From Shirley's Cottage

Br My Guest
Lu Ferron is about to be a grandma for the first time. When that happens you want to tell everyone what "you" have accomplished. I suggested that she write a guest column and she took me up on it. You go, grandma!

Grandmas In Training
Grandmas in training. That’s what my son-in-law’s mother and I are calling ourselves. And boot camp has been a real challenge for us thus far.
My daughter and her husband have been on a long road to parenthood. Becky is finally pregnant with twin boys. She and Mark scaled some high walls and braved some treacherous waters. Years of trying the "natural" way, their path was severely deviated when they found out in March of 2006 that they needed to look at alternative routes to parenthood.
Thanks to some remarkable doctors in Iowa City, and 2 unsuccessful tries at IVF, Becky and Mark finally had successful transfer of embryos in April.
I’ll forever treasure the phone call I received telling me of this success. I was in Portland, OR, visiting my son, Jon. Becky was going to be having the test on May third, so I was anticipating hearing from her. It was May second: Jon was at work so I drove up into Washington State to play tourist. I was at a spectacular Lilac Garden when my phone rang.
I answered "Hi Bec." Her reply was, "Hi Grandma." Oh, what a delight! Pure joy! I must have squealed because suddenly people around me were staring. I gleefully told them, "My daughter is PREGNANT!"
Then I asked Becky how she was, and whom I was permitted to share the news with. She responded, "Besides the entire state of Washington?" We laughed that laugh that only a mother and daughter can share. I walked on air the rest of the day
Becky was on bed rest for a while early due to some complications, but these babies were determined to stay and grow.
Then this week, the babies became "unsettled" and she was taken to the hospital in Davenport. She is doing okay for now. The boys are alive and well. Our hope is that they wait another five weeks before they are born.
My frustration is that I have been dealing with a virus, and cannot be there to help and just see my daughter. This is where patience is born and grows, I believe. I need to trust that Becky and Mark and the boys will be taken care of by others until I can get there.
With all this going on and as "Grandmas in Training", comfort food comes to mind. Beef stew, pumpkin pie, warm apple muffins, served with apple butter. Here’s a recipe for the muffins. Enjoy!
Apple and Pecans Muffins with cream cheese centers
1 ½ cups unbleached flour
1 t each of baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla
1 ½ cups peeled diced apples
½ cup chopped pecans
1/4 t ground cloves
1 large egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 t vinegar and milk)
1 ½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes
Blend together flour, soda, apples, pecans , salt and spices
In a medium bowl, beat egg until foamy.
Then beat in milk, sugar, oil and vanilla
Combine wet and dry ingredients until dry ingredients are just moistened
Fill muffin (greased or with baking cups) cups ½ full.
Place one cube of cream cheese in center of each muffin, and fill to 3/4 full
Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees
May be served warm or cooled. Yummy with apple butter!
Thanks Lu. You done good!