Well,
we finally got the official call to arms.
Kel and Christina left in the morning yesterday to go to a regular
doctor’s appointment. On a strong hunch,
though, they took along their overnight bags just in case. I had to meet the bug guy at church, have a
quick staff meeting, and then make some stuffed animal deliveries to three fire
stations. So Chris drove up to LaMarque
to hang out with the other four Vaughan kids until we heard something from
their Mom and Dad. And hear something we
did. After checking out Christina and the
baby, they decided that it was time for this little guy to make his appearance. Chris got word to me, so after my deliveries,
I headed up to LaMarque to see what help I could be.
As
the afternoon progressed it became evident that this little guy was not going
to be easy on us. Chris was pacing and
texting, so I finally told her to get on up to Houston so she could offer
whatever medical advice she could, and so she could be the Mom in the delivery
room, since Christina’s Mom couldn’t make it.
I got left behind to look after the troops. All 17 or 18 of them. I’m pretty sure that’s how many were
there. I rarely pay a lot of attention
to Mom and Dad rules. Well, that’s not
true. I generally take their rules and
adapt them to make the best of the situation.
I think they were supposed to have limited media time, so they didn’t play
any video games, but it just so happened that The Santa Clause came on TV. We watched it. Funny stuff.
After
a FaceTime goodnight call from Mom and Dad, Noa succumbed fairly quickly to the
call of the proverbial Sandman. Jachin
and Micah went to their rooms and settled in reading. Not so much Josiah, though. He got in his head that he wanted Mommy and
Daddy and absolutely nothing would console him.
I finally had him come downstairs with me so the other boys could get
some sleep. Still crying. I texted Chris to get some pointers, and she
suggested food. Sounded good, so I asked
if he was hungry. Instantly the tears
stopped. “Yes.” Aha. I
followed up with, “Do you want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” “No,” was his abrupt reply. And then I asked “the Question” – the one you
never ask a distraught six-year-old. “Then
what do you want to eat?” There it
was. Open-ended. No restrictions. His little mind raced. And then he blurted out, “I want hot
chocolate.” Now it was ten p.m. Well past his bedtime. Sugary beverages were not on the approved
list. So I suggested, “How about a
cheese stick?” That’s what he ended up
eating for supper, so I knew he liked them.
But not at ten p.m. Oh, no. At ten p.m. the food of choice is … “I pick
ice cream.” Needless to say, things weren’t
going well for either of us. He finally
picked an apple, the perfect compromise food.
Then another. He finally settled
in next to me on the couch and started talking.
Non-stop talking. After a good ten
minutes the sound slowly started to fade out until he finally just sat there,
looking at the Christmas tree lights. He
did get up once to grab a blanket. A
snowflake blanket. Then he gradually
eased down onto his pillow. And then he was
gone.
I
tried to settle in as well, but I hadn’t anticipated not being back at
home. I didn’t have my medication for
nerve pain, so it was a fitful night at best.
At least until around 1:05 a.m.
That’s when I got a text from Chris.
He was here. And as she expanded
the details I learned that the youngster had a really tough time of it getting
out into the world. Apparently his
shoulder got a little stuck. Well, a lot
stuck. They called in all sorts of
support personnel, and it was a scary few moments before he finally managed to
jostle free with the help from a dozen or so new found hospital friends. The pediatrician checked hi out from head to
toe, though, and he was just fine. Just a
not-so-simple case of linebacker’s shoulder.
Later
on this morning we gathered up all the siblings and took them to the hospital
to meet their new baby brother. And, as
has been their family custom, the siblings were the first to hear the baby’s
name. Josiah was convinced it would be
Abednigo. But sadly, he was wrong. They all gathered around him with obvious
love in their eyes and anticipation in their hearts. And finally, Mom and Dad introduced them to young
Ezra Kelley Vaughan. 8 pounds, 3
ounces. 21 and a half inches long. Assuming all goes well, he will head home on
Christmas Eve. Meanwhile Nana and DadDad
are the proud surrogate parents of four kids for a few nights. Guess we’ll be heading to the grocery store
tomorrow.
Ephesians
6:23-24 says, “Peace to the brothers, and
love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ
with an undying love.”
Father,
thank you for that precious little baby.
May he grow to appreciate you through the influence of his parents and
brothers and sister. Amen.
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