PRATIGYA ["COMMITMENT"] ARRIVES

Bhutanese Baby #4. What a JOY. Have known Kharka since shortly after the Lord dropped his family into my life on May 4, '10. He had arrived in the States in March.






I met Usha in May, '11, after my return from the NW. She had arrived on April 28, two days after I left home. Kharka had been waiting for her and had told me a number of times that he wanted his lady to come as soon as possible.

When she arrived -- the DAY she arrived -- his family used their cultural way of having a marriage. She was taken in as their daughter-in-law. It isn't OUR way of doing things, but it was sufficient for them. Both Kharka and Usha left their Hindu religion and came to the Lord in May and were baptized on May 29th. They were married OUR way on July 2nd. In Nepal, they were friends and loved each other for several years; they are very happy.

Now, Pratigya arrived exactly 9 months and 5 days after Usha came from Nepal. WOW! And they both were so happy about this blessing.

I have been involved with them at the O.B. office for several weeks. Didn't need to be there until the ultrasound showed the baby moving along as anticipated and the birth issues might need to be discussed a bit.

Even though the Dr. anticipated that we would be at the hospital after an appointment on Wednesday, she agreed with them that they could wait another 4 days if necessary, but she said, "No longer".

Yesterday morning at 11:30, Kharka called me and yammered so fast I couldn't understand anything except that they needed to head for the hospital soon. I rushed up the street and checked in and found that 2:00 would be the reasonable time. I rushed back home and called the hospital to let them know the needed schedule. Arrived a little later, but the whole "baby" process was begun by 5:00, all the IV meds and fluids in place. The epidural around 10:00. And then:

at 3:30 the nurses started getting everything in place, called the Dr., had Kharka and I moving some of the furnishings and getting everything involving us ready.

The night-nurse and I had the "delivery" leg-holding birth-pushing job. As has occurred before, my leg and arm muscles began to be pretty tired and sore from the intense hard counter-pushing. Usha was one strong young lady! I never would have guessed it; she's so small and thin. But she was absolutely determined to get this done. ASAP!!

Then it did. 4:43 AM. Since I only live 10 minutes away from the hospital, I didn't leave until about an hour later. After the birth, I was able to hold Pratigya for quite a while. Kharka was actually a little nervous about holding this little child for more than a minute or so, and it wasn't possible to let Usha hold her too long with all her personal body repair still taking place.

SO... my blessing was holding Pratigya for about 20 minutes, floating around the room with her, and cuddling her. Right after we prepared the Mom and Baby time for the breast feeding to begin, I was done with my part of the "job" and I left for home. Reached here at 5:55.
Someday I hope one of my pics during those early times of morning would show me gorgeous, but at least I was there and this proves it.

Have slept off and on from 7AM to 2:15 today. Now staying up and posting and sharing.

Hope I sleep tonight.