Awaiting the Grand

I arrived in Chicago on Monday evening after a 5 1/2 hr. direct flight from Anchorage.  From the "L", the traffic on 90 was gridlock.  The bus driver grudgingly told me how to insert my passcard; each method of usage is different- swipe, insert, up, in, down, etc.  At the corner by the Borders, I twisted the handle of my hand carry around the pull-up handle on my suitcase so I could drag it for the 10 minutes to the apartment.

As many years as I've experienced this, it is still an enormous culture shock to contrast what I was doing yesterday with real life in the city.  I woke up on Sunday morning in my sleeping bag in the cabin we just built on our land on the outskirts of Fairbanks.  After doing a little more work, I picked up my hiking stick and walked the mile down the trail to the truck and a rough dirt road.  Here in Oak Park, I need to pay attention on the numerous crossworks because the streets are not aligned and traffic is heavy.  Honking and cell phone talk and the bump in the road assail the senses.  The comfort came in seeing Erin and giving her a hug.  Only for my children would I leave my comfortable semi-retired life without a return ticket.

Her baby is due Sept 23 or is it the 26th?  She feels ponderous and tired and hungry.  Oh, and the child is sitting on her bladder which means she's up every 2 hours to use the bathroom.  A rehearsal for the feedings.  In her usual organized way, she has a list of things that we are working through- descaling the coffee pot, changing the filter on the air purifier, shellac-ing the belly cast.  The fun parts, sorting baby clothes, a visit to the midwife,  visits from her friends are sprinkled in to smooth over the wait.

In the midst of the life change of a new (and first) child, she and (Dr.) Ron are moving to Kailua, Hawaii as soon as her doctor allows her and "Kodiak" to travel.  So, there are piles of Craigslisted items, boxes and fragile stuff but almost no furniture.  The arrival of Kodiak should be synchronized with the mailing of the stuff so that she can live out of a suitcase and leave carrying only the baby and a diaper bag.  Tricky business.

The wait and discussions are dredging up the memories of awaiting her birth- 3 weeks after her due date.  I worked 1/2 days as an Army cashier until Friday and went into labor on Saturday.  She was born on Tuesday....It was still bitter cold in Fairbanks and March so I made her a quilted sleeping sack.  She had a handmade cradle from Aunt Kay and Uncle Mike.  I still remember the excitement and amazement of a new baby.  I can hardly wait for this newest arrival.  It never gets old.