I'm a grandpa . . . for the first, and the third time.

So, I am a grandpa. For the first time . . . and for the third time.

Let me explain.

I already had two grandkids. Joshua, now in his 20s, and Lela, 6, are what I call grandchildren born in my heart. They came to us through marriage from our daughter-in-law and son-in-law, respectively.

But there are ties and bonds of love that will last or eternity, nonetheless. My wife feels the same way -- and that is how we will treat them, now and, well, forever.

This past Friday, though, my daughter gave birth to Gabriel Idal Mims-Tchoundjo. Gabe came about six weeks early, so he will be in the Neo-natal ICU for several more weeks. But the prognosis is excellent: he is active, alert, breathing on his own, gaining weight (born at 3 pounds, 3 ounces) and strength daily.

On Saturday, my wife Barbara and I were able to "Skype" with the proud mom and dad from their hospital in Baltimore to the proud grandparents (us) in Salt Lake City.

It was about a half an hour of watching Gabe thrash around, dine on pumped breast milk from Brenda (thank goodness, the pumping was not part of this "live" broadcast!), and respond to his mother's and father's caresses.

Gave me a totally new feeling of . . . completeness. It's a father-daughter thing, I suspect. And it wasn't just about the survival imperative, i.e. DNA being passed on to forge ahead in Time.

 

 It was, more I think, seeing her happy with her own family, and watching how tender and attentive my son-in-law was to her and his son.

 

 Think of the last time we smiled seeing a mother, father and infant huddled together in a mall, airport, train, bus, etc. There was just something "right" about it all . . . then multiply that feeling 100 times.

Sort of like that.