It’s been an intense weekend.

Friday, in the wee hours, I joined my son, daughter in love, and her mother in welcoming our newest family member. Seeing a baby being born is always an amazing miracle. I’ve seen thousands of deliveries, working as an L&D nurse.

Getting to be present as my grandson took his first breathe was amazing. Words cannot adequately describe the feelings that rushed through me as he entered the world.

I also saw my son transform into a father, a beautiful instantaneous moment of intense love and gratification. My little boy had grown into a wonderful, caring man, and now, a father of a son. My grandson.

I watched my daughter in love do what millions of women have done over generations …she had natural labor, with no medication. She and my son worked together, in peace and calm and love, to bring new life into the world. It’s always an awesome sight – even more so as a family.

I went home hours after the birth, exhausted but joyful.

Friday was all about new life, and appreciating the miracle of birth.

Saturday was a different day altogether.

I loaded my exhausted son into my car and drove him over an hour to a dear friends house. My son had a photo shoot to do, and he was determined to get it done, despite having a barely 1 day old son, and the sheer exhaustion of two days with no sleep.

As he slept in the passengers seat on the drive south, I recalled the day in December when my daughter in love suggested he do a photo shoot for my friend.

One of my best friends that I met as a nurse in 2001 has been stricken with ALS. A vivacious, strong woman of God, the disease is slowly working its way through her.

We arrived at her house on a beautiful, sunny day. My son and I unloaded his photography equipment, and entered her house.

Inside, her husband, kids, their spouses, and her grandson were there. My friend was brought out in her wheelchair, looking lovely as ever.

My son spent time indoors and out taking an amazing portrait collection of her beautiful family. The love in the room was palpable. This beloved matriarch was celebrated, loved, and captured on film.

I’ll never stop praying for a miracle- but each time I see her, a little more of her is gone. We finished the shoot, hugged my friend, told her we loved her, and got in the car to leave.

And I wept. And wept.

In the span of 31 hours I witnessed new life.

I saw a beloved friends life ebbing away.

Such is life. I have 18 years of laughter, camaraderie, friendship, and tears with my friend. I want 18 more…and more.

I have had a handful of days with my beloved newest grandson. A lifetime of love stretches ahead of him

James 4:14 (NKJV) says “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.“

Life is precious. In this intense weekend, I was reminded of this.

Cherish every day.