REBECCA KATHLEEN

AFTER MARTIN LEARNED ABOUT THE NEW BABY, I THOUGHT I COULD SETTLE IN AND JUST WAIT FOR HATCHING DAY. AS USUAL, I THOUGHT WRONG. REMEMBER, MARTIN WAS STILL IN COLLEGE AND WORKING FULL TIME, AND I WAS CARRYING THE FULL LOAD AT HOME AND AT CHURCH AND SCHOOL. IN MY 5TH MONTH, (NOVEMBER) I STARTED FEELING TIRED AGAIN, AND HAD A HARD TIME GETTING AROUND. MY DOCTOR FOUND THAT MY BLOOD PRESSURE WAS VERY HIGH, AND TOLD ME I HAD TO CUT BACK OR THE BABY WOULD BE IN DANGER. CUT BACK? HA! WHATEVER! BUT WHEN MARTIN FOUND OUT, HE CLAMPED DOWN ON ME BUT GOOD. I TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD NOT DO EVERYTHING, AND HE SAID, "WATCH ME". SO, WITH THE HOLIDAYS IMMINENT, HE TOOK OVER THE RUNNING OF THE HOUSEHOLD. AT 5 AM HE WOULD GET UP, MAKE BREAKFAST, SET IT ON THE TABLE, EAT HIS AND GO TO WORK. SISSY WAS SUCH A BIG HELP, AND REALLY DID EVERYTHING TO GET HERSELF AND BOBBIE JO OUT THE DOOR. THE SISTERS IN THE WARD TOOK THE BOYS TO PLAY, AND MARTIN GOT HOME AT 2:30PM. HE WOULD RUN AROUND COOKING DINNER, DOING THE LAUNDRY, SETTING THE CLEAN LAUNDRY ON THE BED FOR ME TO FOLD, MAKE SURE THE KIDS HAD EVERYTHING OUT TO TAKE THEIR BATHS AND GET READY FOR BED. THEN, ONCE AGAIN, SISSY TOOK OVER HAD HERDED THE LITTLE ONES FOR THE EVENING. MARTIN HAD PUT OUT CLEAN CLOTHING FOR THE NEXT DAY, AND INSTEAD OF PAJAMAS, THE GIRLS WOULD PUT ON THEIR SCHOOL CLOTHING AND SLEEP IN IT. AROUND 10 PM, MARTIN GOT HOME AND DID WHATEVER HE COULD TO MAKE THE NEXT DAY EASIER. ON THE WEEKENDS, MARTIN WOULD COOK STUFF AHEAD AND FREEZE IT. IT WASN'T LONG, WITH THE REST I GOT THAT MY BLOOD PRESSURE WENT DOWN, AND AS LONG AS I DIDN'T OVERDO THINGS IT PRETTY WELL STAYED NORMAL. BY NOW, IT WAS DECEMBER. CHRISTMAS WAS JUST OVER THE HILL AND OUR LIFE WAS HECTIC. WE NEVER MISSED CHURCH, THE CHILDREN LOOKED SO FORWARD TO PRIMARY AND I LOVED AND NEEDED TO BE WITH THE RELIEF SOCIETY SISTERS. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME, THAT SISSY WOKE ME ONE MORNING VERY EXCITED ABOUT A DREAM SHE HAD HAD. I TOLD HER TO TELL ME, AND SHE SAT ON MY BED AND BEGAN. (SHE WAS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME.) SHE SAID, " MAMA, I DREAMED THAT I WAS PLAYING IN THE FRONT YARD NEAR THE SWING SET, AND JESUS CAME TO SEE ME AND BROUGHT A BEAUTIFUL LADY. SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, AND SHE LOVED ME SO MUCH. JESUS WENT IN THE HOUSE TO TALK TO YOU, BUT THE LADY STAYED OUTSIDE WITH ME. SHE SAID HER NAME WAS KATHLEEN AND SHE WAS HERE TO MEET ME. SHE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT DADDY AND IF HE WAS A GOOD DADDY. I TOLD HER HE WAS THE BEST DADDY IN ALL THE WORLD. SHE SMILED AND SAID THAT WAS GOOD, AND THEN ASKED IF HE WAS HONEST AND FOLLOWED THE COMMANDMENTS. I TOLD HER YES, AND HE TAUGHT ME TO FOLLOW THEM TOO. SHE ASKED ABOUT YOU MAMA, BUT SHE SEEMED TO ALREADY KNOW ABOUT YOU. I TOLD HER YOU WERE A GOOD MAMA AND SHE SAID SHE KNEW THAT AND LOVED YOU VERY MUCH. SHE ASKED ME IF I WAS A GOOD BIG SISTER. I TOLD HER I THINK SO, MAMA SAYS I AM. I TOLD HER HOW I HELP YOU ALL THE TIME AND HOW MUCH I LOVE MY BROTHERS AND SISTER. SHE KNELT DOWN, PUT HER ARMS AROUND ME AND TOLD ME SHE LOVED ME VERY MUCH, AND WAS VERY HAPPY THAT I WAS A GOOD BIG SISTER, AS THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HER. SHE WANTED TO KNOW IF I WAS HAPPY ABOUT THE NEW BABY COMING. I TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING I WANTED MORE THAN A BABY SISTER TO TAKE CARE OF, AND I WOULD BE THE BEST SISTER EVER TO HER. THEN WE TALKED SOME MORE, AND SHE SAID SHE HAD TO GO HOME. SHE SAID SHE WOULD SEE ME AGAIN, AND SHE WAS SO HAPPY TO KNOW ME. I ASKED HER TO STAY HERE, BUT SHE SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT BE LONG BEFORE SHE CAME AGAIN. THEN, JESUS CAME AND HE AND SHE JUST WENT UP INTO THE AIR. MAMA, WHO IS KATHLEEN?" I WAS STUNNED WITH THE CLARITY OF THE INFORMATION THAT JESSICA HAD GIVEN ME- INDEED, I KNEW VERY WELL WHO KATHLEEN WAS. SHE WAS THAT LITTLE BABY GIRL WHOM THE LORD HAD SHOWN ME ON THE NIGHT OF OTTO'S BIRTH. I WAS SURPRISED THAT SHE WOULD MANIFEST TO SISSY AS A GROWN WOMAN, BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER, MY HEART WAS FULL OF JOY AT THE KNOWLEGE THAT SHE HAD COME TO SISSY. "SWEETIE, KATHLEEN IS VERY SPECIAL. IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT, KATHLEEN IS GOING TO BE YOUR NEW BABY SISTER, AND CAME FROM HEAVEN TO MEET YOU BEFORE SHE WAS GOING TO BE BORN. SHE WILL COME TO US AS A BABY, AND WILL BE A GREAT BLESSING TO YOU AND ALL OF US. SHE HAS WAITED TO COME TO OUR FAMILY LAST BECAUSE SHE WANTS YOU TO TEACH HER TO BE A GOOD GIRL. SHE TRUSTS YOU AND LOVES YOU. YOU WERE VERY CLOSE TO HER IN HEAVEN AND PROMISED TO DO YOUR BEST TO HELP HER ON THIS EARTH. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, AND SO IS SHE." "OH MAMA, WHEN IS SHE COMING?" I TOLD HER THAT KATHLEEN WOULD COME IN THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, NOT TOO FAR AWAY. JESSICA HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT DREAM, AND SHE TELLS ME THAT THE WOMAN SHE MET AS KATHLEEN LOOKED EXACTLY AS BECKY DOES TODAY. AFTER THAT, I HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT THE BIRTH AT ALL. I KNEW EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY.
THE ONLY THING I DID HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WAS THAT EVERYONE ELSE THOUGHT I WAS IRRESPONSIBLE TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY SO SOON AFTER ALL THE TROUBLE WITH OTTO'S BIRTH. LOTS OF FOLKS WANTED TO KNOW "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF? YOU JUST HAD ONE, AND THAT WAS A CLOSE CALL!" OR, "WHAT?!!! AGAIN?!!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" THE FACT THAT OTTO WAS A LATE WALKER AND I HAD TO CARRY HIM EVERYWHERE WHILE HAVING A BIG TUMMY , AND THE LINE OF LITTLE SEE'S FOLLOWING ME REALLY GOT SOME LOOKS. AND, BEING IN PUBLIC WITH MY LITTLE BROOD, GOT PLENTY OF ATTENTION AS WELL. A WOMAN ACTUALLY GRABBED MY ARM ONE TIME AT THE MALL AND SAID, "DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT CAUSES THAT? DON'T YOU HAVE ANY CONTROL? PEOPLE ARE STARVING AND YOU ARE A RABBIT!" I SNATCHED MY ARM AWAY AND SAID, "LOOK SISTER, WHY DON'T YOU COME OVER HERE AND HOLD THIS BABY AND I CAN STAND THERE AND LECTURE YOU ABOUT SOMETHING! I AM PROUD OF MY FAMILY AND THANKFUL THAT I HAVE THESE CHILDREN- MAYBE YOU HAVE TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS IF YOU HAVE DECIDED THAT IT IS ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS!" SHE SNIFFED AT ME AND WALKED OFF. THE CHILDREN WANTED TO KNOW WHY SHE WAS MAD AT ME, AND I TOLD THEM THAT SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO HAVE A LOVING FAMILY. AFTER THAT, I MADE A DRESS AND EMBROIDERED "YES AGAIN!" ON THE FRONT OF IT. AT LEAST A FEW PEOPLE SHUT THEIR MOUTHS.
A FEW SUNDAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS THAT YEAR, I TOOK THE CHILDREN TO CHURCH, AND MARTIN STAYED HOME. HE USUALLY DID NOT GO WITH US, BUT I FELT THAT THE TIME WOULD COME WHEN HE WOULD WANT TO GO AND JUST LEFT IT AT THAT. WHEN WE GOT HOME THAT SUNDAY, THE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH THE SMELL OF SUNDAY DINNER, CHRISTMAS MUSIC WAS PLAYING AND MARTIN TOLD US TO CLOSE OUR EYES. WE DID, AND HE LED US INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND SAID, "SURPRISE!" THERE BEFORE OUR EYES WAS A VERY SHORT ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE LOADED DOWN WITH ALL THE ORNAMENTS WE HAD AND COVERED WITH LIGHTS AND TINSEL. THERE WAS SO MANY DECORATIONS, WE COULD NOT SEE THE TREE. IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 3 FEET TALL, AND I ASKED HIM WHERE HE GOT IT. HE SAID HE HAD FOUND IT IN THE ATTIC, IT WAS THE SAME ONE WE USED LAST YEAR. I ASKED HIM WHERE THE REST OF IT WAS- AND HE SAID, "REST OF IT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THIS IS ALL I COULD FIND". TURNS OUT THAT THE REST OF IT WAS IN ANOTHER BOX, AND THIS WAS ONLY THE TOP PART. WE ALL THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY, SO WE LEFT IT JUST LIKE IT WAS. WE PUT IT ON AN END TABLE AND JUST LOVED IT. THAT YEAR, WE WENT TO MARTIN'S MOMS FOR CHRISTMAS EVER AS USUAL, SAW "SANTA" FLYING OVER IN THE SKY AS USUAL, OPENED GIFTS THE NEXT MORNING AS USUAL AND WENT TO MARTIN'S DAD'S AND LOLA'S HOUSE FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER AS USUAL. ON NEW YEARS DAY, WE HAD DINNER THERE TOO AS USUAL, AND PAWPAW JOINED US AS USUAL. I LIKE USUAL. NO SURPRISES! JANUARY PASSED, THEN FEBRUARY AND THEN, THE FIRST OF MARCH. THE DOCTOR TOLD ME I WOULD NOT BE LATE WITH THE BABY AND HE WOULD INDUCE LABOR JUST TO BE SURE. SO, ON MARCH THE 4TH, 1981 I CHECKED INTO THE HOSPITAL AND GOT STARTED. WELL, GUESS WHAT? NO BABY. THE PITOCIN DRIP DID NOTHING FOR ME. I WAS ALREADY DILATED TO 3 CENTIMETERS, AND I SHOULD HAVE JUST POPPED THAT BABY RIGHT ON OUT. BUT NO, NOT ME! SO, I WENT HOME. THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT AFTER OTTO ONLY TOOK AN HOUR TO ARRIVE, WE SHOULD TAKE NO CHANCES. LET HIM KNOW IF ANYTHING AT ALL HAPPENED. A WEEK WENT BY, NO BABY. TWO WEEKS, NO BABY. MARTIN HAD HIS BIRTHDAY. NO BABY. THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A C-SECTION IF I DID NOT START LABOR SOON. ON MARCH 23RD, I CHECKED INTO THE HOSPITAL FOR ANOTHER TRY. THE DOCTOR HOOKED UP THE PITOCIN DRIP AND SAID I HAD TWO HOURS, AND IF NOTHING HAPPENED, WE WOULD DO A C-SECTION. TWO HOURS WENT BY AND NOTHING. THE NURSE CAME IN AND SAID, "WELL LOOK HERE, HE FORGOT TO TURN ON THE MACHINE!" SO, SHE TURNED IT ON, AND I SETTLED DOWN TO WAIT. NOTHING HAPPENED. TWO HOURS LATER,NOTHING HAPPENED, AND IN COMES DOC, SAYING, "THAT'S IT! C-SECTION FOR YOU!" BUT GUESS WHAT? THE HOSE HAD COME LOOSE AND THE PITOCIN HAD RUN ONTO THE FLOOR! SOOOOO- HE HOOKS ME UP, TURNS ON THE MACHINE, CHECKS THE HOSE AND SAYS, "YOU HAVE TWO HOURS! IF YOU ARE NOT IN LABOR AT EXACTLY 2:00 PM, C- SECTION FOR YOU!!" AT 1:53 I FELT A TWINGE. REALLY, A TWINGE! SO, I OPEN MY MOUTH AND YELL, "OHHHH- I AM HAVING A HUGE CONTRACTION! A WHOPPER! AOWWWW!" MARTIN TOLD ME TO CUT IT OUT, I HAD MADE MY POINT. LESS THAN FOUR HOURS LATER, WITH AN EPIDURAL TO HELP ME AND SEVERAL WINNING HANDS OF GIN RUMMY BEHIND ME, I WAS WHEELED INTO THE DELIVERY ROOM. BEFORE I KNEW IT, I HEARD MY BABY CRYING. THE DOCTOR TOLD ME, "YOU HAVE A FINE FAT HEALTHY BABY BOY!" I SAID, "YOU ARE A FINE FAT HEALTHY LIAR! THAT'S A GIRL, I KNOW IT!" WITH A SURPRISED LOOK ON HIS FACE, (I HAD NOT YET SEEN THE BABY) HE SAID, "NOW HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT? IT IS A GIRL, I WAS JUST KIDDING!" I JUST SAID THAT I HAD A HUNCH, AND LEFT IT AT THAT. I WANTED SO MUCH TO NAME HER KATHLEEN, BUT MARTIN LOVED THE NAME REBECCA. SO I SUGGESTED REBECCA KATHLEEN. HE SAID THAT HE ALSO WANTED TO NAME HER AFTER LOLA, SO, AS USUAL, I GAVE IN AND WE HAD WELCOMED REBECCA LOLA SEE INTO OUR FAMILY. WE WERE COMPLETE. MORE TOMORROW, LOVE, NANASEE