McKenna

How is it possible that I have let an over a week go by without talking about the lovely McKenna Maria?

Let's back track a bit - three years ago one of my very dearest friends married one of our best friends. They both have become rocks on our lives - people we rely on for advice and perspective. They were there when we brought Addison home from the hospital and they were there when we slammed the door on the U-Haul and moved to Cincinnati. In short, they are a huge part of our lives.

Keelin and I met in 2003 while both working at a southside elementary school in Chicago. I was the green behind the ears social work intern and she was the most amazing kindergarten teacher I had ever encountered. She was kind and firm, creative and insightful. She spent her days crouched down to the eye level of five year olds. Through out our time working together she kept me entertained with hysterical stories and educated me about the amazing resilience of children. We started hanging out after work - catching dinners and drinks, inviting each other to parties. Karen and I thought she should meet our friend Berto from our Loyola days, because if nothing else the story of their fling would entertain us.

Berto and I met somewhere in the mess that was our freshman year at Loyola. He and Andy were friends well before Andy and I even knew each other existed. They both had horrid roommates, but a fun floor and quickly found each other as they escaped the persons with whom they were assigned to live. In the years that followed they shared an on-campus apartment and Berto became a fixture on Andy's off-campus apartment's couch. We went on Spring Breaks together, proudly used our ids to get into bars before we were old enough, shared retreat experiences. After we graduated LUC we hung together pretty much constantly - late night talks on the porch of my volunteer position, Thursdays at Sports Corner, trips to Indianapolis to see friends, New Years Eve parties where they boys entertained everyone with their costumes and antics. In the past decade and a half we've been through everything together - the good, the bad and the ridiculous.

Keelin and Berto met - nothing clicked. They met again - he bought her McDonald's. The rest is history - three years ago today they married - Andy and I stood up in their wedding. Twelve days ago, they welcomed baby McKenna into our fold. These are two people who are meant to be parents- they are both kind and thoughtful. They have amazing intuition, tons of patience and humorous perspectives. They are gentle and firm, know what they believe and are such a fabulous addition this wonderful club we call parenthood.

When McKenna was two days I got my hands on her - Andy scooped her up last week. She is tiny and pink. She seems to have Berto's eyebrows and Keelin's hair. She barely made a peep when I met her, just seemed to be taking in the world around her. Her parents are doing wonderfully, not that we ever doubted they wouldn't be...and I am dying to get my hands on her again.