Yep, 30 years ago today I was in the NCO Acadamy at Ft. Bragg, for the venerable and defunct PNCOC/CA. It's the kind of school where sleep is...scarce. We slept on sleeping bags on the floor because the standards of bed making were so insanely high. We ironed our beds every morning, even though we didn't sleep on them.
Well, we had just settled in for our 2 or 3 hours sleep, when WHAM! the lights went on, and a one of the Cadre Sergeants bellowed "Sgt. Smith, M!" I jumped up and sounded off. He said I was to get dressed, call my unit, and call the hospital, I was now a dad of twins.
The other guys in the squad all shouted "Congratulations---turn off the Mother lights!" as I hurried out.
I was afraid, because they were very, very early. Heather Bernadette Sinai weighed in at 3 lb, 1 oz, and Erin Katerina Lynn weighed in at 2 Lb 12 oz. On the very cusp of what was viable at the time. We had had trouble having a child, and I had been told I wouldn't get to be a daddy. I thought I would get to be a daddy for only a very short, short while. The Queen of the Huse thought that "she'd killed them" by going early.
I got to Cape Fear Hospital, in Fayetteville, NC only to be told that my kids had been flown to Chapel Hill University Hospital. I visited with the QotH, and then drove to Chapel Hill. The kids were so small! and all hokked up to tubes and machines, with an RN in attendance to them 24-7. They stayed there for a month, then returned to Cape Fear. When we got them home they were on heart/lung monitors, and we had visiting nurses from Womack Army community Hospital. (This was when I decided to re-enlist--I got a bill for Erin for 42K and for Bernie at 43K--paid in full by the medical benefits we had then. It was a great persuader!)
But by their first birthday they had caught up, and they hung out with us just fine.
Now, thirty years later, I have two strong, fiery redheaded daughters, tall and feisty, true to their Scottish heritage and their Catholic faith, and I have grand kids and Sons-in-Laws and the whole package. It's been a great blessing. At dinner tonight we were laughing and jocking and eating a meal prepared just for them on their birthday, and I was so thankful.
God Bless you all, everyone who reads this, and say a quick prayer for my beautiful and wonderful daughters!
bernie 3 lb 1 oz katie 2lb 12 oz
Well, we had just settled in for our 2 or 3 hours sleep, when WHAM! the lights went on, and a one of the Cadre Sergeants bellowed "Sgt. Smith, M!" I jumped up and sounded off. He said I was to get dressed, call my unit, and call the hospital, I was now a dad of twins.
The other guys in the squad all shouted "Congratulations---turn off the Mother
I was afraid, because they were very, very early. Heather Bernadette Sinai weighed in at 3 lb, 1 oz, and Erin Katerina Lynn weighed in at 2 Lb 12 oz. On the very cusp of what was viable at the time. We had had trouble having a child, and I had been told I wouldn't get to be a daddy. I thought I would get to be a daddy for only a very short, short while. The Queen of the Huse thought that "she'd killed them" by going early.
I got to Cape Fear Hospital, in Fayetteville, NC only to be told that my kids had been flown to Chapel Hill University Hospital. I visited with the QotH, and then drove to Chapel Hill. The kids were so small! and all hokked up to tubes and machines, with an RN in attendance to them 24-7. They stayed there for a month, then returned to Cape Fear. When we got them home they were on heart/lung monitors, and we had visiting nurses from Womack Army community Hospital. (This was when I decided to re-enlist--I got a bill for Erin for 42K and for Bernie at 43K--paid in full by the medical benefits we had then. It was a great persuader!)
But by their first birthday they had caught up, and they hung out with us just fine.
Now, thirty years later, I have two strong, fiery redheaded daughters, tall and feisty, true to their Scottish heritage and their Catholic faith, and I have grand kids and Sons-in-Laws and the whole package. It's been a great blessing. At dinner tonight we were laughing and jocking and eating a meal prepared just for them on their birthday, and I was so thankful.
God Bless you all, everyone who reads this, and say a quick prayer for my beautiful and wonderful daughters!
bernie 3 lb 1 oz katie 2lb 12 oz
2 comments:
God bless you and your wife and daughters and sons-in-law and grandchildren!
Happy Birthday times two!
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