Off to Maine

Kat with her kitten ;)

When the alarm rang on my phone the next morning, I toyed with the idea of calling in sick, but then I thought better of it.  Being home would undoubtedly  make me feel worse.  At least at school I would be distracted by my students.

I  was just out of the shower when my phone chimed with a text message.

"I'm in labor and we are headed to the hospital!"

It was from Kat.  Kat was/is my favorite student that I ever had.  I met her in Maine on her sixteenth birthday, back in 2006, just two days after my own birthday (alas, I was NOT sixteen at the time).  We were very close when I was her teacher and kept in touch even after she graduated high school and went away to college and I moved to New York.  Any time I went to Maine, we would visit.  Our student/teacher relationship morphed into friendship.  She came to my wedding; I went to hers.  She's like a daughter to me -- a daughter that has her shit together way more than I ever did at that age (or even this age!)  Even though she is 18 years younger than I am, I consider her one of the wisest, most together people I know, and I am proud to call her friend.

She and her husband were expecting in January, and it had always been my plan to go to Maine to go to the hospital when it was coming (the gender was a surprise even though I knew from the ultrasound pics that it was a boy!)

I was emotionally drained from having to give up Baby O the night before, but at the same time I was so excited about this new life, especially from someone I loved so much!  The upcoming weekend was MLK day, so I would have a three day weekend.  I figured I would drive up on Friday and spend Friday through Monday with the new family.

While I was getting dressed, Kat's mom texted me.

"Are you going to the hospital?  

Kat mentioned that she wanted you there."

That was settled:  I was going to Maine.

I worked a half day, enough to see all my students, write lesson plans for the rest of the week (Wednesday through Friday) and arranged for a sub.  I told all my students I would be out for the rest of the week and why I was going.  I explained about Baby O and that I really needed to get away.  All my students were understanding because what student doesn't love three days with a sub?

I left school at noon, packed, and was on the road by 1.  Every so often, I texted Kat to let her know I was on my way and to see if the baby had arrived.  I silently willed to the new baby not to come out until I got there.

I'm pretty sure I made that blanket!

I drove straight to the hospital.  When I got to the maternity ward, the nurse explained to me that Kat was in heavy labor and that I should wait in the waiting room.  Soon I was joined by her mom and soon-to-be-stepfather.   Less than thirty minutes after I got there, her son was born.

Isn't he gorgeous?  You should see him now!