The day I have been anticipating for months finally arrived!

Nova called me at 6:45 this morning. I was semi-awake but still in bed. It's baby time! I asked her how long before I needed to be there to take her to the hospital and she graciously gave me 30 minutes. I took the fastest shower on record and proceeded to run through the house trying to think of everything I needed to do before I left. Many things from my typical routine I left out like eating a decent breakfast, but there were certain things I had to make sure were done like feeding the dogs, packing my cameras, etc.

At 7:20am I pulled up to her house. She has never looked or acted like a woman 9 months pregnant, and this morning she did not look like a woman about to give birth. I began to doubt whether a baby would come today, but I trusted her instincts and off we went.

She was led into a small bed in a small space in a small room. I thought, "Hmm... this is going to be interesting when all the action happens!" Thankfully, that was only the first room where the nurses evaluated her to see if indeed she was in labor. The verdict: She definitely was. Her water had broken by this time and she was at 6cm. One nurse gave her two hours until delivery.

I had been waiting outside this room, but could go with her to the next room. This is where she would wait until the very time of delivery. She had a wonderful nurse who stayed with her until then. I read in the waiting area for a while, checking on her periodically. Each time she was resting. After an hour, I went to check on her again. By then she was more active and her contractions were coming every 6 minutes or so. About 10 minutes later they started coming even more frequently. By 11am, she was having them every few minutes and her pain was increasing. Even though I am comfortable in intense situations, I always get emotional watching someone else in pain. I don't mind at all being by his or her side, but I hurt for them in a major way and it takes all my strength to not let the tears fall.

Before noon, Nova was ready to have the baby... or so she thought any way. She felt the incredible urge to push, but since she was still only at 6cm, the nurses encouraged her not to. Upon further examination, the nurses decided it was getting close to time for delivery and they began to move her to the delivery room.

By this time, most of the nurses knew that Nova had given me permission to be in the delivery room with her. What an incredible privilege! And I should add, I was the only person with Nova at all this entire time. No other family or friends were present.

I was about one minute behind them, gathering all of our things to take to the delivery room. I quickly set everything on the floor and went to the side of the bed. About 30 seconds and just a few pushes later, the baby was out! I didn't even have time to think about grabbing my camera before I was witnessing the miracle of this little one rushing out of his mommy. "It's a boy!" I tearfully told Nova. The nurse quickly cleaned him off and I finally remembered my camera.

Even just a few months into Nova's pregnancy, she told me that I would be the one to name her baby. Then and now, I am speechless at her request. On a couple different occasions, I asked her again if she was sure about that decision and she emphatically confirmed that she was. I knew instantly that if the baby was a girl, I would name her after my sister Elisabeth. I never settled on a boy's name until just a couple weeks ago when I decided that his name should also be meaningful and not just something I picked randomly. Matthew it would be, after my brother.

I have been praising God all day because I was beginning to think I would miss this occasion altogether! I am heading out of town on Friday and was worried that she wasn't going to have the baby by then. Her due date was the 15th, though in her mind she always pegged the 28th as being the day. Momma's know best! Thankfully, she was right and baby Matthew arrived before I left on the 30th! I wouldn't have wanted to miss this day for the world and I have been praying that he would come in time. I am so thankful and blessed that God answered my prayer!

So... without further adieu... I am more than ecstatic to introduce you to baby Matthew. Thank you for all of your prayers and I hope you will continue to pray for Mommy Nova, Daddy Eldon, Big Brother Tudesky, and of course Baby Matthew in the days to come. Money is scarce as with so many families here and the future will not be easy. But I can say that no matter the circumstances, the days ahead are already brighter because of this new, precious addition.