receiving old letters in the mail

After the first World War, a number of my Sicilian relatives chose to emigrate to France instead of the United States, and in the summer of 1976, my great-grandparents Mama Teresa and Papa Charlie spent a month in France visiting those relatives.  While there, Mama Teresa wrote several letters to her daughter (my grandmother) informing her of their travels and activities.  My grandmother made copies of those letters and sent them to me, because she thought I might enjoy seeing them, and I have to say that she was right. Mama Teresa has been gone twenty years this past February, so it was a shock to see her handwriting again, right there in front of me.  Here she was, in my hands, alive and well and having a wonderful time in Europe with her beloved husband.  If it was startling to see her handwriting again, it was even more startling to read this 32-year-old piece of family news.  In a certain letter written on June 15, 1976, Mama Teresa tells my grandmother that she and Papa Charlie were contenti e sorpresi to receive a letter from her oldest grandson and his wife containing la buona notizia dell’aspettito del nuovo bambino.  Translation:  they were happy and surprised to learn the good news that their grandson and wife were expecting a new baby.  Dear reader, that baby was me.