39 Years Ago...

...an earthquake struck California at 2:28 AM. It so happened that at precisely the same moment, a hurricane formed in the Pacific, a tornado moved into Long Beach County, a volcano erupted along the coast, and the most glorious rainbow ever seen hovered over room 22 of a southern California hospital. The world was rocked on its axis.

Actually, it was just a baby being born - this baby...

I say "just," but truly that event changed the course of my whole life--and I wasn't even born yet.

That baby grew and grew, and turned into this handsome boy...
I was born by this point, but didn't know him; I lived on the other side of the continent from him, in fact.

He grew and grew some more; and finally, when he was 25 years old, God caused our paths to cross on Mt. Zion--THE Mt. Zion in Jerusalem--and a year and half later, we committed ourselves to each other for life in the sacred covenant of marriage.

And all because a 9 pound, 8 ounce, 22 inch long earthquake named Jeffrey hit California 39 years ago.

I've thought a lot about Jeff's mom today; and as I looked through his scarcely-written-in baby book (ah, the pain of being a 4th child! my 4th child doesn't even have a baby book!), I was grateful for the words that she did jot down.

~ "The picture [of Jeff that was taken a few minutes after birth] was taken to school to share by Michael and Gregory. They were real proud of you."

~ "V shaped red mark on forehead, which Dr. Johnson says will fade away" - both David and Shav have inherited that from their daddy

~ "We sent 11 announcements out" - we sent zero for Shav - "Dad called a lot of people when you were born and most of them sent congratulations in their Christmas cards rather than sending a special card." - still, she did tuck into his baby book a few cards of congratulations that were received, from people completely unknown to me: Holly and Joanne...Bob, Mary, and Bobby...Marcia, Herb, and Debbie, etc. - I have no idea who they are, but yet I love them because they rejoiced in the birth of my beloved

~ "We came home from the hospital when you were 2 days old...Your cord dropped off at 5 days but still bled a little for 4 days. Gregory, Michael, and Kimberlene came to see you at the hospital. Dad came to the hospital to get us by himself, but everyone was out waiting for us when we got home. Gregory got to hold you 1st - Kimberlene 2nd - and Michael 3rd. At 4 weeks, Gregory likes you best, there is a little jealousy between you and Kimberlene, and quite a bit from Michael."

~ "2 weeks, 3 days - Dec. 28, 1970 - 22 1/4 inches - 10 lbs, 3 oz."

~ "first smile - 5 weeks - smiled at Dad, then everyone else - Dad says you smiled at him from the time you were 2 weeks old. But Mother says you just had gas."

~ "walked alone - 18 months - June 23, 1971" - once again, our boys take after him in this area

~ "first food was rice cereal at 3 days (1 oz. formula and cereal in morning and at night) - bananas was second - barley cereal 3rd - applesauce 4th - apple juice 5th - was switched to homogenized milk at 4 weeks (2 parts milk 1 part water and corn syrup for sweetening) - at 5 weeks drinks 21 oz. milk in 24 hrs. has food 2 times a day and drinks water 2 daily - at 6 weeks takes whole milk with corn syrup for sweetening" - oh my, how times have changed! with Josiah, I was afraid to let a drop of cow's milk cross his lips before the magic age of one year, for fear that he would develop terrible food allergies and somehow be scarred for life!!

~ "went to first art exhibit at 3 weeks (1 day at Redondo Beach), Dad didn't sell any pictures"

~ On the My First Christmas page... "You were two weeks old. This was the first time taken out of house. We went to Grandma Blankenship's house, then to Grandma Fisher's house. Aunt Diana and Uncle Fred and cousins Dennie and Brian were there, also their grandmother and your Great Uncle Leslie. The day was very nice and sunny. It was a very nice Christmas."

She also included a copy of the hospital bill. They had prepaid a total of $325; and after all the expenses of the birth were tallied, the hospital sent them a refund check for $8.85!

Today, on this day of celebration, I am immensely grateful for Jeff's parents and for the gift God gave the world through the birth of one small (actually, kind of big!) baby boy. The world has never been the same! :)