3am

Ken and Laura had only been asleep for a few hours when the phone rang.   Still drowsy, Laura blindly searched her nightstand.  Finally, her hand and the phone found each other just before it went into voice mail.

“Hello,” she said groggily.  “Ok, we’ll be right there.”

Jolted into consciousness by the call, she was now wide awake.  She looked at the phone, it was 3am.

“It’s the hospital,” she said nervously, jumping out of bed.  “We need to get there right away.” Ken immediately sat upright as they both quickly dressed.

It was a 30 minute drive to the hospital, but to Laura, it seemed like hours.  She sat nearly paralyzed in the passenger seat.  They did not speak, allowing her mind to spin in all directions.

This call was not a surprise.  She was up half the night tossing and turning, contemplating what they were going to do.  When her body and mind were finally completely exhausted, she fell into subconscious thought dreaming about what was going to happen and how it would change their lives.

Since awakening, she could think of nothing else but what would happen when they got to the hospital.  They have prepared themselves, but still she could not help being petrified with fear and uncertainty. “Could they handle this?” she thought.

They parked at the hospital and walked hand in hand toward the doors.  They glanced at each other as Ken opened the door.  They were both thinking the same thing.

They found the nurses station and she quickly ushered them into the room to see the doctor.

“It’s a girl,” the doctor exclaimed.  “Congratulations mom and dad,” she laughed as she placed the pink bundle in Laura’s arms.

Laura burst into tears as if a dam broke and she could finally release.  Their long wait was finally over.  The past ten years flooded with emotions of disappointment, anxiety, doubt, indecision, hesitation, and deep stress which nearly cracked her strong will.  It had all lifted in a moment.

All she felt now was complete joy and bliss.  Holding her newly adopted daughter she instantly knew, everything was going to be wonderful.  It was a new beginning.

“What are we going to name her,” Ken smiled and wiped away his own tears.

Laura looked up and saw the pink and yellow hues of the new day peek through the window of St. Mary’s Immaculate hospital.  It was as if the sun rose to greet their new family.

“Dawn,” she smiled.