Happy Birthday Joseph!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Joseph, Happy Birthday to you!

One of my babies is 24 today. As births go, this one was one of the most memorable - but Rick had to tell me things that I didn't remember happening. Joseph was a week late because Rick kept telling me he didn't have time for me to have the baby. (In those days, we didn't know what we were having until birth). We had record cold temperatures, snow and ice and Rick was slammed with water jobs. I was HUGE! I distinctly remember Rick and Mike Ray coming in about 1:00 or so on this Monday afternoon and Rick telling me I could have the baby-he was caught up. Joseph has always listened to his "coach" dad over the years and it started here. We had planned to go to Chars (our favorite hot dog/ice cream place) for dinner. I wasn't feeling well and talked Rick into fixing hot dogs at the house. He fixed dinner and I went to lay down. He sent one of the girls to ask me something and I told them to get him. I think it was Laura who went in and said told her Dad I was going "he-he whosh" he-he whosh". We had been down this road before. He came running, we called my parents who lived in Kernersville at the time and thankfully they weren't home so he left a message, called a neighbor girl who had babysat occasionally and asked her to come and come immediately. I couldn't move! I thought I was going to die before we reached the hospital and they were asking me to get in a wheel chair (still couldn't move), take my clothes off (the nurse had to help me). She got me on the table some how, (they made Rick go move the car), checked me and ran me to the delivery room--this is where I don't remember a whole lot. There was a resident - Rick barely getting in the room--some yelling (my water evidently soaked the resident-so I hear) and major plop plop fizz fizz - a baby. Eleven minutes after we walked in the door. I remember thinking he was HUGE. They laid him on the scale and 13 lbs and 15 lbs was the conversation and I started into shock about then. The doctor came in to do some sewing and order something that started making me feel weird- Rick was trying to calm me down from the weight discussion. Final analyze - 12 lbs even. I believe the length was 22 1/4 not real sure about that one. This baby had BIG hands. I wanted to name him after Rick - but Rick had been wanting to name a boy after his dad - I told him this was the one - so there he was Joseph William Brewer. I love you son. You are a great man, a great father and are and have been a great son. I survived the toddler years (why I have 1/2 my grey hairs), riding on the back of my car as I go through an intersection, steals to home plate as the pitch comes across the plate, flying in little planes across a really big ocean, living on a small island during a tropical storm, and many other things, too numerous to mention. I still worry about you (as I do each of my children) every day and love watching you mature and be the best you can be. I hope you have a great day.