Thursday, May 12, 2016

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Jacob's Birth
“That night, January 27th 1975, I kept waking up and praying my thanks to Heavenly Father for the wonderful experience He had given me to be a mother. I am so grateful for His guiding hand and above all His merciful answer to my prayers when I called upon Him during my suffering. He has answered my prayers so directly and so quickly to help me give birth. I truly praise his name for being a merciful God.”                                                                                              Jeanette’s Journal Sept. 9, 1976



My due date was still two and a half weeks away. I was in early labor off and on Saturday and Sunday. I prayed to the Lord because we had an awful blizzard on the way home from Sunday School. I was worried that with the drifting snow we’d get snowed in. I was afraid we wouldn’t get to the doctor in Rexburg from out in Hibbard, six plus miles away.


My labor and the blizzard eased up Sunday in the afternoon and Jack was able to give his talk as assigned in Sacrament meeting. Monday I resumed harder labor. I wasn’t sure if I should head to the hospital yet, but once the contractions got intense Jack could see I was having difficulty walking around the house. He insisted it was time to go to the hospital.
I don’t think I could have made it through it if it hadn’t been for the special blessing Jack gave me before we went to the hospital, and his strong support being with me throughout the delivery. We went to the Madison Memorial hospital at 4:00 p.m. My dad stopped into the labor room to see if I needed a priesthood blessing. When he heard I had received one, he waved and wished me well and went home to await the news.
Our Family Home Evening was up in the hospital bringing to earth a choice Spirit of Our Father in Heaven. Jacob was born at 8:30 p.m., 6 lbs. 15 oz., 19 inches long with lots and lots of dark black hair. We were lucky that Doctor Passey was in the hospital to deliver him, because he wanted to come in a hurry. The doctor said, “It’s a boy!” and then Jack and I repeated together, “It’s a boy!”
It was in the delivery room that Jack said he thought of Jacob to be our son’s name. I had also thought of that name in the labor room. It was such a special experience.
They wrapped Jacob up in a little blanket with a warming foil around it. He looked like a little baked potato when they held him up to me. Then they tucked him into my arms and rolled me to my hospital room down the hall. By then Jack had already left the hospital to let everyone know we had a baby boy.
Grandma and Grandpa Jaynes came to see Jacob in the hospital nursery the next day. Grandma made a very special effort to visit because she was still recovering from the prior weeks abdominal surgery. Grandpa helped her walk very slowly. She was overjoyed to be able to come. Grandpa thought it was really exciting to have a new grandson.
Grandma and Grandpa Sommer were in Oahu on vacation, so we told them over the telephone. They brought Jacob home a darling bib from Hawaii.  -Jeanette’s Journal Sept. 9, 1976
     
                                                                        

3 comments:

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    1. I edited it and now it looks like you deleted it when I did! =)

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  2. What a sweet reminder of giving Birth to your 1st born! It brings back some great memories I have of him being so tiny and helping you when you came home! He's still a wonderful sweet Son! Im so glad you didnt get snowed in too! Back then when you were snowed in you stayed home...unless you wanted to go to the hospital on a snow mobile! That would be quite the story too! Thanks for the memories! =)

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