Happy Birthday, Sam!

Samuel James is two years old today! When he was born, Sam was beautifully, perfectly, fashionably late.

When I was pregnant with Sam, it was hard for my mom (Grandma Barb) to be so far away. She lives in Colorado. We normally talk or email every day, and during my pregnancy it was several times a day. I don't remember the exact count, but I believe she flew out two or three times in those nine months.

We knew there was no way she'd be able to be at the hospital when Sam was born. Even if she could drop everything and jump on a plane, there was no way to know just how long labor would take. Eric planned to take two weeks off of work after Sam was born. Mom decided she would come out at the end of those two weeks and stay for a week, to help and to meet Sam.

It was a coincidence that Mom flew in to Minnesota the weekend I was due. It was a sudden, separate trip. My due date was February 19, a Sunday. She had a flight going back to Denver very early (about 7 am) on February 20.

On the 19th, Mom came to our house for a short visit. I was very pregnant but had no real signs that Sam would be coming. I knew she hated to leave without meeting Sam. That night, at 7 pm, my contractions started. By 1:30 am they were keeping me awake. I called Mom around 5 in the morning and told her she might want to change her flight.

She did change her flight, and she was at the hospital when Sam was born. She was the first one out of the waiting room to see him. If my labor had started even an hour later than it did, Mom would not have been there.

I know it is all coincidence. I know Sam was going to come when he was ready. Yet I am so grateful that God gave me my mom - on the day I became one myself.