The Journey of Micah Jude as best as I can remember it (from his fathers perspective)

Today (July 25, 2009) began for me at 6:00 am. My bride woke me up to let me know the "real" contractions had started. My first thought was "Is this really the day?" After 9 months and travelling all the way to Africa and back with this little one.......our little one in the making....was this really the day that our little miracle baby was going to come? My bride and I were given the probability of nearly impossible to conceive........then when we went to Africa Micah almost came too early to even exist and gave us all quite the scare putting my bride into preterm labor at 23 weeks. When his due date came and went on July 22, 2009 I thought how funny......he goes from from preterm to past his due date (although I think he was waiting for his grandma and auntie here to get into town) The 9 months that my bride carried him had all led up to this day. I was finally going to get to meet my son whom I had only known until now by the sights of the sonograms or the sound of his heartbeat. Those little limbs I had felt poking out on soooo many occasions.....was today really the day I would hold him in my arms? As I settled in to find my place in the labor process I wondered as I had often wondered before.........how was my bride going to do during this amazing process? Was she going to get mad at me? Was she going to say things that out of that context I would have been very upset at? How was I going to do? Would I be the support she needed to get through this amazing, but hard time? I thought my bride was doing really well only because it was the beginning and surely it would be different when things got tough. We were able to find a place that we were on the same page.........she was doing exactly what she needed to do during the contractions and I was able to be the support she needed. Even when I didn't do the right thing or say the right thing my bride was able to keep me on the right course with absolute grace........no screaming.......no foul words. All I can say is she was absolutely incredible that during a time like that when she is trying get through the contractions and I am trying to "HELP" by doing things that were not right she with absolute grace kept me on course. We also had Super "D" the gift from heaven doula! I don't know how parents get through the birthing process without a doula. She in the midst of all the contractions was able to help my bride conserve energy for the big push.......give the needed words of encouragement........and help keep us going in the right direction down this crazy road of labor. I know she did so much more than this but in the midst of the big event its hard to remember all that goes on. Thanks Super D!!!! It was interesting how the world around us faded into a blur as we worked through the birthing process........It was just me......my Bride.....and somewhere in there was the voice and hands of Super "D" the doula. After my bride was ready to go into the pushing stage everything happened so very fast. It happened lots quicker than I expected. After several hard pushes we were able to see the crown of our sons head. At 5:34 pm pacific time Micah Jude Hebert breathed his first breath of life. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 19 inches long. I will forever remember at least two things about this once in a lifetime moment. The first was seeing my son the moment after he was born. It was the beginning of this life I took part in creating......a masterpiece come to life. I now know how Gepeddo felt when Pinocchio came to life. To see a masterpiece that you took part in creating come to life is truly in every sense of the word incredible. The second think I will always remember and be a testimony of, is how amazing my bride did during this whole event. She was a CHAMPION birthing partner. I have a whole new respect for her because she endured this process that I don't think men could handle with a stellar performance. She shattered every stereotype I had of how a woman was supposed to handle labor and every stereotype of how women treat their birthing partner during this process. I am thankful first to God and then to my bride for the wonderful experience of being a birthing partner during this process and for what a life changing experience she did to make it happen. Today I declare that she is my champion! I couldn't have asked for a better experience for this once in a lifetime moment. Thank you my Bride!!!!