Wait....

December 2002

The cellphone went off around 6:15 on Sunday morning, waking me up from a blissful slumber. I was disturbed by the ring, but decided to wait for Kadie to answer the phone. Kadie’s hospital always called around than time. She works as an RN (part time) whenever she wants. They often call her early in the morning and ask if she will work and then she decides whether or not to go in. Most days, she decides not to do so.

And she deserves it.

Throughout our long days in graduate school she had worked full time. But now that I have a full time job (for the first time in ten years of marriage) she has cut back to two shifts a week. It’s been great for our two kids as Skeeter and Scooter love the extra time they got to spend with their Mom. And now Mom is pregnant. (Squealer, as we would later find out, would be born a short month later.)

The phone rang again and I reached out to jostle Kadie awake. But as I reach out, I realize I’m alone in bed…

And then I remember I’m not at home.

I’m in a Motel Six off I-35 in Waco, Texas. I groggily come to my senses as my hand fishes around on the night stand for my phone. I’m in Waco using the Baylor library as I wrap up my dissertation. For the last four months I’ve been going down to Waco every other weekend to complete the project. Every Thursday through Sunday I’ve left the family to make the lonely trip along Highway 31 so that I can live and work in a small carrel tucked away on the third floor, in the bowels of Moody library.

But this would be my last time to make the trip. Since it was at the end of the semester, I planned to stay for a whole week to complete the beast.

As I pick up the phone I confirm on the caller ID that it is Kadie’s hospital. I say hello and expect to hear the familiar voice of Kadie’s supervisor asking for her to come in to work.

But instead I hear Kadie’s voice telling me hello. She explains to me that she began to have intense contractions the night before and went up to the hospital with Scooter and Skeeter. My mom also came over and spent the night in the cramped maternity room. (The girls, then 7 and 4, thought it was an exciting camp out).

I’m stunned and concerned for her health and for the baby’s health. I tell her that I would pack immediately and if I hurry, I’ll be home by early afternoon. No doubt sensing the rising concern in my voice she simply replied

“Wait.”

Kadie “How much longer until you finish?”

Me “Finish what?!”

Kadie “Your dissertation.”

Me “Given the circumstances, I really don’t think….”

Kadie (patiently) “How much longer?”

Me “Uhhhh…I could get it done by Wednesday.”

Kadie “I think you should stay in Waco until you finish it.”

Me “I’m not going to stay in Waco while you have a baby!”

Kadie “I’m not having a baby. They’re just premature contractions. They’ll probably release me today and your mom can make sure we get home safely. We’ll be fine. You need to finish.”

Me “There is no way I’m going to be able to write in a library while my wife is being hospitalized in another state.”

Kadie “Taran…we can do this.”

What do you say to that?! (Besides yes ma’am). She was released that afternoon and I stayed and worked on the last two chapters. I finished my first draft of the dissertation that Wednesday and then graduated a few months later.

I could not have made it through graduate school or parenthood…or pastoring…or teaching…or (fill in the blank) without her support these last fifteen years of marriage. She doesn’t appear as often as she deserves in the stories on this blog, but does appear more often than she wants. Kadie’s been an incredible force for my own personal and spiritual growth in the twenty years we’ve known each other.

(And as I’ve mentioned before, she never reads this blog…thus demonstrating once again her exceptional taste).