Just One Look

Hey, Y'all,

Just one look was all it took yesterday to fall utterly, wholly, hopelessly in love with James Dominic Garvin. 

My precious daughter-in-law was awakened yesterday morning by her water leaking.  She was admitted to the hospital and started on pitocin about 10 a.m. I arrived an hour later.   It was a long day spent trying to manage my eager expectancy and doing my best to support Neal and Rachel without being obnoxious. Every time I visited the family waiting room while Rachel's progress was checked, I learned far more than I ever wanted to know about various laboring women's cervixes, difficulty conceiving, hemorrhoids, etc. From time to time I fought back tears as I thought of my mother and Jim and how much I wished they were with me.  I wanted my sister with me  and felt selfish asking her to leave work early.  She did. { Because she is the best sister in the world. }   I stood with my ear pressed to the door to  my daughter-in-law's room for 45 minutes just waiting to hear his first cry.  As the nurses calmly coached Rachel to push while they counted to 10, I implored God to take care of Rachel and the baby while tears streamed down my face.

Then the energy in the air changed like a switch had been flipped and we heard Dominic crying loudly and with lots of expression.  We heard that he weighed 9 lbs., 11 oz.  I could hear my son's voice full of pride and love as he talked to the baby and to Rachel. Then we went to the waiting room while Neal, Rachel and Dominic became a family. 

When Neal called us and invited us to their room our family cruised down the hospital corridor like we were in the final stretch of the Music City Marathon.  I (barely apologetically) elbowed my way past everyone and walked into the room.  Dominic's big, wide eyes met mine. And, immediately, I knew I would do everything  in my power to nurture his gifts, support his parents, help him experience God's love, encourage his imagination, and love him unconditionally. 

James DOMINIC Garvin

Born February 6, 2012

9 lbs., 11 oz.  22 inches long

Tootles,

Nana TBelle