you really never know how your friendships in college are going to go. some might be for a season, wonderful while they last, and some might be forever because the people are just to great to let go of.
when i met jon through mutual friends i immediately liked him. not only did he have a fantastic testimony with everyone he was friends with (and i do mean everyone) but he was so funny. and i love funny people. when he introduced us to his girlfriend (now wife) nina, i thought the same thing of her. and now, years later, a wedding, countless games of catan, and too many great memories to name, i’m writing a baby post.
nine months ago i got a text message during a wedding and i had to step outside to call jon and say, “ THIS HAD BETTER NOT BE A JOKE.” the ultra sound picture was adorable albeit somewhat squirrel like. you just can’t really tell what those blobs are honestly. jon assured me that is was in fact, a real baby, no jokes and she was due in june. i was so excited and then told i wasn’t aloud to tell people till they put in on facebook. (so cruel) and i went back to working the wedding.
as the months went by we still played catan, i started talking to nina’s stomach, (which she loved.) and as soon as we found out it was a girl, i bought a dress. oh also i walked to nina’s house in the snow to force her into taking maternity pictures because God told me in a dream that i should. or at least that’s what i think he said… oh and also they turned out BEAUTIFUL. so there nina.
the month of may jon traveled a lot for work and so when the due date got closer i spend the night incase she went into labor. i called it baby watch, and labor duty. it was fun and i actually love their couch…and their ac…
anyway, i got off topic a bit.
on sunday, june 8th i woke up and as soon as i saw there was a text from jon on my phone i started crying. when i opened the message and read that nina was in labor i cried even more. i prayed for my friend and asked the Lord to make her strong. i walked around the house getting ready and making coffee and i just couldn’t turn off the tears. i have no idea why, its not really an emotion i can name. excitement, fear, anticipation, worry. maybe a little closer to hysteria.
while we sat in the hospital room talking and jon told me when labor started, i just couldn’t believe it was all happening. nina kept comparing herself to Ronald Reagan. i am still unsure why. the nurses would come in and check on her and all we did was wait. when it finally came time for nina to start pushing, i went home and finished packing for my visit to my parents. i came back to the hospital and sat in the waiting room with ninas family and we waited again.
i know that labor is awful and nothing compares, but waiting has got to be second
hours later when little kara was born, they moved jon and nina to another room. i don’t think i will ever forget the sight of them coming out of their old room down the hall. nina’s sister and i were watching from a doorway at the end of the hallway, and when nina in the wheelchair was pushed out followed by jon rolling the basinet, i could only stare at my friends. i honestly don’t think nina has ever looked more beautiful to me. and jon looked about five years older. not in a bad way, he just looked like he was a dad. and that fit him. it was, and is, the one of the best things i’ve ever seen. because all the sudden it was a family.
as i was still staring at nina in all her shining glory, the minute she got within speaking distance she said the first words we’d heard in hours, “is there any pizza left?!”
you can take the girl out of new york…
i had the privilege of taking Kara's newborn pictures. i kept telling everyone i missed my calling, i should have been a newborn photographer. it was so much fun! here are just a couple of my favorites!
