Five years ago today I was laying in a hospital bed, trying to get some sleep. It was three days before my due date for my first child, and my labor had started earlier that day following my final doctor's appointment. I went to KFC for lunch and then home for a nap. Jeff and I went into town for adoration, and sometime before we left I started having mild, irregular contractions. Sitting before Jesus was one of the most joyful times of my life, as I timed my contractions and prepared for the miracle that lay ahead. They were still not regular, so Jeff and I went to see a movie. I did not pay attention to any of it, I was too busy timing contractions and breathing (in in, out out!) They started coming more regularly, but I didn't want to make Jeff leave the movie in case it was a false alarm! By the time the movie was over the contractions were five minutes apart, so we decided to head in to the hospital.
Things were progressing pretty slowly, and once the doctors did all their checks they gave me something to take the edge off the pain, and told me to get some sleep. Jeff and Mom were there, doing their best to sleep in chairs in the room, but as much as I wanted to sleep I couldn't. I said the rosary, my go-to prayer when I want to go to sleep, but ended up going through the entire rosary several times, each time ending it as awake as when I started. Even though I couldn't sleep, I was grateful to spend that evening with Mary. I wasn't nervous yet, just really excited!
Sometime in the night, the quiet was broken by the sound of another woman down the hall delivering her baby. I heard groans, cries, counting (from her labor team) and finally the unmistakeable cry of a healthy, newborn baby. I cried, so close to holding my own baby! I don't think I slept a wink all night, everything was surprisingly calm.
The next morning, things were still not moving along very quickly. The doctors figured I wouldn't have the baby until that evening. At around 9:00 am, they decided to break my water. My labor progressed quickly from that point, and as I had planned, I got the epidural (which made a difference right away!) The pain numbed, I wanted nothing more than to go to sleep, but the doctors told me it was time to push. After 45 minutes, he was finally here! I heard those blessed words "it's a boy!" And when the doctor asked what his name was, we all looked at Jeff (Jeff and I had a deal that because I wanted to name our first girl after my grandmother, he would name the first boy). He had been praying about the name for some time, but was undecided until the very moment of his birth. He announced the name "Joseph Peter", chosen after St. Joseph, husband of Mary, and St. Peter, the first pope and the rock of the church. He weighed 8 lbs, 12 oz and, as all babies are, was perfect!
Five years ago I had a hard time picturing what my newborn baby would be like today. They have gone in the blink of an eye, and while I am somewhat saddened at the loss of his babyhood, I grow prouder each day of the boy he is growing to be. He is bright, loving, and full of joy. His birth marked our transition from newlyweds to parents, and brought us more fully into our marriage covenant to accept children lovingly from God. And every day he causes us to ask ourselves what we ever did before him. One thing is for certain, we definitely did not have as much fun as we do now!
Thank you Lord, for the gift of Joseph. May he continue to grow into a child after your own heart!
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| Joseph as a newborn |
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| Joseph at Five |
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| Joseph today |
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