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ALL MY BABIES

by Eve Gaddy

I was thinking about babies today.  What made me think about babies was not my three-year-old, adorable, identical twin granddaughters, as you might imagine.  I’m having to realize they’re not babies any longer.

They are little kids!  However, they are still my babies.  But I digress.

I saw one of my plants that my husband had just whacked back to nothing to encourage it to grow.  Poor thing is nothing but stalks with a few leaves, at least for now.  And it dawned on me that it is one of my babies.  This houseplant, an angel wing begonia, is over thirty-five years old.  My husband and I bought it when we were first married and living in Dallas, Texas.  When we moved across country to Utah a few years later, we gave it to my mom and grandmother to keep for us.  Luckily they both had green thumbs and it continued to grow and prosper.  We had new plants from the cuttings through the years, but the main one stayed with my mom.  When we finally moved into a house where we had room to grow it, we took it back.  (Not easily.  Mom had to move to a retirement home or I doubt she’d have ever given it back.) I love that plant.  And don’t worry, it will grow back full and beautiful, I promise.  I’ll post pictures when it does.

 

I have another plant I love.  A braided ficus that’s over twenty years old.  Alas, I’m the only person who loves my poor baby.  It sits by my back door and according to my daughter, son-in-law, son, and husband, is very much in the way.  My daughter tells me that (loudly) every time she comes over.  So does everyone else.  Well, my father-in-law doesn’t but I’ve seen him bat at it when he thinks I’m not looking.  Nevertheless, there it sits and there it will remain.

 

I’m blessed to have wonderful human babies.  My kids and grandkids are my heart.  I never understood my mother maintaining I would always be her baby until my daughter and son grew up.  Doesn’t matter how old they are, they’re my babies.  I’m betting that goes double for grandbabies.

 

Let’s not forget furry babies.  All the animals I’ve ever had are my babies.  My Golden Retriever, Maverick, is convinced he’s my third child.  He’s also convinced he’s a puppy, even though he’s now eleven.  And he’s certain he’s a lap dog even though he weighs eighty pounds.

 

Now we come to my books.  Yes, every book I’ve written is my baby.  Most of them were not easy to write, and definitely had their joys and sorrows in the creating.  I did have one authors call a “gift book”.  The whole book, from start to finish, flowed out of my fingers like manna from heaven.  I’ve never experienced that before or since.  I want another one of those!

 

I love all my book babies and usually the one I’m currently working on is my favorite.  But some are extra special.  Fully Engaged is one of those books.  I loved writing and especially researching that book.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Today ONLY, Eve Gaddy’s FULLY ENGAGED is $1.99 at Amazon Kindle! Click the cover to preview.

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