Baby Girl

Twenty-three years ago, at 8:00 AM, on a hot Sunday morning, Don dropped me off at the hospital in Villeneuve St. Georges, France.  He also left our oldest child, Melynda, with me because he had to go pick people up for church, teach Sunday School, preach, take people home after church, go by Mickey D's to get the kids and himself some lunch before he could be back to the hospital before "The Littlest Big Event" of the year made her way into the world.  I know...some of you are probably wondering why he didn't just stay with me himself and have someone fill in for him...right?  Well, here's the story!  Over here, in France, there just aren't that many spare preachers, bus drivers, etc. to replace someone who can't be in the puplit or behind the wheel!  And ya!  He would have made arrangements if it had been necessary, but this was #4 baby, and he had already learned that there were no worries when it came to being back in time for the big event. 
Kelsey...our loooooonnnnngggg awaited baby....was still hours away from making her appearance!  Lyndee and I had had foresight and we had brought some games with us.  NO!  Not video games because handheld ones didn't exist then...well, maybe they did, but we didn't know it...so we had some cards and some dice and paper to keep score.  We were busily playing "Farkle" when the midwife stepped in to get me all hooked up to the various and sundry machines.  We then progressed to the delivery room because my very young midwife (she had just finished school end of June and it was July 16) was convinced that in no more than 2 hours baby Kelsey would be in my arms!  I just smiled and chuckled to myself!  Lyndee and I kept on playing games for awhile and listened to several other babies being born in the nearby delivery rooms.
About 1:30 PM, Don and the boys arrived and Lyndee went out to eat her lunch and wait with the boys down the hall.  Don was there by my side and we laughed and talked and prayed and waited.  The little midwife kept coming in, and she was still very convinced that it wouldn't be long.  Don and I shared a secret smile, because we knew from experience we still had a while to wait.  After another while, our sister-in-law showed up.  She came in to spell Don so he could go get supper for the crew and we, too, chatted and laughed and waited.  By now the little midwife knew I knew what I was talking about and she didn't come quite as often.  The time kept passing and finally, close to 9:30 PM, all the other 8 babies had been born to all the other 8 moms who had come in after me, and the little midwife was looking a bit frazzled because I was still there!  She checked and sighed and said, "Only 3 cm. dilated!"  I came to swift attention and questioned, "WHAT?"  She said it again, and I said, "I think you better get me in the stirrups because this event is fixing to take place!" 
"Oh, no!"  she exclaimed, "3 is nothing."  And out she went!  I looked kind of frantically at Don!  We both knew what 3 meant!  It took me over 35 hours to get to 3 with Lyndee and then I went from 3 to baby in nothing flat!  It was the same for the boys.  Don waited a few minutes and then he got her attention again and told her he thought she might ought to check again.  She didn't want to do it, but she did and then she squealed! "Get her into the stirrups!"  Don went tearing out...he didn't think he wanted to see the actual birth.  He had barely gotten out before she was born.  At her first cry, he came tearing back into the delivery room, surgical gown flapping out behind him, and it is a wonder he didn't kill one of the nurses with the swinging door! 
Our beautiful baby girl was finally here!  Down in the waiting room (really, just the end of the hall with a few chairs), the kids heard her cry and they started cheering!  It was a shorter day than we had expected, but a long day for the waiters!  We are thankful for our baby girl!  She has brought us all so much joy!  Love you, Kelsey Leigh!  Sorry I didn't get this up on your birthday!  You are still our baby girl and joy to us!  Hope your birthday and all the things we did will be a sweet memory through the years!  Love you to the moon and back!