<Theofragen>

Given the fact that we were five days late, Abby was following me everywhere I needed to go just in case we needed to make a mad dash to the hospital. That's how a 10 month+ pregnant woman ends up lurking around at an Emergent gathering. Around 3:00 on Tuesday, Tony Jones was just getting started with his talk at the Mainline Emergent/s Gathering at Columbia Seminary. Abby had grown increasingly uncomfortable sitting on the hard pews at Columbia Presbyterian Church, so we were standing at the back. By 3:30 it was time to leave. We headed home and went for a two-mile walk around Grant Park to see if her contractions would intensify. They did. At around 7, Abby's contractions were about five minutes apart so we hopped in the car and drove over to the hospital.

The entire laboring process was absolutely incredible. Neither of us had ever been through this before so we were relying on friends' stories about their children's births and the Ross-and-Rachelesque sitcom scenarios concocted to fill space between car commercials. I was expecting lots of screaming and profanity; however, I was pleasantly surprised. Abby was more like a Zen Yoga-master than she was like a high school football coach. As each contraction grew more intense and closer together than the last, her slow, controlled breathing responded in step. I was so proud of my wife and I was rather proud of the support I was able to offer her (well placed massages, slowly counting to help keep her breathing focused, bringing her cold compresses) if that is not to bold to say. If it is, then that's alright too.

At day's end, Abby was in labor for only five hours, measuring from the first stages of discomfort to the time that our beautiful little girl was in her mommy's arms. Little Taylor Marie came into this world at 11Pm on January 30th, 2007. Abby and I wish to thank all of our friends and family who prayed for us during this process (especially my friend, Jason, who surprised us by driving all the way down to Atlanta from Richmond, VA only to spend a few hours with us and then returned home through the sleet and snow to be back at work on Thursday for an 11 o'clock meeting). Taylor got a perfect bill of health from the pediatrician and Abby is recovering quite well too. Peace.

World, Meet Taylor Marie!

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