one less thing to worry about...

Well, the day has finally arrived...my kids can now say that they have an H family cousin.

This is what I was thinking about yesterday while I waited for the news to arrive (which it didn't until this morning):

I remember this topic when I was a kid:  Carrying on the family name.

Background:  My dad was the oldest child, followed by 4 girls and then one more boy.  My dad's 4 sisters all had children before he did.  So, there were lots of Grandchildren, but none to carry on the family  name.  So, when my dad became a parent it would have been cool to have a boy, right? to carry on the family name.  Didn't happen.  And then my some more girls were born and then my Uncle Dell had a child and it was a girl (hi, jessica).  So, no family name...My sister was born...still no family name.
Then a few more boys joined the family, including my brother.  Hallelujah. We got one kid to carry on the family name.  And then a couple of boys were born to Uncle Dell.  The Robison name will continue on.  And my brother was born near the end of the grandkid line to bring number of Robison grandson count to 4.  Out of 23 grandkids.
And now Lanny has single handedly taken it upon himself to keep the Robison grandson count at 4 for the next generation as well.  Good job, bro.

What this means to me is that unbeknownst on April 8, 1995...the pressure would be heavy on me and Rick to help carry on the H family name.  And, of course, child #1, Summer--a girl.  Child #2, Sierra--another girl.  It was starting to look like it might be the end of the H family name on this branch of the tree.  Then...finally Cole joined the family and there was much celebration.  The H would continue on.  I did my part.
But, that was only half of the story.  The red headedness needed to carry on, as well.  While I was trying to contribute my part of the recessive red head gene to the next generation, I think Rick was secretly doing everything he could to NOT contribute to another generation of red heads.  And, as you can see--no red heads in our little family.  (for which Rick is enormously grateful)

So, when Jon and Teresa announced that they were expecting, that took a lot of guilt off my shoulders for not producing a little freckle-faced, red-headed grandson.  Although, it looks like Cole is still the only little one to carry on the H family name so far...the prospect for a freckle-faced, red-headed granddaughter is looking really good.  Maybe Jon and Teresa will get it right next time around, but for now we have a H grandson, and a red-head granddaughter.  I'm not sure what to call Summer & Sierra (besides spoiled!)

Congrats, Jon & Teresa...Lily was born this morning weighing 8 lb. 15 ounces and is 22 inches long.   I hope that red fuzz doesn't fall out and she really is red!  (maybe she'll be athletic and coordinated so that she can carry on the athleticism in the family since Rick and I seemed to have not produced any world-class athletes in our procreating efforts)
pictures to come.