Getting up to go trout fishing at 4 in the morning sounded like a good idea to me when My father in law asked me about it. The problem was is that opening day was 3 days after Cathren’s due date. I told Cathren’s dad that I would have no problem going with him if our little girl had not yet been born to us. Due date came and went and so did opening day of trout fishing. 4 in the morning hurt a little bit but we had fun.
A few days before Saturday I had been talking to My sister in law about all the different tricks that people claim have helped in starting labor. She shared about how in spite of them stressing about doing all these things, the baby still came only when it wanted to. We agreed that it probably doesn’t matter what you try to do, The baby will simply come when God allows it.
After fishing Saturday morning, Cathren and I had a relatively lazy day. She said she wasn’t feeling to well anyway. Granted Cathren Did go out to do some shopping with her mother and I went skateboarding for a couple hours that night. Other then that though, we didn’t do anything. We Stayed up a little to late watching the old A Team series and headed to bed a bit before midnight I think. Right as I began to fall asleep, Cathren started getting out of bed and going into the bathroom. She said she was having really bad stomach pains but was not totally sure they were contractions. This went on for 10 mins. By this time we were starting to believe that these were the real thing. During the whole pregnancy we had been told over and over that you don’t go to the hospital until you are having contractions that last 1 minute about 3-5 mins apart that hurt bad enough that you cant talk or walk through them. And that has to last 2 hours. Well, after about a half hour, poor Cathren was on the floor crying. We knew this could not go on for 2 hours. We called in and said we were coming to the hospital. This was a moment that I had been thinking about for 9 months. It was scary and exciting at the same time. Adrenaline began to kick in as I gathered what we needed but at the same time I hated seeing Cathren in so much pain and not be able to do anything for her.
In between contractions we made it down to the car. I did try hard not to speed. That’s all I will say about that. Cathren would not let me pull right up to the entrance. I mean we parked close but she wanted to walk all the way to the entrance. After pausing once for a contraction we made it inside where Cathren denied the luxury of a wheelchair. Still not totally sure what the deal was with the heroics. Cathren was disabled for the registration so I was able to take care of all that. after registering we were sent to the maternity ward. on the way she tried to deny another wheelchair as she went to the floor to bear another intense contraction. I made her take the wheelchair. I rolled my poor wife into the maternity ward as she forced back the tears and gritted her teeth to have the man at the desk calmly ask “how can I help you?” I told him my wife is having a baby. He said can I have your papers and drivers license. I said “yes ma’am.” we then proceeded to wait on the floor in the lobby for 10 painful minutes. I think we got into our room at 2:40 am. Cathren got hooked up to an i.v. and was told she was at 6 cm. She said she wanted an epidural but she had to weight until the first i.v. bag was through. Well by the time that happened Cathren was 9 cm dilated! It was to late for the epidural. I didn’t realize it but we were about to enter the eye of the Storm.
You see I had talked to a lot of my guy friends that had kids, and I have a lot of them because I’m in the missionary business. They all said that the whole process is nothing to worry about. “your wife gets an epidural and then you watch tv.” So I had been holding Cathren’s hand since she got in the bed and I was simply waiting for things to steady out and we could all relax. That would never come to be and none of the nurses told me that. She started pushing at 4:50 and I got to hold a leg and help her with breathing (again thinking this was all to kinda level things out and start the long slow process). 24 minutes later Out came Iesley. It was 5:12 am. My brain was still back at leveling the whole situation out and watching tv. My legs were shaking and I felt like I was having an out of body experience as I was now looking at our Baby girl for the first time. I was in awe at My wife for what she had just done. She was amazing.
There had been an issue with Iesley’s heart rate so when she came out she was rushed to the table to be checked by all the doctors. Cathren Was now getting stitched up.With so much going on, it all felt like a dream. The downside of the whole event was that Cathren wouldn’t stop bleeding. After some time They told Cathren that she had suffered some internal tears from the baby coming out so fast and would have to be operated on. This was tough to take after so much happening so fast and Cathren had still barely had the chance to just be with her baby. We prayed together and she was rushed off. It was just me and Iesley, and the occasional nurse. That 45 minutes will be minutes I never forget. We almost fell asleep together since I had been awake about 26 hours now. Cathren’s operation was quick and successful! and she was only in recovery for 45 minutes. 9 o clock came around and mommy was back and we were finally all together. We had a wonderful and exhausting day of seeing so many of our family and friends. It was a lot of fun and by far the most amazing thing I have ever been a part of. The Lord was so obviously there with us and filling us the entire time. Cathren and I give all the Glory and praise to Our Lord and Savior, who is the sovereign giver and taker of life. This baby is a person that he has entrusted to us And we pray that we will faithfully raise this child to fear and know God in a way that surpasses tradition and man made religion. We know that God has us on a journey right now that when compared to the American dream is untraditional. We don’t know what the world will look like through her eyes. In a way that is refreshing. Thanks to all who have prayed and will be praying and to those who have shared in the joy of this new life. Many adventures yet to come!