Our son turns 27

27 years ago we had just moved to Preston Idaho. Since I was 8 months pregnant, we made weekly trips back to Pocatello to visit Dr. Lackey. About the end of November he told us that I had better stay in town as the baby could arrive any day so Emily, then just a year old, and I stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Ekstrom. A week went by and no baby so we decided to go home to Preston. A day or two later, the baby let us know that he/she was getting ready to join us and so we hurried back to Pocatello. About the time we arrived, the contractions stopped so Scott dropped me off at my parents house while he and his Dad ran a couple of errands. No sooner had he left me, than the contractions started again in earnest. I was worried that Scott would not get back in time and really had myself worked up, but he returned and we headed to the hospital. It wasn't long before we delivered a beautiful, dark haired little boy. We named him Levi Thomas. Levi for his Great Grandpa and Thomas for his Grandpa. He was so sweet and cuddly.

The next morning in the wee hours, they brought me the baby to be fed. I sat up in my bed and propped myself up and reached for the tiny child. I carefully unwrapped him and looked down into his little face. I immediately felt a pounding in my chest and a lump in my stomach. I checked the tag on the blanket and sure enough it said, "Baby boy Ekstrom", but somehow I knew that this was not my baby. I tried reasoning with myself, "Of course this is your baby, the tag says so. " The new mother in the other bed in the room sensed my distress and asked what was wrong. I told her that the baby they brought me was not my baby and she echoed my thoughts. What did the tag say? Of course it was my baby. The longer I held the impostor, the more panic threatened to consume me. I leaped to my feet and ran out into the hall. A nurse coming out of a room a few doors down saw me and before she could voice her question, I cried out, "This is NOT my baby!!" She immediately came to my side speaking calmly and soon had the baby unwrapped so that she could read the ankle tag. Her face flushed as she said in a surprised voice, "You're right, Mrs. Ekstrom, this is not your baby. Why don't you go back to your room while I get this straightened out. She took the baby away while another nurse urged me to return to my room, but my feet were rooted to the floor and I refused to be calmed until I held my little Levi in my arms. In a few minutes the nurse returned with a tiny bundle of blue which she laid into my arms. I nervously lifted the blanket and looked into the eyes of my little baby boy. Tears coursed down my cheeks as I silently thanked our Heavenly Father for that little blessing!!

I have repeated that prayer every day for the last 27 years! I am so thankful for my Levi. He is a thoughtful and sensitive son and brother. He has brought joy and laughter and sunshine and music into our home. He is a friend to everyone and has a way of listening and caring that makes people feel better when they are around him. He is an awesome person and I am very proud to be his mother!!

Happy Birthday, Levi!!