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I HAVE A DAUGHTER who completes her third decade of life tomorrow. Hers is a life that began at 1:23 pm on a Friday the thirteenth. While it wasn't the 7:09 pm (am would have worked as well) on 7-9-79 with a weight of 7 lbs, 9 oz I was secretly anticipating, the thrill of hearing the words "You have a daughter!" was more than enough to compensate for any and every variation.

As I labored away in the birthing room of the hospital, I focused intently on a peace lily plant which sat nearby on a table. If things don't get any worse than this, I thought, I'll be okay. I studied the flower and the form of the lily. Of course the pains intensified. Well, just so long as they don't get any worse than this, everything will be alright. They got worse, indeed. But still I focused on the lily. Okay, this...this I think I can take. Just please, please...no more than this.   Ultimately, after the pain grew, oh, wildly worse,  out slipped my lovely baby.

I forgot about the pain. I forgot about the lily.


Later I discovered, all unawares, we'd actually named our daughter Lily (It's the Hebrew meaning of her name.  Close enough!)  I got my fascinating coincidence without those nines and sevens!






This evening we celebrated the three decades, the thirty years, the birthday (Fruit pizza being the traditional stand-in for this particular birthday cake) And, we celebrated the fact that my daughter will be celebrating a birthing day of her own come November!

Hmm...perhaps 11-09-09 or 11-11-09.  At 11:09, of course.

Happy Birthday, dear Suzy-Q!

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