Thirty-two years ago we bought a chair.

We were living in Pittsburgh at the time.  One of us was in the middle of grad school.  The other – that would be me – was waitressing to support a family of three.

We lived, well, frugally.

And, we had a wee baby between years of grad school.  Doesn’t everyone?

When our blond fluff girl was born, we received monetary gifts.  

We decided that what our household needed was a rocking chair to rock our babies and save our backs.

We went to JCPenny and bought (what felt to us) a Cadillac rocker.  As we spent money inspired by Rachel, we agreed that when the time came for her to be rocking a wee one, it would be in that rocker.

The rocking chair left my house on Sunday.

Rachel is due to give birth to her first-born boy child in mid April.  She is nesting.  It is time.

But I have to tell you, my eyes were not dry as that rocker got carried out of my home.

For thirty two years that rocker has borne witness to my core identity:  Mother.

It now bears witness to a blessed evolution.  

She who nested in my body and arms is now mother and I, I am a mother of the grand variety.

In the grace of his home, I will rock my grandson.

In the chair we bought so long ago.