James Ninan

James Ninan - minutes old, born in the entryway of our townhouse

- he is wrapped up in one of our hand towels.

Felicia is leaning against the wall in our entryway

- you can see the paramedics bag in the background.

I have blogged November 21, December 21 and now January 21.

James Abraham Paul Ninan made quite the entrance into the world. Here's the full story:

On Sunday January 10 2010, Felicia was having contractions at church. She monitored them and ignored my insistence that we go to the hospital.

The next day the contractions got worse, to the point that she was doubled over next to our bed. (This is now Monday night at about 9:00).

At this point, she told me we should go to the hospital. I phoned our friend Lorna, who Felicia had asked just the day day before if she would be willing to come over if anything should happen. Lorna said she'd be right over.

I ran around collecting stuff, like most crazed husbands do at times like that. We were at the door of our house, waiting for Lorna when I heard a loud splash and Felicia said "OOOOOHHHH". Her water broke. I like to joke that at this point my water broke as well.

Felicia told me to call 911. I did. The operator told me to lay Felicia down. I found a comfortable piece of hardwood floor in the entryway and helped her down. The operator instructed me to get 2 shoelaces and a safety pin, prompting me to imagine that this was going to be a "McGyver" inspired birth.

I ran to get these things while Felicia moaned. Oh - Lorna arrived by now and was helping by keeping Sophia out of the way - Adam was long gone asleep at this point.

The operator assured me that help was on its way. The gate to our complex was not working properly, so when I heard the sirens I ran toward the gate in order to open it - it was pouring rain and at that moment I felt as if I was in a movie and expected to hear a Peter Gabriel or Damien Rice song in the background.

The fire fighters arrived and the 911 operator started to guide them. None of them had delivered a baby before, and they stared at each other as they assessed the situation. Firefighter "Steve" must have been the rookie, because he was the guy they stuck at the other end of Felicia.

James' head popped out first - we were a bit concerned that there was no sound of crying. We now realize this is more indicative of his generally passive content nature, than any kind of health concern.

With the next push he came sliding out into firefighter Steve's arms. At this point Steve commented that he was very slippery. Also, the paramedics had now arrived - about 35 minutes after the 911 call.

The paramedics assessed everything, and then wheeled Felicia and James out in a stretcher to the waiting ambulance. As we came out of our garage, all our neigbors were out watching with keen interest, since a fire truck had been in front of our place for over half an hour. I told them about James, and they were happy.

I followed the ambulance. At the hospital, all the emerg. nurses ran up to see the "firefighter" baby. After a couple of false turns we ended up at the delivery ward. James was bundled up inside the stretcher with Felicia, and the nurse who was guiding us in hadn't noticed him, and then jumped up when she saw him. She then proceeded to call him a little turkey for the rest of the evening.

Several doctors and nurses came in and out marveling at the fire fighter baby. Finally, at 1 AM, my adrenaline evaporated and I collapsed in a chair. All I remember is all of a sudden being extremely tired and thirsty.

We decided that I would head home, as there was not much for me to do, and there was nowhere really for me to sleep. So, after kissing baby and child good-bye I drove home in the rain.

I came home and chatted with Lorna for awhile at the miracle that had just transpired.

2 days later James and Felicia came home, both perfectly fine. Adam is crazy about his little brother. Sophia is still warming up to the idea that someone is stealing a bit of her thunder. Felicia has rebounded quite quickly and has even pondered returning for a couple of night shifts!

And me.... well, I'm pretty sure I will always be in a state of awe as I recount that night. The entire episode also reaffirmed the total sovereignty of God in our lives - there is not one atom of the universe that lies outside of his sovereign will. Indeed, I preached on that very topic the Sunday following Jame's birth. I used the verse from Daniel: " the most high God is sovereign over the kingdoms of earth, and sets over them whomever he will".

Earthquakes comes and go.

Babies are born in the most unlikely of situations.

People fall ill and die.

Yet in the midst of it all, the most high God rules in His sovereignty and nothing and no one can thwart that will.