June 17, 2006:Kids are growing. Summer is upon us (you can tell because I have time to update this). T-ball starts next Tuesday for Garrick (6) and Brooke (3). We just celebrated our 15 year wedding anniversary with... a babysitter. Not so exciting, but it was enough for us to go out to the Big City and have an adult meal/conversation. We are planning on making the Notre Dame game this fall!
2004:Melissa and I are living near Grand Rapids, Michigan. We are teaching at the same high school: Dan - Math; Melissa - Spanish. We have two wonderful children. Garrick is four years old, all boy, and currently loves the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or, as Jim Kane used to say: "tngmtntninjtrtls".
Brooke is 15 months old and is a beautiful redhead. She adores her older brother and imitates him whenever possible. As you know, the three best things about being a teacher are June, July and August. We spent this Summer building an addition to our home, but still managed to visit my Mom in Mississippi and my Dad in North Carolina.
April 22, 2005:Hello All,
At 4:30 last night Melissa's contractions started getting serious. Her dad was coming over at 5pm to work on the house. The Doctor said it was time to go to the hospital.
We finally hit the road at 5 and the hospital is 45 minutes away. About halfway, Melissa starts having SERIOUS contractions (seatbelt off, squirming in the seat). Then we hit the traffic jam. All traffic is stopped. Wife is yelling (and swearing). I move to the breakdown lane with the hazards flashing and blinking my high-beams. We go a mile and a half like this in the 5pm Grand Rapids Friday rush hour. Finally get to the hospital. I run in to tell them we are moving quickly here (and make my first of many requests for the epidural). I get Melissa in a wheelchair, lock the keys in the car, and get her into emergency. We spend about 5 minutes in there until Melissa starts yelling and swearing again, then they start to hurry.
We get to our room (I let every person going in or out that Melissa wants an epidural). With one nurse left in the room I repeat my request and she goes to start the process. While she is gone Melissa's water breaks. I go to the hall to yell out this latest news and head back in.
10 seconds later Melissa yells "It's coming". Now, last time she yelled this the doctor was across the room and I held the baby's head in while the Doctor "gloved up". So I know Melissa means this.
I take a peek under and sure enough, the baby's head is halfway out. I am on my knees with one hand in front of Melissa and one hand behind, her leg is blocking my view. It is just us in the room, no nurses or doctors. The baby pops out into my hands while the staff is scrambling to find a doctor or resident.
A midwife finally comes in and takes the baby from my hands, lets me cut the cord, and...
And all is well. Mama and baby are fine. No name yet but we are close.
6 lbs. 15 oz.
21.5 inches long
Camryn Bryn-Moira Morley