Rochelle

Two years ago this month we suddenly and shockingly lost a dear family member, felled by a brain tumor no one knew existed. It is still hard to accept that she is gone. It seems impossible that such a vibrant and radiant person could pass away.

Rochelle was only 36 years old. She was the wife of my cousin Kevin, and the mother of three little girls named Teagan, Rileigh, and Destiny. This photo of her with the two oldest girls was taken at a family Easter gathering in May 2000.

Among her many other talents and interests, Rochelle was an astrologer. It shouldn't surprise anyone that I am not a believer in astrology, but I was still very pleased to receive a thoughtful astrological prediction from Rochelle just four days after Isaac was born.

She sent this email to me in her typical purple type:

Congratulations and welcome to the world, baby Isaac! It sounds as if your labor was smooth and trouble-free, and I salute you! What a rite of passage, eh? Welcome to parenthood, Craig and Nicole.

I, of course, cannot resist doing babies' charts when I am given their exact birth information. Little Izzy was born with the sun in Virgo, with a Gemini rising and a Libra moon. Without getting into too much detail, his chart bears a preponderance of mental and intellectual capability. He has been gifted with a great analytical and practical mentality with an innate awareness of intellectual matters. His common sense will be strong, and he will possess a keen, alert and expressive mind.

Of course, this is information I get from the chart, but my own "common sense" could have predicted this just from the great pool of intellectual DNA you two have passed on! Isn't it interesting how it all correlates?

Please know that I am available for any help or advice on any baby/parent related matters, including just a listening ear when things get rough. All our love to the three of you!

So did this lovely prediction come straight from the stars, or is it based on "common sense"? Do you think she emphasized Isaac's "intellectual capability" because she knew it would please me? (It did; she was a wise woman.) I never asked her. All I know is that reading it now makes me think of her and smile, and for that I am grateful.