifting across the ground. I always think that if Wayne fell asleep early enough in the day, he'd get completely buried. The sand is so fine that it gets in everything hence no photos as it's a sure way to totally wreck a camera. I sometimes take the little point-and-shoot one in my bag but it always stays inside the case when I don't use it. The pool patio tends to be filled with people just laying in the sun and a bit quieter.It must be another spring break somewhere because there are a lot of families although I guess it might be Easter Break (when the hell do these kids go to school?) because the beach was crowded. It's fun to watch them build sand castles and this beach is so perfect for small kids as there's soft & hard packed sand and the water is shallow or forms little pools for them to play in. Wayne went for his walk and said on the way up the beach he watched a grampa and dad help this little guy dig a big hole and pile the sand up in the middle for a castle. On the way back, the kid had lost interest but the grownups were still totally engrossed in the building process.Did anyone get the big, orange, full moon last night? It was unbelieveable! There was a tiny bit of cloud cover so the combination of the moon on the water was beautiful. There's still a bit of cloud this morning (Fri) but it's supposed to burn off and hit the high 80s for the next 3 days. It must have been the effects of sitting out all day because we were both in bed, asleep by 9:30 last night. We didn't have the fan or air conditioning on so could hear the waves and it was a nice pacifier to put us right to sleep.If the hotel restaurant has turkey on Sunday, we'll probably do Easter dinner there. Sunday is 'pack-up' day and we'll spend some time hauling it out to the van in preparation for the trip home starting Monday morning. This has been another amazing winter, but it's time to come home.Until next time, love and hugs to all. xx