Welcome Mackenna (Born 6-9-2016)

Today we welcome Mackenna Eliza Flanigan to our world.

Welcome, Mackenna, to our very best.  Welcome to your first day of warm sunshine at the windows.  Welcome to smiling faces and calm voices and songs for dancing.

Later, we will take you to where wind twirls leaves on trees, where songbirds jump and stick to painted skies, where you can run through grass and jump just because you feel like jumping.

Welcome, Mackenna to a waxing crescent moon.  Welcome to warm blankets.  Welcome to long stem roses, puppies to join you, and all things that taste sweet.  Welcome to twenty-four hours in a day and sky-on-fire sunsets.  Welcome to bugs you hold in your hand.  Welcome to all the visible colors, all the long rivers, all the clear lakes, all that glitters, and all that does not.

Your mother and your father welcome you.

Your grandmothers welcome you.

A dozen Irish uncles with gruff voices and soft hearts welcome you.

Welcome, also, from all the aunties with sing-song names.

Welcome, welcome from all.

You, my dear, are the reason why we have been here since the beginning of time.

--Mitchell Hegman