Josiah's Beginnings

November 25

Six years ago, I was one week overdue and drove to the hospital, thinking I was just getting a routine check-up. Instead, I was told by my midwife that contractions were happening (unbeknownst to me!) and that we should go ahead and try to have this baby!

My parents had already cared for Naomi the previous 2 nights, so I called them, asking if she could stay at their house a bit longer. They brought her to say hi and goodbye to us one last time before our family enlarged. What a feeling of uncertainty and excitement we had, being on the cusp of such a change.

I remember feeling the self-assurance of being a second-time birthing mom. I thought I knew what was coming. I thought everything would go more smoothly and easily than the first time. Since Naomi's delivery had been fairly quick and un-traumatic, I had high hopes for my second labor and delivery.

I'd found 2 midwives working together in a hospital in Aurora, Illinois, who were willing to let me try a water-birth. I really liked the midwives, trusted them and respected them. The prospect of birthing in water was exciting to me! Little did I know what lay ahead.

My midwives told me later that they'd wondered if I had a large baby inside me. When they saw my body working so hard for this second baby (who was supposed to just pop out!), they were worried that a water-birth might not actually happen, and they moved the hospital bed to be adjacent to the pool.

Sure enough, my rascal second child got stuck on his way out. He had to be pushed and pulled, amidst high tension and slight panic. I had no idea what danger we were both in. I just knew it hurt and that this wasn't supposed to be happening! At 12:08 AM Josiah Steven was finally born and I'm forever grateful to my midwife, the nurses, and God for helping my sweet son come safely into the world that morning.

As the nurses busily rubbed and cleaned my baby, I heard someone call out "12-08" and I said, "That isn't his weight is it?"

"No, no," I heard. "That's the time he was born." Phew. I didn't think that could be right!

Then they weighed him and we all gasped. My little guy weighed 12 pounds, 10 ounces. We could hardly believe it. My midwife thought it likely that this broke my hospital's record for an unmedicated, non-surgical birth. No wonder he'd gotten stuck!

Josiah proved to be not only a sturdy tank of a kid, but also a great sleeper, a super eater, an entertaining friend to Naomi and a blessing to many. Six years later, I can still say the same! He is my 6-year-old ray of sunshine, continually thanking me for my cooking, making his siblings laugh with his antics, falling asleep quickly and waking up bright and cheerful. He has his rough edges, but I take comfort in knowing that God is very real to him. I pray that day by day, he becomes a more faithful disciple of Jesus, knowing God's love him more and more deeply.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of my son.