New Beginnnings

A lot has happened since my last post. My wife and I went camping over July 4th at Julian Price Park on the BRP near Boone with my mom and dad, my wife's two brothers, one sister-in-law, two nephews and one niece. We had a wonderful time. Great weather and great family time. We hiked, ate, relaxed and just enjoyed each other's company. It was a great way to spend such a wonderful holiday celebrating the freedoms that we all sometimes take for granted.

This past weekend we spent at Greenville Memorial Hospital. Our wonderful son and beautiful daughter-in-law had a precious baby boy on Sunday night. On Friday at the weekly doctor visit the doctor and mom decided to induce labor on Saturday as the doctor was on call and the baby was due on Tuesday anyway. It would actually be very convenient for everyone, being a weekend. Bailey's folks are in Mississippi and Louisiana so some driving was ahead for them. We're only 2.5 hours away so we got in Friday night and enjoyed one last dinner as just a foursome. Scheduled to be in the hospital at 6am Saturday the inducement was started around 7am. We spent the day in the labor and delivery room waiting and hoping and hovering. He wasn't quite ready to leave his cozy warm digs so the inducement was stopped around 8pm Saturday so mom (and dad) could get cleaned up, fed (mom had not eaten since Friday night) and rested.

It all started over early Sunday morning and after much anticipation and excited hovering we were able to welcome Emrick Scott Edmonds into our world at 6:28pm. He weighed 8lbs 1oz and measured 20.5 inches long. What a magnificant little man. Both grandmothers were privileged to join mom and dad in the room to witness and help with the delivery. The nurse, Louise, told the grandmothers if they were in the room they had to work. Everyone had a job. It wasn't long after the arrival that we got to join them in the room and hold our precious little bundle. I will never forget that first time how soft he was and how sweet he smelled. Alas, I had to share as other grandparents and friends were in the room.

Over the next couple days the time gets very muddled and mingled. We finally got to bring Emrick home on Tuesday afternoon. The grandmas and I rode together carrying various flowers and items from the four day stay while Jonathan, Bailey and little Emrick, the new family, rode in their car. I sort of held back and let them get home first so they could experience that feeling of going into their house as now three, no longer just two. What a feeling.

Tough leaving but Kathy, the grandmother from Mississippi is staying on a few days to help out. We live closer so I'm sure we'll have plenty of "hands on spoiling" in our future. Can't wait to start. He'll be coming to the mountains to hike and hang out with his Poppy before you know it.