The Supreme Gift of Marriage (Welcome, Princesa!)

Here's what the Catholic Church teaches about the sacramental nature of marriage:

Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the begetting and education of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute very substantially to the welfare of their parents (Vatican II).

It couldn't be more clear that the primary purpose of marriage is to bring children into the world, and to raise these children--who are a gift from God: the supreme gift!--to become future saints.  That's not to say that new life is the only purpose of marriage; spouses are also called to help each other grow in holiness, and to be a light for Christ in the world.  But the supreme gift of marriage is not the earthly happiness that comes from being madly in love and going through life with your perfect "soul mate" (as wonderful as those aspects are); the supreme gift of marriage is children created from that love--created in God's image and likeness.

Our middle son and his wife Preciosa have answered a hearty "We will!" to the question of whether or not they would accept children lovingly and willingly from God.  Married in December of 2013, they welcomed their bright-eyed, round-cheeked, funny, spunky, sweet, and adorable G-Man (who is all boy, let me tell you!), into the world only 10 months after they exchanged their wedding vows.  And on Saturday, G-Man (now 16 months old) became a big brother to a stunningly beautiful baby sister, whom I've decided to call "Princesa" here at the blog.

Grammy's being a bit biased, you say?  "Stunningly gorgeous--are newborn babies ever stunningly gorgeous?"  Ummm...yes, yes they are.  This mild-mannered little lady (who came into the world a good deal smaller than her big brother and thanks be to God, gave her mommy a much shorter and less painful birth experience) has the tiniest face, with the tiniest, most perfectly proportioned features.  She looks like a porcelain doll come to life, she really does.

But why tell you when I can show you?

The hospital provided the hat, with the bow added for the

little girl babies.  Don't you love it?!

Preciosa is glowingly happy, totally in love with her

new daughter.  (Her new favorite hashtag: #2under2.)

Daddy is besotted as well.

I hopped on a plane early in the morning, about the same time Princesa's mom and dad got checked into the hospital.  I two-legged it down to VA, and when I landed just before noon and took my phone off airplane mode, she'd already arrived.  I went straight over to son #3 and Preciosa's house to take over for son #4 and his wife Braveheart, who'd been babysitting for G-Man since dawn.  So I got to spend some time with my little buddy; then I was able to go over to the hospital that evening to meet my newest granddaughter when Preciosa's parents arrived from FL to take over.

A family of four now!

It was a whirlwind trip!  Sunday morning I went to an early Mass and then visited Princesa and her giddy parents at the hospital for a little bit, before heading to son #4's house for brunch and then back to the airport to catch my first flight north.  I ended up getting stuck in Atlanta for almost as many hours as I spent visiting down in VA (such is the life of a non-revenue stand-by traveler); but luckily, I did catch the last train out of Dodge last night, and was back home a couple of hours after midnight.

It was a lot of traveling for just a few precious moments of holding that wee angel and staring at her perfect little face.  Was it worth it?  You bet it was!

Preciosa is on cloud 9.  Her cup runneth over, she said more than once, with the birth of this second child.  I'd say mine does, too.