A Healthy Baby Girl

Today, May 3rd, is my youngest daughters 5th birthday. This morning I gave her chocolate milk and a nutty bar before breakfast. Those are two of her favorite foods. I know, it’s not healthy at all, but today is her birthday. She said “thank you” and settled down into her new pink Eureka sleeping bag and I turned the television on so she could watch Arthur. We don’t usually watch television in the mornings, but today is her birthday.


I remember being in Duluth, we were supposed to meet a friend at the playground but unfortunately she failed to appear and later let me know she couldn’t make it. Kari had a job interview and I brought Justin and Becca to the park. There I met a guy with a couple of kids. He was a hunting guide and so was I. We talked about hunting. My mind was elsewhere. I was worried about Kari. To be brutally honest – she looked terrible. She was 8 months pregnant and showing signs of other health issues. I really wished she didn’t have that interview. I wished we wouldn’t have even came to Duluth on that cold and clammy Spring day. I talked with this guy at the park and I noted his (2) children playing with my (2) children. His boy called out for his younger sister “Hey Julia, come here!” I thought that was a cute name.


Kari’s interview didn’t go well. We spent some time in Canal Park. Neither Kari nor I felt like talking much. Honestly, we didn’t even seem to be happy. Life was stressful. I was done guiding hunters for the year. Kari was working long hours. I was a stay-at-home Dad and was getting very “cabin-feverish”. Despite the happiness to have another baby coming in just more than a month, we had worries. Money was a problem. Our vehicles were old. Kari was working full time while being pregnant. I needed to finish my degree at St Scholastica so I could settle back into a career; that’s what our budget was telling us in a rather direct manner.


Our walk in Canal Park didn’t last long. The wind was pounding the cold in to our faces. The kids threw some rocks. Kari picked up a flat round rock and held it tightly in her hand. I didn’t want to be anywhere else but there, yet I wanted to be far away – a sense of confusion.


On our drive home Kari told me that something was wrong. She thought the baby was on her way. We made it home where Kari made a phone call to her Doctor. We lined up an impromptu babysitter for the kids and two-hours later we were at Abbott Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. The baby was coming and we were scared. She wasn’t due for another 6 weeks.


I called my Dad to let him know what was going on. I prayed. As Kari was prepped for a cesarean section surgery I was prepping myself in her room. I looked out the window, fear in my heart and tears in my eyes. I said a silent prayer again, praying the baby will be healthy and Kari would be ok, then I prayed for myself. I stood in the hospital room looking out the window where I couldn’t see much through my teary glazed eyes.


I saw a familiar sight. The sun managed to peek out from the clouds as it was starting to settle down in the horizon. A sight that quickly reminded me of the evening my Mother passed away. A feeling that horrified me sent a chill across my body to even think the unimaginable was about to happen. Then, I was at comfort. I was ok. Everything would be ok no matter what was about to happen, because God just told me so.


I held Kari’s hand during surgery as I sat near her head. I could tell she didn’t like the feeling of not being able to move. I didn’t say a word. I just sat there and held her hand. The smells of surgery made my stomach upset. It didn’t take long before I saw my newborn girl being rushed from the surgery room and a nurse grabbed my arm and told I could come with if I want. I followed my baby into another room where they performed a series of tests and then told me “She’s a healthy baby girl, what are you going to name her?” I softly said “Julia” “Julia Ann”.


Today, Kari has a flat round rock in her purse that came from Canal Park. A reminder of what happened on that Spring day 5 years ago. Today, my baby turns 5 years old. She is stubborn, funny, smart, you know – a healthy baby girl; a blessing from above brought to us from no other – but God.