Wow, 29 years ago today, I was just embarking on the wonderful journey of Motherhood! God gave us a beautiful little girl, Andrea Michelle. My sister Robin has a tradition that on her kid’s Birthdays she tells them the story of their birth. I always like to look at the Baby Book. I suppose we are trying to reassure ourselves that this really happened! Or maybe to just remember….Robin did call me recently to ask about a detail she could not remember! I think too we see a pictures like the ones below and wonder if that is really us!
Here is Andrea celebrating her very first Birthday!
So here is Andrea’s Birthday story. She was born two weeks late…an event repeated by her two brothers. We were living in England at the time as Wally was in the Air Force. The base with the hospital was an hour away. We actually drove to Lakenheath AFB to meet a friend who was flying in on a mission and then right out again. I felt my first contractions while we visited with Mike. After he left, we thought it wise to stop into the hospital for a check. They hooked me up to a machine to measure contractions and kind of laughed at me, asking, “what contractions?” And they sent me home. (I look back on that and think “where were their brains? I was two weeks overdue after all!”)
Anyway, around 4:30 am we were awakened with the big contractions I guess they wanted. Wally loves this part of the story because he gets to drive like a Nascar driver heading back up to Lakenheath. It was rainy and we lived in a tiny English village with lots of narrow windy roads! And we were driving a little BMW in those days. He pulled on his black leather gloves, strapped on the seat belt and away we went! My baby book says Wally was timing the contractions at 80 mph! I think it was his favorite part of the delivery process!
We arrived at the hospital…in record time, I’m sure…and they put us to the task of walking. I remember it being a very small corridor. Finally, Andrea arrived at 8:54 am, weighing 8lb. 5oz. and 20 1/2” long! I do remember both Wally and I just being in awe and overwhelmed at this little gift we were now holding!
Andrea arrived on a Wednesday morning. I had been attending a Ladies Bible study on base on Wednesdays. Wally was in the Security Police and so he called the base and asked for a patrol car to stop by the house and make the big announcement of Andrea’s birth. I remember the ladies all telling me later, that when they saw the Patrol car stop at the house, several thought they were getting a ticket for where they had parked and were so relieved to find out differently.
Being far away from home and friends and family, I have always been thankful that Andrea was a good baby. I had one baby book given to me as a gift, and Andrea just seemed to do what the book said she should be doing.
It is such a blessing to have 29 years of memories of a little girl growing into a lovely woman. The fun and laughter, the hurts and tears, the surprising delights and all the love along the way have so abundantly filled our hearts! We are very blessed!
Happy, Happy Birthday Dear Daughter!
Psalm 37:5
“Commit your way unto the Lord,
Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass”
1 comment:
Thanks - I learned some new facts about myself. But did you have to tell the whole world how old I am? I guess its okay, though, because now I stay 29 forever, right?
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