Thank You. Amen.

All of us who are mothers begin praying the moment a child is born. Whether it is to God (as I do), or to Allah, or to the universe, or to the unknown forces of nature, we ask blessings for our beloved one.

Let this child be healthy. Let this child be happy. Let this child be kind. Let this child be loved.

Let this child find someone with whom a life can be shared fully and joyfully. Please.

Allow me to introduce Lovely Girl #3, the answer to decades of this mother's prayers. 

Saturday morning it was Boy#3's turn to call and say the magic words--"LG#3 is here with me." Those have been the key opening phrase when each of the Boys have called to let us know they've become engaged, and in each case I believe I've screamed and cried and laughed. 

I had prayed so hard for this moment.

This Lovely Girl and Boy#3 had met during the pandemic so getting to know each other was not easy. Between social distancing and not living in the same city, their courtship was one that developed over time and space. They discovered they both loved travel and board games and cooking, and, eventually, each other. 

Husband and I met her as shut-down restrictions were easing but that meeting was in a park followed by masked ordering of ice cream eaten outside. And still, we drove away grinning from ear to ear. They were so clearly The One the other had been meant to find. 

But there was still one hurdle left. 

Our family is not for the faint of heart. We are loud and competitive, opinionated and unreasonably fond of puns. I admit that I was nervous before we made plans for an all-family Christmas last year. LG#3 is much like me in that she needs solitude to recharge. Would we be too much for her?

I shouldn't have worried. She may not be as noisy as many  all of the rest of us, but she's strong and compassionate and loving. She's smart and funny and thoughtful, and matches us toe-to-toe on competitiveness. She sees what needs to be done, and quietly does it. 

And she loves my son.

As I hugged her before she got in the car to leave, I whispered to her that I hoped she'd be back soon. I don't remember my exact phrasing, but I told her I felt like we'd been saving a place for her for so long and she had finally arrived. 

So when she and Three called Saturday to let us know they were engaged and are planning to be married in June or July next year, I screamed and cried and laughed. 

I had been praying for her since he was born. 

Thank You. Amen.