Love & Friendship

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP: A STORY OF LIFE, LOSS AND HUNTING ANTELOPE.

We settled in to give thanks and I took stock of the lovely table set before us. For whatever reason the aroma and arrangement of the beautiful meal tipped the scales, and my cup had runneth over. The emotions arrived all-at-once, resistance was futile. My face awkwardly tightened and I tucked my chin to my chest.

This meal featured special place settings, cloth napkins, and choices of red or white wine. The yams were golden brown & baked to perfection. Steam rose from the soft mound of stuffing and the grilled asparagus, neatly stacked and uniformly charred. Our hosts had carefully prepared a roasted antelope loin, the bounty of a successful hunt from the week before. Rubbed in rosemary & spices and partially carved to show the pink tender inside.

Next to me sat my beautiful wife, a true gift of the highest order. Rested by her feet in a bassinet was our recent miracle, our ten-day-old baby boy who lay quietly sleeping. Our friends raised their glasses for a toast. They had recently moved out to Denver from our home state of Michigan, and it was good to be near them again. This night was a celebration, but to me it felt extra special. I felt like a travel-weary sailor kissing dry land, willing to give anything to savor the moment. The whole scene blurred through my welling tears.

Friday had marked the morning of our 40th week of pregnancy. Evie and I went to the hospital to see our doctor for a final check-up prior to delivery. We were elated to learn the process could begin, our baby was ready. With a choice for a natural onset of labor or a manual water-break, we opted for the latter. The doctor instructed us to head home and pack some things. Taking our time, we even waddled a short loop around the nearby park before checking into our room around 2:00pm, prepared to spend the night.