Waiting.

At 3:00 am my wife anounced to me that she was having contractions; I bolted upright in bed and began timing them, they were four minutes apart. Considering the speed at which our daughter came into the world when she was born, (about 186,000 mps) we figured that this was it, that this pregnancy would end as quickly.

We called our support people who had to drive in from out of town; after that, as we predicted, her contractions slowed down to point that she was having mild contractions, that she could feel, once an hour.

Later, after the support people showed up, the midwife wanted my wife to have her blood pressure checked. So, at about one o'clock we went to the hospital to have it checked. The midwife said that if it was high we would have her induced. After about two hours and three different blood tests, it was judged that my wife and baby were fine and the labor was normal. We were sent home.

Now, the wife is racked with guilt that we called our friends at o'dark thirty and asked one to drive for two-and-a- half hours, the other for an hour and a-half; she is frustrated that we had too ask my mom to change her flight, so she could stay and very frustrated that the baby is still inside her and not outside her where I can share the burden.

So, we are stalled right now but enjoying the company of friends, who care enough to give up their time to watch the baby and sit with my wife. I am equally grateful to my mom, who is the dedicated grandmother to thirteen grandkids for staying for an extra few days.

Everything and everybody is ready except the Baby.