baby coming

12:37 p.m. December 30, 2009. The phone rings. Once. Bill calls, "get on the phone!" It's Dan, and he says, "Jenny is being induced soon!"

And so the waiting starts. We can't run to the hospital, 450 miles away. So we ...

• take down the Christmas tree (oh, grandchild, you'll be doing this your whole life, celebrating your birthday while putting away Christmas trimmings) 
• warm noodle soup 
• write a few tardy Christmas cards
• do laundry and
• continue some closet cleaning started yesterday.

David just left for Evansville, Indiana to visit friends. I call him. He asks if the baby will arrive before he reaches Evansville, five hours away. I don't think so, I say.

I wait, pacing the house.

I try to pray.

Is it possible to be too excited to pray?

I trust God to bring my grandchild into the world healthy and whole.

And to bring healing and rest to Jenny.

Hold them, Lord. Give them courage and excitement for the hours ahead.

I want to pack my bag, get in the car and drive to Charlotte.

But I remember our plan to wait a few days and go when we can be the most help.

It will be hard, waiting to see

and hold

and nuzzle the fuzzy newborn head

of my early-birthday-present grandchild.

Maybe I should nap.

Can't.

I wait. I pray.

God, hold me, too.