Happy Birthday!

Good morning everyone! How are you? I am great!

Just woke up a little bit ago. Today is my oldest son's birthday. Fifteen years ago today, God blessed us with our first baby boy.

Nathan had been hesitant to start trying for a family. After two years of being married, I wanted children, but he wasn't ready. So, finally after 5 years, he agreed we could start a family. We were told by our doctor that it would probably be a year before I could get pregnant. Two weeks later...

Nathan had been on a business trip. I found out I was pregnant before he came so. He called me the morning he was supposed to come home and one was so excited and told me he had a surprise for me. I laughed to myself and said, "Well honey, I've got one for you too!"

When he came home, he brought me a coffee mug with my name printed on it (which I still have). I have dubbed it my "pregnancy mug"! So he asked me what his surprise was. I led him over to our recliner in our living room and sat down on his lap. I was speechless! I mean, how do you drop a bomb on an unsuspecting husband??? I looked into hips eyes and said, "So...how was your trip?" He immediately knew I didn't know what to say about something that was bothering me. He said, "Michelle, what's going on?" I said, "Nathan, you're going to be a daddy!" Boy was he shocked! He wrapped his loving arms around me and cried tears of joy, at least I think they were!

Nine months later, I was suppose to be induced because Aaron was a week late. Dr. Kacenga admitted me to the hospital the night before. Oh, by the way, Nathan worked at the hospital. He ran the Emergency Room at the time. Nathan is also a nurse, for those of you who don't know. It was all arranged. I was supposed to be induced first thing the next morning. They gave me a gel to prep me for the next day. They told me not to worry, it causes contractions, but that only 1% of women actually go into labor. They also had me take two heavy duty sleeping pills at around 9:00 P.M. They told me to send everyone one home (if I wanted to) so we could all get a good night's rest. The plan was to have Nathan and Anita (my mother-in-law) in the delivery room. So I sent Nathan and Anita home at 10:00 with very clear instructions to Nathan to be there no later than 6:00 A.M. So, they both went home. It is about a fifteen minute drive from the hospital. When Nathan got home, I guess he couldn't sleep right away and he stayed up and watched a little tv. At 11:00, my contractions were still going strong and I couldn't sleep. I called the nurse in and she was surprised I wasn't passed out from taking the two sleeping pills! She thought I might be in labor so she checked me and said I wasn't. At midnight, I called the nurse and told her to call Nathan and tell him he needed to come in because I couldn't handle the contractions on my own. Again she checked me, and again she said I wasn't in active labor. So she called Nathan and asked him to come back in. He had just fallen asleep when she called. She told him I wasn't in active labor but that I needed him. Being the sweet darling man he was, he got dressed and came in...he told me later that he grumbled to himself the entire way to the hospital! Lol! Just minutes before he walked in the door, my water broke! Boy, did he feel a little sheepish for grumbling!

We called Anita immediately and told her to come in. We also called Joe Casey (one of Nathan's best friends since 6th grade) to also come. Joe was studying to be a nurse and he had to follow an OB patient and write about it, so I let him come too! I got an epidural and I didn't realize how quickly my labor was going to go. As he was trying to place the epidural, I felt the need to push. He told me not to and hold still. He had to try three times before he got it in. I felt so good, I almost wanted to kiss the man! The rest didn't take long. Aaron was born at 2:59 A.M. The second he was born, those stinking sleeping pills finally kicked in. The nurse came back in and said he weigh 6lb. 9oz. I was so groggy I thought she said 9lb. 6oz.!!!

He was born on January 14. There's a story behind this date. Several years prior to this, I was at work and I got a mysterious call from Nathan. He said, "after you get off work today, go home, dress up nice, and be ready to go." I had no idea what this was about. So I did as he asked. When he got home, he changed. He put me in the car, blind folded me, and leaned my seat all the way back in a reclining position. He started driving and making all kinds of turns so I couldn't follow in my mind where we were going. He started singing to me (to the tune of Happy Birthday To You), "Happy Valentine's Day To You..." I busted up laughing! I sat up, pulled the blind food off and said, "Honey, today is January 14...Valentine's Day is February 14!" He woke up that morning thinking it was Valentines day and that he was not going to be able to get dinner reservations at our honeymoon restaurant in Bisbee, Arizona, called Cafe Roka. So we still went and had dinner at Cafe Roka that evening. While we were still on our way there, he said, "Do I still have to celebrate Valentine's Day or does this count?" What kind of question is that?? Of coarse we still had to celebrate it, so ever since then, we celebrated Early Valentine's Day on January 14! When Aaron came along, I finally let Nathan off the hook and now we just celebrate Aaron's birthday!

Then there's the name game...Nathan couldn't decide if his name was going to be Aaron or Josiah. I teased him that he was worse than a woman changing his mind! I felt so great, I was already showered, dressed, and I was walking the halls by 7:30 A.M. The nurses all thought I was crazy...must have been! So Nathan came in the room and said "Well, is it Aaron or Josiah?" I told him it didn't make a difference since I liked both names. I told him to make the decision. He said, "Ok. His name is Josiah. I am going to run down to the ER and let everyone know." He was gone about a half hour. He came back in my room and said his name is Aaron! I said, "Ok. That's it! No more changing names. His name is Aaron!"

Now our son is 15 today and he is such a huge blessing in our lives. Everyone who knows him, loves him to pieces. He is such a kind and compassionate young man. So unselfish. He always sees the needs of others and seeks to help them in any way he can. Very responsible and dependable. But most of all, we are so proud of him for making his decision to love and serve our wonderful God. He is a treasure! I know God is working many wonderful things in his life and I pray God's blessings upon him! Thank you Aaron for being such a sweet and loving son. I truly hold our relationship dear to my heart! Happiest of birthdays to you! Love ya!