My Baby Boy is 22 Today

So, 22 years ago today my son was born a little early. As a result of being hit in the car, the placenta pulled loose just a little - enough to make labor dangerous but not enough to be dangerous for me unless I went into labor which my Dr didn't want to happen. At about 5:30 am we left the apartment (my last time, Rick would move us into a motel room for a couple of weeks until I could travel). We stopped by Denny's so I could watch Rick eat a "grand slam" breakfast and drink coffee. I couldn't have anything since midnight due to the pending surgery. I would tease him about that occasionally over the years. Later that afternoon, I would learn someone I had known my whole life died around the same time Nick was born. He weighed in at 8 pounds and was 19 inches long. He was actually due on October 9 which was John Lennon's birthday. Instead he arrived on Randy Hawks birthday. We didn't know Randy then though.

We have had our ups and downs over the years, Nick was sick with respiratory illnesses his first year, but after that he was a healthy baby boy. And he was all boy. The year he would turn 4, we moved from Franklin TN to Rick's grandpa's house in Wingfield while we built our first home. One time, he wandered away from home with his wagon and tonka toys and I searched and searched for him. Norma and Jimmy found him playing in a ditch on Cline Road. He had no clue he was missing. He said "I right here" - they brought him to me. Another time, he would drive my 5 speed and mess it up bad. He said he learned to drive it by watching me. Another time he almost drowned. On the way to the ER that day he told me he knew he would be OK because his great grandpa was with him and told him his daddy would have him out shortly. He then described my grandfather who died 9 years before Nick was born. Since he was only 6, I am pretty sure there is no way he could have known who Papaw was. Norma nicknamed him her little bulldozer. The name fit.

He has been here for me since Rick got sick. He was here for the hospitalization and for the funeral and since. He helps me a lot around here. When he gets married, I will miss him.

Matthew 19
King James Version (KJV)
19 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;² And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.³ The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?⁴ And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,⁵ And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?⁶ Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

I love all y'all!

To be continued................