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.

Things that Make a Dad Proud.

Kari had school on Friday. I worked. She got out of class alittle early and went to get her hair done. A hair and nail appointment was a birthday gift from the kids and me. Her hair turned out beautiful and curly. Friday afternoon the kids and I tuned the go-cart and spent the evening whipping around the yard. That’s a pretty good day, if you ask me.
Saturday morning Justin and I went to Mora to meet friends of mine, Clay and John, for breakfast. Then we went to the gun show. It was great to catch up and to tour the gun show. I bought 50 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition and Justin found a wallet that has the confederate flag on it. Justin is a Dukes of Hazzard fan and to him, that’s his Dukes wallet. He was pretty excited and carried that wallet around with him all weekend.
Saturday, Kari and I asked a babysitter to come watch the kids so we could go to my cousin’s birthday party. We left a house full of food and movies. We had a great time bowling and talking with cousins at Granite Bowl in St Cloud. I bowled 3 games, a 115, a 102, and then a 98. I am not a good bowler. It was prom night so there were a lot of girls walking around in pretty dresses. I wanted my picture taken with them but…that didn’t work. We all told prom stories but my story was one of them “almost” moments because I never went to prom. Not really my nitch.
After the birthday party we went shopping at the mall. Sunday we had planned Julia’s 5th birthday party so we needed to find a gift for her. We found a sleeping bag, a lunch box, and some misc. party items. We bumped into some cousins there and the two Moms, Kari and Karissa, discussed the problem they have finding swim suits for their “larger framed” girls. Becca has to wear adult sizes and adult swim suits are not always appropriate for a 9 year old. We returned to a house that was incredibly clean and organized. There aren’t many things nicer than returning home to a house that had been kept clean. I hope we can be references for this girl when she needs a real job someday! Dishes done, floors swept and mopped and even the windows were washed. Talk about an appreciation.
Sunday brought a relaxing and fun filled day. We went to church, which was slim in attendance, then we wandered the Dollar Store in Sandstone. There I talked to a former co-worker. It was nice to see him, it’s been many years. He introduced me as “His old Boss” to his new wife. That always catches me off-guard because I just see them as co-workers but I guess… I was.
Kari went shopping at Chris’s Fairway while the kids and I waited in the truck. While waiting we saw this lady yapping on her cell phone pull her car right up to the front door in the no parking zone. She had to be in the store nearly the entire time Kari shopped. Meanwhile several handicapped elderly people limped by her car with canes. She should be ashamed, but the thought obviously never crossed her mind, probably because her parents let her be lazy. We also seen an old guy stop and open his door to throw garbage out in to the blowing wind of the parking lot. I felt like punching these people in their selfish faces. Or maybe they could wear shocker collars and be shocked whenever they try that again. But that is not possible, nobody is there to stop them therefore they will continue to pollute this earth with their laziness and poor ethics.
I caught myself thinking these thoughts, then I also thought “and here I just left church and want to punch these people.” So what, I am human and I have no patience for lazy people.
Julia’s birthday party was a great time! Kari and I were somewhat worried for lack of attendance, but we had a lot turn out. We had party bags for the visiting children. Julia had cousins, friends, and neighbors come to sing and share with her, her special moment of celebrating her 5th birthday. A couple best moments highlighted the party. One, Becca played happy birthday again. She is getting really good at the piano. The second was Justin’s gift for Julia. The little guy pulled a prank that nobody knew about. He wrapped his own gift for Julia and so proudly added to Julia’s gifts as she was finishing her unwrapping ceremony. We were watching and I noticed Justin’s face started to get funnier and funnier…He wrapped up a roll of toilet paper! Julia was a good sport and starting laughing and laughing and swatted the toilet paper. We all laughed, a great prank and a great sport. It was a big day for all three of my kids. They are growing so quickly, now they even know how to pull off a prank. That sure makes a Dad proud.
Thanks to everybody that was able to share.
We closed this evening by watching two shows of Little House on the Prairie. These shows capture interest in the children and also opens a lot of opportunities to talk about things like the use of drugs, drowning and death. Things that are awkward to talk about but are also a fact of life; including hard work, respect and care for Mother Earth. Another thing that sure can make a Dad proud.