Welcome to the world, Elouise Ivy Joy Perteet!

The heavens opened on Saturday evening at 10:59 Central Time when Elouise Ivy Joy Perteet came into the world. 

Wow!

I’ve said many times before that babies change the world. 

The birth of Elouise brought back many memories of the birth of our daughter, Hannah. She was born at 10:38am on Saturday, December 16, 2000 in Rochester Methodist Hospital. We were told that her due date was December 7. The wait for her seemed long. Amy was scheduled to be induced, but her water broke on Friday evening the 15^th at a choir party shared by a third church that Amy was attending. When we got home she called the hospital to see about going to the hospital. They told her to come in. She got her stuff ready, vacuumed the main level of our house (which is not surprising if you know Amy), and then we went to the hospital. When Hannah arrived at 10:38am the next morning and the doctor held her up, my first thought was “she’s finally here.” I still remember clearly holding her in my arms and having the picture below taken.  

It's incredible for me to think that this girl in my left arm delivered a baby this past Saturday evening. 

How fortunate we are in the United States to have a high-quality system for delivering babies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ten thousand babies are born ever day in the United States. Only 10.49 percent were born less than 37 weeks; thirty two percent were born cesarean; seventy-eight percent of mothers receive some sort of prenatal care in the first trimester; the infant mortality rate in the United States is 5.44 for every thousand births.  I’m thankful that the infant mortality rate in Minnesota is even lower than the national average. 

From my vantage point, Hannah has received terrific care during her pregnancy. Hannah shared with Amy and me that she was pregnant in February. Hannah started receiving medical care in Florida and then continued her medical care with Allina when she moved to our home in Minnesota in July. 

Hannah’s due date was last Sunday, October 22. She was scheduled to be induced yesterday evening. Amy, Hannah, Carter and I took guesses on when Elouise would arrive. All four of us missed on our first guess. We wrote down our second guess and kept it from everyone else. 

On Saturday morning Hannah and Carter went to Mercy hospital as she wasn’t feeling well.  I figured the doctors would examine her and send her home. Amy & I went through our day as it was a normal Saturday. I finished my work for worship at Chain of Lakes in the morning. I then drove to Northfield to watch Carleton play football. As I was coming back to Blaine I saw that Hannah was still at the hospital. Something must be happening! I joined Amy at St. Joseph’s by the Lake Catholic church. During Mass I prayed for her, and Amy & I shared our excitement with others that Elouise would soon come into the world. I found myself weeping on multiple occasions. After Mass we hung out at our home with Hannah’s cousin Olivia. We waited. 

Carter kept us informed through his texts. Shortly after 11pm we received the call we had been waiting for—Elouise had arrived! The first time I met her was hearing her cry over the phone. Ever since then I’ve been thinking about and singing the lyric “I was there to hear your borning cry” that came from the hymn with that name.

 The three of us quickly drove over to Mercy Hospital. Amy   was able to go into the room and be with Hannah. Olivia,   Carter’s mom, and I waited patiently. Finally we were all   allowed to go into the room. And there was Elouise! And like   almost 23 years ago, I held a baby in my arms—though this   time she was in a different arm.

  Babies can change the world as they bring out our happiness. I showed many pictures Elouise on Sunday morning at Chain of Lakes with my phone. I rewrote part of my sermon and included the story about her birth—along with more pictures. I only broke down a few times in worship—I was expecting to weep much more than I did. Yes, this former football player cries! I had the opportunity to go to the hospital twice yesterday. Once in the middle of the afternoon and then again last night. I’m always impressed by the quality of care shared by nurses at the hospital. 

Elouise will come live in our home today. She has a nursery all ready for her that Hannah and Carter and Amy and I have been preparing for a long time. I stood in the nursery this morning and reveled at all of the love that Elouise has already experienced.   

  Amy, Hannah, Carter, and I are blessed to be surrounded by terrific medical care, loving family, supportive friends and a community that celebrates babies. Babies do change the world.  Elouise has already done so. 

  Yay, God!