September has always been synonymous with a new year.  As children head back to school, the world has a sort of restart.  For me as an observant Jew, September signified the coming of the High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the day of Atonement).  These holidays are not only extremely significant from a religious point of view,  but the personal meaning of these days run very deep in my soul.

My grandma, June (z'”), of blessed memory was one of the most important people in my lives.  She was more than just a grandmother, she was one of my best friends.  She lost a horrific battle of cancer in 2001 and died on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, making the holiday exceptionally emotional for me every year since.  I always look to the holiday with a bittersweet approach: the start of a new year with new hope and beginnings and another year since my grandmother had passed away.

In the Jewish religion, babies are usually named in memory of a loved one or relative that passed away.  I was named after my mother’s Nana, Pauline (z”l) and my sister was named after my mother’s Grandfather, Joseph (z”l).  As luck would have it, my mother told us we were both conceived on/around the anniversary of their deaths.  Freaky? Maybe.  Spiritually connected? For sure.

With that in mind, I think I always knew deep down that I would “conceive” in September, knowing I would name my first child after my grandmother.

In preparation for hosting my family for Rosh Hashanah dinner, I took a few days off from work to shop, cook and clean.  My mind was busy thinking of brisket and kugel and I almost forgot I was waiting to hear from my doctor on the PGS test results of my 4 embryos….my last chance.

It should come as no surprise that on the very anniversary (English calendar) of my grandmother’s death, 16 years to the day, my doctor called.  I answered the phone shaking and I could hear her smiling through the phone.  I had TWO NORMAL PERFECT EMBRYOS!!!! One female and one male.  Somewhere my grandma was smiling down on me.

With tears in my eyes, I called Marc and my mom.  We finally had our chance.  It was going to be a good New Year, I could feel it in my bones.  And, I knew I had my grandma looking out for me.