The Seventh Daughter

Hey, he made it!
This takes me back a piece, and I am sure most of the older set has heard this story, but for the benefit of the younger ones, here goes. One Saturday, way back when, the door bell rang at our home on Alvy Street in Anaheim, California. A young man stood on the other side and asked if
Dawn was home. I had to tell him, no, she was on an overnighter with the
Single Adults and wouldn't be home for another hour or so, her Dad and I were to pick her up at the Stake Center. I asked if he would care to wait and go with us. He didn't seem to hesitate, but said he would like to.
I hadn't met the young man before, so we made the proper introductions and he came in and spent a very pleasant hour or so visiting with Jay and I. When it was time to go pick Dawn up, we all had to laugh, just a little, wondering just what her reaction would be to see us all show up in one car to meet her?
Well, the look she gave us as the bus drove into the Parking Lot was worth the price of admission. If there had of been any, that is! I guess she questioned how we could have 'catured' this young man. After all she had just met him a few days ago herself.
Well, we gathered up her things and made the short drive back to the house. While Dawn cleaned up, and I finished getting our dinner ready, Gregory Webb Slane and Jay Ford Rosenberg did, what ever it was, and is, that men do when they are waiting for 'women'! I believe everyone enjoyed the meal, or at least I didn't hear any complaints. I am not really clear as to what happened after that. I suppose the two 'young people' went out for a ride or something. Not important to this particular story, one way of the other.
The next day, Sunday, Gregory Webb Slane came to the house again. This time he was expected. Dawn was playing an Organ/Piano Duet with one of the young Return Missionaries for our Sacrament Meeting. Greg had come to hear Dawn play the Piano portion of "Exodus". It was a great Sacrament Meeting. What stands out in my mind is not what was said, or the Music, no, what stands out was Greg, and his enjoying the children that sat in front of us. It was during our waiting for the Meeting to begin that Greg told me he was going to have 7 daughters. I had to question if his wife might have the same thoughts? As he had not found her yet, he wasn't sure, but he planned on having 7 girls. His parents had only boys, so he felt, girls were in his future. Now, how he came up with the number 7, I have no idea.
As time, and our story continues, of course Greg and Dawn got married. They only had 3 girls however. Keara was nice enough to add two daughters, only they have 'grand' preceeding the daughter. Then Nemiha was good enough to slip in another which made the number thing begin to take on some real serious fact. Wouldn't you just know it, Shayla did her part. Her first born was a girl too. That would fill the number out. Three daughters and 4 grand daughters. What a happy man!.
In telling this story I certainly wouldn't want to leave the impression that Greg does not think the world and all of his 'boys'. Any one who has been around Greg as a Dad or a Grand Dad knows he is not partial. The 'boys' are a sheer delight, all their own. It was just that Greg did not, in any way, envision 'boys' in his future. What a great joy and surprise he has had with the young men that have graced his family.
In case you were really keeping count, Greg has 1 son, 3 sons-in-laws and 4 grand sons. Which means the boys to date do out number the girls by l.
Now I don't think in the least that bothers Greg. A Super Dad and just about the bestest Grand Dad any kid could have, he is happy with the numbers - any, and all of them that is!
Now a side light of this tale. It makes me just about the happiest of Grand Mothers and Great Grand Mothers around these parts by the name of Rosenberg. Just a tiny speck in the making of this grand aray of a family. I'll happily take my place, and appreciate the opportunity that is mine to love and claim them all. Big, medium, small or otherwise. They are all pretty darn special to me.
As Latter-day Saints we preach that Families Are Forever, and as the Scriptures testify - one is truly blessed when they have a 'quiver full'. The number I have tagged onto my Family Tree may not be as large as some, but they are each one numbered, listed and loved to the max. This is Labor Day Week-end and the Seventh Daughter was blessed by her Father and given her name and blessing. I couldn't be present, but my heart was there, and I am so thrilled to have seen the pictures of the family who were able to be there. The most important ones, of course.
Another page in the journal of my life and times. What a joy to share with those whom I love and appreciate.

Written this 6th day of September 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg