[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 170 (Sunday, December 19, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10730-S10731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CELEBRATING ALLISON'S BIRTH

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I got an early Christmas present on the day 
it was expected! On Wednesday, December 15, Allison Quinn McGrady was 
born to my daughter Emily and husband Mike. I have been able to hold 
each grandchild on the day they were born. This baby, Allison, was a 
bit more difficult. I voted in committee and four times on the floor 
and made a mad dash for Dulles Airport. I flew to Denver. I rented a 
car and drove to Cheyenne, WY. I got to the hospital. It was late 
enough all the desks were shut down. I found my way to the maternity 
ward and got help to find the right room and once again got to hold 
another grandchild on the day she was born. There is no greater feeling 
of wonder and awe and appreciation on this planet than to hold another 
generation in my hands. To welcome a new life to this Earth is always 
breathtaking--but the thrill a grampa feels is indescribable--it is a 
feeling--it is incredible love and is only known to those who are also 
grandparents.
  As I hold her and she tests this new world with eyes that recognize 
little, but absorb sights by the moment; as mouth and tongue explore a 
new atmosphere; as a tiny hand with small fingers opens and closes in a 
new freedom; I watch changing expressions as tiny ears hear sounds that 
have been muted before. I now have some instant replay memories of that 
little face and a moving hand and all those blankets and the tiny 
stocking cap to hold body heat, locked in my mind. She was 6 pounds 
12.5 ounces and 19 inches long. Oh, to see such a miniature person and 
such a huge miracle! The wonder of life!!!
  My own first child came into the world almost 3 months early. We 
didn't get to hold her for over 2 months. We could only watch as she 
struggled for life. and I am often doing little instant replays in my 
mind and thanking God for that and the other opportunities he's given 
me--from finding Diana who became my wife, to learning about prayer 
with our first child--the daughter who was born premature, who showed 
us how worthwhile fighting for life is--then the birth of our son, then

[[Page S10731]]

the birth of our youngest daughter, who just had this baby. And to the 
birth of my grandson, Trey, and then his sister Lilly--both born to son 
Brad and his wife, Danielle--followed closely by Mike and Emily's 
Megan, who just became ``the big sister'' of Allison.
  The call to let me know I was a grampa again came from 3-year-old 
Megan Riley McGrady, who enthusiastically said, ``I'm a big sister.'' 
Gramma wanted the phone to give me some details, but big sister said, 
``No, I'm talking to grampa.''
  About 6 weeks ago Megan started pointing to her mom's tummy and 
saying, ``That's my sister Allison.'' They are not sure where Megan 
came up with the name, but she stuck with the same name all the time--
and the new baby looked like an Allison, so Mike and Emily named her 
Allison and gave her a good Irish middle name of Quinn.
  Shortly after our first grandchild was born I found a message on my 
answer-phone from our youngest daughter who simply said, ``Remember me? 
I used to be the baby of the family!'' So, now, Diana's and my youngest 
child, the ``baby of the family'' has had another baby! Emily and her 
husband, Mike McGrady met at the University of Wyoming. Mike 
fortunately broke his family's Florida University Gator tradition to 
come to the University of Wyoming, but it was part of God's plan. Emily 
and Mike fell in love and got married. Emily worked for the university 
while Mike went to law school. He clerked for Federal Circuit Judge 
Terry O'brien and now works in a private practice. Three years ago they 
called to ask what we were planning for Memorial Day and suggested we 
might want to be near them for the birth of a grandchild. The Senate 
was on recess and we were nearby. We were in Wyoming when each of the 
other two grandchildren were born. This time I wasn't so lucky. I was a 
nation away, but got back to hold Allison that first day too.
  I ask to be called Grampa! That is not Grandfather--that would be too 
stilted for me. The name is also not Grandpa. That's a great title, but 
still too elevated. Grampa is spelled with an M and no D--Grampa. My 
grampa was a most memorable person to me. My Grampa Bradley took me on 
some wonderful adventures. He taught me a lot--fishing, hunting, and 
work. He believed in work. When I was 4, he ``let'' me help him plant 
and water trees. He showed me how to chop sagebrush and make flagstone 
walks. He covered up holes he encouraged me to dig--he covered them so 
people wouldn't drive a car into them. That was when I was 7. Later he 
taught me how to spade a garden and mow and trim a lawn ``properly.'' 
When I was a teenager, he even showed me the point in life when you are 
supposed to start carrying ``the heavy end of the log.'' He liked to be 
called Grampa--and I am now delighted to have the opportunity to earn 
that name. In my opinion, Grampa is the greatest title anyone can have! 
And I wish I could adequately share with you the joy in my heart!
  Allison, I want to pass on to you your Great Gramma's admonition: 
``Do what is right. Do your best. Treat others as they want to be 
treated.'' I use that guideline every day and expect everyone on my 
staff to measure legislation and case work requests by it too. Now, 
because of you and Trey and Lilly and Megan, I have an additional 
measure for myself. I don't ever want my grandkids to say, ``My Grampa 
could have fixed that, but he didn't.''
  Allison, I hope I am around to see a lot more of you, to listen to 
you, to watch as you discover, learn, play, and grow--to get to know 
you--and especially to visit with you, to hear your dreams, your ideas, 
your puzzlements, to comfort you through difficulties, and to encourage 
you in whatever you try. But in case I am not around I have a few 
things to pass on to you that I hope you will remember and, hopefully, 
pass on to your children.
  Be proud of your reputation. That is really all you have that is 
really yours--although you borrow part of it from those who went 
before--and you have a debt to those who follow.
  Learn from the mistakes you make, but, more importantly, learn from 
the mistakes of others. You don't have time to make them all yourself, 
and it will save you a lot of grief. When you see something wrong say, 
``I hope I never do that!'' and file away a plan to avoid it. And don't 
do anything you wouldn't want to read about on the front page of the 
newspaper.
  Learn everything you can. Read everything you can. See everything you 
can. Listen for new ideas. Watch for things you can change. Everything 
can be improved ideas and thoughts as well as things. So while you are 
at it, invent something that will improve the world or that will help 
those around you.
  The most important decision you will make in your life is marriage. 
My hope is that you will find someone who can be your best friend--
someone you miss when away and enjoy waking up with every morning, 
someone different enough to cover your weaknesses and strong enough to 
rely on you for your strengths, someone who shares your faith and 
someone mutually faithful.
  Finally and most importantly, find faith in God. There will be times 
that will try you. With faith you can pray for help through the 
suffering, and with faith, God will always answer that prayer. No 
matter what you may have done, or what may have happened to you or to 
someone you love, there is always a way through the crisis. Don't try 
to live life on your own strength. No one has ever been that strong.
  I thank God for helping me through open heart surgery 15 years ago so 
I might have this chance to hold you in my hands. I think of the Prayer 
of Jabez in Chronicles where he says, ``Lord, please continue to bless 
me, indeed,'' and to that I add my thanks for all the blessings, 
noticed and unnoticed, but especially for this new life.
  Allison Quinn McGrady, Granddaughter, welcome to this world of 
promise and hope and faith and love! I am excited to have you in our 
lives!!
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Wyoming for a 
grounding moment in the Senate. We are enormously appreciative of his 
words.
  I especially know what he was saying because my wife and I had the 
pleasure of welcoming a young grandchild about a month ago. As the 
Senator was standing there speaking, I couldn't help but think this is 
the son of Christopher Heinz, who was Jack Heinz's youngest, and the 
child is called Jack--Little Jack.
  So I think you gave us a good reminder, and I thank you.
  Mr. ENZI. I thank the Senator.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.
  Mr. INHOFE. Before my friend from Wyoming leaves the floor, let me 
just say I can identify with the things he has said, and to prove it, 
let me put this up here. These are my 20 kids and grandkids. While 
maybe he has his name they have given him, my name is PopI. The I is 
for Inhofe, so it is MomI and PopI. Is that OK? That is what all these 
kids call me.
  As I was listening to the great words my colleague was sharing for 
his grandchildren and their lives, I would like to ask unanimous 
consent those same words go to each one of these little grandkids up 
here. As you mentioned one after another of your experiences, I 
remember this little girl here, she was one of them for me. She was 
only 4 pounds and you could hold her with one hand. The same thing was 
true with this one over here.
  So when I look at this, I get very excited. It is what is important. 
We talk about a lot of things around here, but this is what is 
important. One of the criticisms I have had in considering this thing 
is hearing: I want to get back during this Christmas season--and I 
think most of the others do too--and want to be with them.
  This little girl right here, she is my wife. Today is our 51st 
wedding anniversary. So I just want to say that some things are 
important, and I want to deliver my message to my wife who is back in 
Oklahoma--where she should be with all the rest of these kids--but, 
Kay, I love you as much today as I did 51 years ago.

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