32 Years

32 years!?  It seems like almost yesterday. 

A whole lotta life can be lived in these past 32 years. 32 years is a ride filled with precious moments and a few potholes. This describes my last 32 years, and I would never trade them.

It was just over 32 years ago my lovely daughter Erin entered planet Earth via spaceship mom.  Ok, bad analogy.. my wife Mary was pregnant but not as big as a spaceship.  BUT I DIGRESS..  after a high-risk pregnancy including 5 1/2 months on bed rest Erin entered this world in a rush about 10 weeks early and weighed in at a lean mean 3 lbs. 13 oz.

​As you can imagine Mary being on bed rest for 5 1/2 months, with 2 preschoolers running around the house while I was working full-time was stressful and exhausting. But we were so blessed with a good family, a church, and friends that were truly PRICELESS in getting us to the finish line.

D-DAY ( or B-DAY) February 5, 1991:  So just after just getting home around 9pm from the hospital visiting Mary with our two boys, I put the boys to bed, and the phone rang.  It is the hospital informing me I better get back right away if I want to see the birth of my daughter.   I did, so I did.

So I get the boys up, rush them over to Mary’s sister’s house (she lived 2 blocks from the hospital), and arrive in time to be with my wife.  Since Mary’s due date is not for another 10 weeks the doctor expounds great words of wisdom for the day... “Don’t push too hard or you might shoot your baby across the room.”  Ya gotta like a doctor with a sense of humor.

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So unto us an 'Erin' is born, around 11:30 pm with no complications except that she is only 3 lbs 13 oz.  After an initial exam, she is given her first ambulance ride to the Children’s Hospital NICU in St Paul where they specialize in care of preme-babies.  WHEW!  Glad they did, cuz I did not.

After a short time, at a Children's Hospital Erin came home to be with her brothers, and our family never looked back.

We have so many memories of Erin as a little girl, then off to school, and even those dreaded teen years.. that makes us both smile and cringe.  

No manual prepared this dad for teenage girls... THEY SCARE ME! 
Now fast forward 32 YEARS from 1991 and our little girl is is a wonderful mom for her soon to be 2 year old son Ira Tyron McDonough. Grandma Mary and I now enjoy our many visits as they only live a few miles away.  

So those are my 32 years, these are Erin's 32 years and we both are ready for the next 32 (yikes that would make me 97) filled with more precious memories and the accompanied potholes that are all so priceless and a gift from God.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.

Jeff (proud daddy and granddaddy) Larson

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