whitesail

I’m in love with a boy named Jakob. He graced our presence last Monday and I’ve been so busy admiring him, I haven’t blogged about him and my feelings until now.

Monday, April 7, Jenni and I went to the hospital to have our baby. Because of her blood pressure, they decided to induce her about 11 days early. They put her on the pitocin shortly after 8am, and by 10 Jenni was in labor. It was an amazing experience. Jenni’s labor got pretty intense, and it was an honor to be able to be with her and to help her through it. I had read that sometimes women push away their coaches/hubbies, but she let me in and I loved being with her, even though she wasn’t having much fun at this point.

At 1:30, she got her epidural (sp?) and all was right with the world again. In fact, I thought she was going to change Jake’s name to the anesthesiologist’s, but fortunately we didn’t get his name. Jenni did refer to him as her “new best friend.” The next few hours were pretty uneventful. She continued dilating until about 5pm, when Cece, our mid-wife, declared that Jenni was dilated to 9.5, and that she would be back in 30 minutes. When Cece came back, she checked Jenni again and said we were ready to push. She was at 10!

At that point, everyone left the room, except for Cece, Heidi (our nurse,) Jenni and I. Jenni started pushing, with us encouraging and helping as best we could. After 30 minutes, things got a little stressful. Jenni’s BP went up and the baby’s heart rate was fluctuating, and they almost called a doctor in….mentioned forceps/suction…..but things levelled off and we got back to business. At that point, my poor wife was getting really tired and it became apparent that Jake’s big head wasn’t going to fit through her without some help, so they did a little episiotomy.

After the incision, Jenni pushed once and out came Jakob. It was the most amazing experience of my life. She pushed him out quite quickly, and I wish I could have slowed it down in my mind, but I remember the head popping out and then his shoulder and then I saw a hand. One, two, three, four, five fingers. Yesss! And then the rest came out in a second, and they set him on Jenni’s stomache and we looked at each other. I’ll never forget the look on her face, as she said, “He’s so beautiful.” And he was. At that point, my heart was racing and I was so full of love and euphoria that I thought I was going to float to the top of the ceiling. Our son, Jakob, was right there and he was healthy!

I helped Cece cut the cord, and then I went with Jake to watch them clean him up and check him out. I was torn because, my wife was being stitched up and hurting, but she wanted me to be with Jake……

At that point, all I could think about was how beautiful he was, and how grateful I was. To think that this could happen to me with all that I had done in my past showed me, again, that anything is possible. I never thought I would find anyone to spend my life with, but Jenni and I found each other. I never thought that I would have children, but now I have one. Years ago, who would want to marry and have children with me? No one in their right mind.

I am the luckiest man in the world. I’m writing this with my son sleeping next to me and my incredible wife in the next room with a cat and a dog, in a beatiful little house with the sprinklers on and the dishwasher running.

There is a lot of craziness in the world, but it fades a bit when I have a moment such as this, and I remember the love and peace in my heart. And the love and peace in my heart is the same as the love and peace in God’s heart and in our world. I know that I am making the world a better place.

I am so grateful.