Thinking over the comments generated by the photo of me with my granddaughter, I realized this would be a good opportunity to take a look at the synastry of my immediate family. As is the case in many families today, this was a second marriage for my husband (my only marriage). He had two daughters from his first and it’s thanks to his older daughter I’m a grandmother. Having no children of my own, I see this as a great blessing in my life. The astrology of this extended family is very interesting . . . well, at least to other astrologers. ::grin::For starters, both my stepdaughter’s have Gemini Suns within a few degrees of my Uranus in Gemini, the older one has Jupiter and Mercury in Gemini on either side of my North Node in Gemini, and the younger daughter’s Mercury is conjunct my Vertex in Cancer. Both young women have Libra rising and Pluto in Libra, and in both cases those conjunct my Moon/Neptune. What I see as the frosting on this particular cake is the way all our Nodes are aspected in the synastry: the oldest daughter’s North Node in Libra falls on the mid-point between my Sun and Moon, the younger daughter’s North Node in Virgo conjuncts my Midheaven along with her Saturn in Virgo and the aforementioned aspect to my North Node in Gemini above. For three people who never met before their father and I got together, that’s quite a selection of powerful synastry aspects! In other words, this is a good example of bonds that transcend blood relationships. When I take into account my natal Moon/Neptune is in my 11th house (where their Pluto’s/Ascendants fall) it is a good illustration of how we are a prototype of an Aquarian notion of family.

Then we come to the synastry aspects between the grandparents and the grand baby! She has strong Nodal aspects with both of us. Her Ascendant is exactly conjunct my North Node, her North Node/Uranus conjunction falls on my IC and her Sun is exactly conjunct her granddad’s North Node in Pisces. Talk about all of us helping each other learn about our North Nodes through love. As those of you who read my posts know, I’m always reluctant to use the “karma” word but I can’t help but feel we have been given a huge blessing in the form of a darling little one and all the aspects to the Nodes does hint at good karma.

Her Vertex is conjunct my Jupiter in Scorpio and from the first moment I held her I was a goner. Saturn plays a role here too. For one thing Saturn is in Leo in my chart, her mothers and hers. Yes, three generations of Saturn in Leo, how about that?! My Saturn/Pluto conjuncts her IC and her Saturn squares my Mars/Mercury and is sextile the midpoint between my Sun and Moon.

All this illustrates what I feel in my heart . . . even though this little one is not related to me by blood she is my granddaughter in every way that counts. She is a gift I thought never to have and am very, very grateful for – a not so small magic!