Note: I am back to writing about our family saga “Greenwich Meridian” that is now growing. I have moved the travel stories on a new page Travelogue where I will continue to write about the rest of my big trip to four European countries.

 It was day one for newly born Josephine Marie Palova as we took the room at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo by a storm.

“This is the only time you can go to a hospital happy,” said my daughter Dr. Emma Palova-Chavent. She works as an emergency doctor in Seymour, France. “Dress up we’re going to be taking a lot of photos.”

We entered the room all decked out in latest fashion and make-up. That is except for me, because I had to leave my newest dress at Charles DeGaulle Airport for excessive weight in order to get back to US from my big trip.

When we peaked at Josephine with her big eyes, all content and inquisitive, I knew it was “our baby.”

“Guys, she has your big eyes,” said Maranda, the happy mother of the newborn baby. “I wonder if they’re going to be olive color.

Then, we started all posing for photos with any and every device we had on us. You name it, we had it; from Cannon cameras to I-phones and Verizon’s Samsungs. Josephine is quite photogenic with big eyes, black hair and perfect facial features.

“I am the Godmother,” said Emma posing in front of the nurse’s board. “I know it’s not a cool as being the Godfather, but it is cool.”

Now, with the newest addition we’re a multicultural international family. All of us were born in former Czechoslovakia. Emma’s husband is French, and they permanently reside in France with daughter Ella. They are considering coming to US when the time is right.

“Timing is everything,” one of my former editors used to say.

Maranda and Josephine Palova are the only true Americans in the family. The rest of us are naturalized Americans, except for my husband Ludek and my son Jake, who remain Czechs.

“We want to follow the Czech traditions,” said Maranda.

Even though the family name is Pala, in Czech language, the female takes on the –ova ending to her name, turning it into Palova.

That’s the same reason why my name is Palova, while my husband’s name is Pala.

Welcome to the family, Josie and Maranda. You have entered the “Greenwich Meridian” saga.