The Final Birthday Story of the Year

I know - I really should have a picture to post with this but if that is what you want to see.....go to LaDonna's blog. I will try to post some later.
Twenty years ago today, I was a scared young girl. This story has some funny parts and will probably bring me to tears in others so here goes!!! Dave was working second shift at a factory plus working part-time in groundskeeping at the hospital. I was babysitting a baby for a nurse who worked second shift at the same hospital. I had told her that this particular Friday would be my last night. I had three weeks til my baby was due and looking at the huge pile in the crib, I knew I had to have some time to get it all taken care of and ready for the big event!! My charge left around midnight and I ......well, I decided to clean up the house and get some food ready for David when he got home around 2am. We ate and sat on the floor and played Skip-Bo until we decided to go to bed around 5am. Guess what happened a short 2 hours later?? Yep - my water broke. So....somewhere along about 9 I called the doctor who asked me to head on down to the hospital even though there was absolutely NOTHING happening. There are just simply too many events that happened that day to record here. Things like: visitors I didn't even know, a relative that passed out, no contractions AT ALL for what seemed like a long time, my delivery nurse ended up being the Director of Nursing for the hospital, and so many other things. Anyway, with the help of some medicine the contractions began in earnest around 10 PM and at 11:40, my little, tiny, 5lb. 11oz., 15 1/2 inch long baby boy arrived. My first thought? What in the world am I supposed to do now??
We struggled in the beginning but once we figured out the bottles and the fact that this child would insist on eating EVERY TWO HOURS AROUND THE CLOCK, we survived. Actually, his eating habits haven't really changed much! He still eats all the time but the difference is I am not paying for it all!! David was always a strong-willed boy but we managed to get through that also but WHEN that happened I will NEVER tell!!! He has always been a good student - especially when he WANTED to be. We have had our share of ups and downs in his life but I wouldn't trade him for anything!
David has now become this smart, handsome, well-mannered, polite, charming, nutty, fun-loving Marine. He truly desires to live his life pleasing to Christ which pretty much out-shines anything else I say!! It is nice having him home right now. He thinks his Dad is the biggest HERO in the world and loves his sisters to an over-protective fault. He thinks his mom is the shortest, goofiest (is that a word?) person ever!
I have mixed emotions about my son right now but I love him to pieces and am so very, very proud of him. I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. My heart hurts when I think of what he is getting ready to do but I know that a long time ago, his first birthday to be exact, we dedicated him to God and that is where he stays. Safely in the palm of HIS hand!!
Happy birthday, David!!! You are the greatest son in the world!!!