Amazing Grace

The first time I visited little Grandma Davis with our newborn son she taught me her methods for producing the best milk possible for his nourishment:

Step 1 ~ Sit in a comfortable chair in a quiet place. Grandma took me into her tiny sitting room, which could be divided from her living room with a curtain (and which she used for her bedroom at night) and had me sit in her big, soft rocking chair.

Step 2 ~ Listen to quiet, soothing, beautiful music. Grandma put on her favorite album of religious music. I think it was the first time I really listened to “Amazing Grace”. Another favorite of hers that was on the album was “How Great Thou Art", which at that time was not in the LDS hymnbook. (I remember she said she didn’t understand why it wasn’t, and it made me really happy when it did show up in the latest edition.)

Step 3 ~ Drink something, preferably milk. Grandma told me that to make milk I needed to drink lots of it, and she served me a delicious homemade chocolate shake in a tall glass. She encouraged me to relax and take my time, and then she left me alone to nurse my baby boy.


Soren was several months old by this time, and I hadn't had any problems with nursing, so at first I thought it was just sweet that she would take such an interest in us. And then I started to really like the idea of just enjoying nursing him in such a relaxed and soothing atmosphere. I decided I could really get used to this, especially having someone make me a chocolate shake everytime I fed him (which at that time was still about every 2 hours!). I guess I became very comfortable because when I reached to put the drink back on the stereo it slipped from my hand and tipped over, spilling most of the contents down onto the LP. I will never know if I ruined the album, let alone the stereo - Grandma was the kind of person who would never let you know and wouldn't want you to worry about it. Of course, she wouldn't even let me clean it up - she just made me another shake and told me to keep feeding the baby!

I always have and always will think of my little Grandma Davis as a woman full of amazing grace.