14

Fourteen years ago today was one of the scariest days of my life. My daughter was in labor with her second child. I had been with her two years earlier when she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. That had been one of the most awesome moments of my life. There are no words to describe watching your child give birth. I felt honored to again be part of this wonder of birth. When I arrived she had already been in labor for several hours and things appeared to be going as well as such things can go. Since I was there her husband said he was going to go out to the waiting room for a few minutes to visit with his parents who had just arrived from out of state. The moment he left things became scary. The fetal heart rate began to drop rapidly. Something was very wrong. Suddenly the doctor was there shouting orders. “We've got to get that baby out now!” Nurses began running. The doctor grabbed the bed where my little girl lay and started pushing her down the hall. I could only watch and pray as she disappeared into the operating room. Just then her husband strolled back through the doors to find me crying and pointing in the direction of the operating room. He ran. I called home to tell everyone to pray and went to sit with the other grandparents and to wait and to pray. It seemed a very long wait, but in fact was not long at all, when I saw my smiling son-in-law walk into the room. “Everyone is fine. We have a healthy baby boy.” Tears of relief are very sweet.

That baby boy celebrates his fourteenth birthday today. He a a tall, handsome, lacrosse-plying young man with a sweet smile and a gentle spirit who brings us great joy.

Happy birthday grandson. We love you