It
had been a roller coaster of emotions during this infamous year of the
“pandemic”, or “plandemic” as I more affectionately refer to it.
There was a
virus originating in China which quickly spread worldwide. At first we were
terrified; the news and rules from the “CDC” certainly tried to keep us that
way. We stayed away from each other, hovered in our own homes, and tried not to
venture out, until this Grandmother, like most of the family, decided enough was
enough.
June saw us gathering as a group for several days close to Ogden Canyon
for some swim time, a visit to the reservoir and a whole lot of time in close
quarters, rebelling, and otherwise thumbing our nose at “the virus”, (Covid 19).
As the time drew closer for Jayni to have her baby, her greatest wish was that
she could make it through her pregnancy without acquiring, “the virus.” She and
Craig were pretty careful to exact this outcome, and were successful.
A few
weeks before delivery time, it was discovered that the baby had turned herself
into “transverse”, or a crosswise position, to the consternation of her parents.
A date was planned for Jayni to come to the hospital and have the baby turned,
with the aid of pictures from ultrasound. The date came and Jayni arrived and
made herself comfortable on the ultrasound table. Since the doc was not
available at the moment to begin the procedure, (when is the doctor ever
available when it’s time for anything??) the ultrasound tech showed Jayni how
the baby was still in “transverse” position. Half an hour later, the doctor
strolled in and the ultrasound revealed the baby had maneuvered herself into the
proper “vertex” position within the last few minutes. Well, what angel shall we
give credit for that miracle? Maybe it was just Molly herself who changed her
mind and changed her body to save her mother some pain and trouble. But there
was no denying, the change happened in the “nick of time.” “Wow”, the doctor
exclaimed. “We should plan to deliver this baby right away while she is still in
the correct position. She is liable to turn again soon.” So a date was set to
induce labor, at 37 weeks gestation; a little early, yes. But this baby was
measuring large.
Early on the morning of August 10, Jayni and Craig made their
way to Timpanogos hospital for the induction. After being given the runaround
for a while in the waiting room, the Doctor “on call” came in and declared he
didn’t want to induce labor at this early date. Jayni cried; the Doctor gave in
and complied. After all, the Grandma was here in town, having traveled and
planned for the birth on THIS day. So things were set in motion and at 2:00 pm,
Molly Lynn was born weighing 8 lbs. 1 oz, 19 ½ inches.
We had a beautiful time
together with baby, Mama, Daddy, Evie and Gwenie in the mid-August heat. Three
little girls now rule the day at the Kingsford home in Mapleton, Utah. Three
little girls of light, innocence and angelic countenance; Three little girls
giving their parents a run for their money; Three little girls proving to be big
dreams coming true.
As a side note, I experienced something uncanny during those
days at their home in the “Harvest Park” development. Every time I went outside
with the girls to walk, or to play, or go to the park, I bumped into the same
neighbor walking his dog. It became quite the laugh, and - something to be
remembered.
ELIZA MIRIAM TERRY - Miracle on the Fly, February 11, 2021
I was headed
down the road from the Ranch to the Salt Lake Airport on this clear and pleasant
morning in February, leaving in plenty of time for my 1:00 pm flight to Dallas
to see Sally and family. I felt relaxed with happy thoughts of the week to come
and a large suitcase heavy with presents and goodies to present to my precious
“Texans”.
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| The Texans, having our "postponed" fun in March. |
Along about the town of Franklin, I got a text from Southwest Airlines
that my flight had been delayed until 2:30. I called Sally and she looked around
for me and rescheduled me for a noon nonstop flight, but now I would have to
really move fast to arrive at the airport on time. Sally was on “Marco Polo”,
unbeknownst-to-me, begging for some of her sisters to meet me at the airport and
park my car in “long term” so I could just run in and go.
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| Sweet Sally |
She was nervous, but I
figured I would be all right to trust my luck and go for it. There was just one big worry nagging at me: Sally told me that there was “freezing rain” on
their highways that morning and the early morning work commute had resulted in a
disaster of mega proportions to the tune of a 100 car pile-up with multiple
deaths and injuries. “How are you supposed to come and get me?” I asked. In the
back of my mind I figured I would go ahead and miss the noon flight, get another
that would arrive later, and hope for the best that the slick roads would melt
by the time she came to pick me up later in the afternoon or evening.
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| Lissi, Millie and Bennett with Grandma at the zoo. |
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| The builders. |
We
expected my week in Texas to be cold, but we had *no idea* what was in store for
that land of “southern comfort” in the days to come. One mile from the SLC
airport exit, I received a phone call from my youngest, Livvy. “Mom, I’m having
my baby today. This is not a joke!”
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| Surprise, Surprise! |
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| View from the hospital room: North Mountain, Alpine, Utah |
Livvy, only 36 weeks along in gestation with
her second child, seemed very calm in this pronouncement. Because I had
carefully planned this Texas trip to be home in time for Livvy's expected March 3rd
delivery, I felt a momentary shock. I steered the car to the southbound 215 and
called Sally, whom Livvy had just called, and who was in a state of tears and
disappointment. But moments later, I spoke on “Marco Polo” to my gaggle of girls" about this whiplash turn of events; I felt a peace and assurance that we were
being looked out for in a most miraculous way. “I just know the Lord is watching
over us today, and I just know that Livvy and her baby are going to be fine!”
In
wonderment, but practically giggling, I related to my daughters what had
happened to me last night. On preparing for bed, I
had a most peculiar feeling. It was God telling me, “You need to get on your
knees and thank me, with your whole soul, for your blessings. I have watched out
for you, helped you, loved you and blessed you. And you are more grateful at this moment
than you’ve ever been in your life.”
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| Strawberry Days 100 year Celebration Rodeo - June |
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| June sky in Stewart field |
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| Mamas and babies preparing for summer range. |
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| Cowhand Christmas. |
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| Nice and Naughty |
I did get on my knees, but the feeling was
strong with me all night and also as I drove down the highway the next morning.
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| February in Thatcher |
I
continued my prayer of thanks and pledged my love, my support, and my service to
my Father in Heaven, asking that this day He would direct my path to do His
will. So when Livvy called me, I recognized God’s voice! Not only would I be
able to be a support to Livvy and her family this week,
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| Rosie baking it up with Grandma. |
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| A" 36 week" pose. |
but Sally also was
receiving a blessing of epic proportion, really a “life saving” intervention in
NOT venturing out with her car on those killer roads in Texas that day. Texas
would remain in a deep freeze for 8 more days, with record low temperatures and
snow. Bryan would remain home from work, and the children would remain home from
school as driving continued treacherous if not impossible. They would be hosts
to friends experiencing power outages; and another miracle: Sally and Bryan
would not experience even a single power outage at their home during that week.
Doug said the Texas blizzard was something he had read about in his cowboy
history books, referred to as a “Blue Northerner.”
So Eliza saved the day. She
arrived at 4:36 p.m. by repeat C-section, weighing 5 pounds and 5 ounces and
measuring 19 ½ inches. She was four weeks early, hungry, docile, healthy and has
remained so for these first ten days of her life. Big sister, Rosie seems pretty
pleased with the baby, this all depends on her being well napped.
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| Snow time with cuz Caleb. |
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| Valentine cookies with cousins Gwenie and Evie. |
Heavenly
Father is so good. Eliza came with a spirit of peace that permeated her parents’
hearts. She intervened and saved us on February eleven - Our “Miracle on the
Fly.”
WILLIAM TYRELL BOWEN - Count the Angels “All In” for the Miracle, May 30
2021
Katherine was counting on, had indeed prepared for, the perfect “natural”
birth with her fourth baby. Her third baby, Caleb, had made a crash landing at
his birth three years ago, catching Katherine off guard and leaving her
bewildered; lesson learned.
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| Caleb Daniel - a fast arrival - October 5, 2017 |
Her next pregnancy, she vowed, would be calmer, and
with preparation, the natural birth she envisioned would be better all around
for both her and the baby.
I was very proud of her study and preparation, her
dedication to learning gave her confidence instead of the fear she initially
expressed. Her plans included no IV or IV fluids, nor an epidural for pain
relief. She had diligently prepared her cervix to prevent tearing and the
dreaded episiotomy. She had studied hypno birthing to help the baby come a
little easier and to keep her breathing on track and physical pain in check.
Up in Idaho I was trying to gage when to head to Utah to be present for the birth
as was Katherine’s request. Late Saturday night, May 29, I made
the leap and headed down to Utah when Katherine described contractions I figured were the real deal, and arrived at her home
around 10 pm. We all headed to bed, agreeing to be up and going in an hour or
two. By 1 am, she and Tyrell were off and Grandma Brenda Bowen arrived at their home to stay
the night. About 1:45 I arrived at the American Fork Hospital. All was peaceful and
dark in the parking lot when I stepped out of the car and made my way to the
door.
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| Geraldine Hamblin Bangerter March 3, 1924 - May 9 2021 |
"Mama", I said aloud to my mother, who had just passed away three weeks ago on Mother's Day,
“Are you going to join us tonight for this party?
Katherine is, after all, your name sake.”
(Katherine Geraldine).
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| Birthday love to Grandma, March 2020 |
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| Trey has arms for the hug |
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| Lydia snuggles close. |
I had no reason
to doubt that she wouldn’t be with us, and I was looking forward to it. In the
labor and delivery room, all was moving ahead as expected. The doctor convinced
Katherine to move forward with “breaking” her water, rather than opting for a
soak in a warm bath. Would she not, perhaps, just wish to get things moving
along quicker? Sure. In a moment the deed was done, the water bag broken, and…
“Oh no,” I heard the doctor’s urgent words, uttered with forced calm. “The cord is coming down.” And now the
doctor was stuffing it back up where it belonged with both hands. The heart rate
dipped a little. The doctor’s words to the nurse were calm but urgent. “Get the
IV in. Call anesthesia.” After one failed IV attempt by one nurse, Katherine
calmly pointed another nurse to her very best vein – that of her right
antecubital, saying: “This is the biggest and best one; it never fails.” The IV
now in, it seemed to be that the umbilical cord had disappeared back up
somewhere into the confines where the baby yet resided. But the heart rate now
slowed to an ominous beat……….beat……….beat, a rhythm I recognized only too well
as dangerous for the safety of this precious baby. “Let’s go!” the doctor said,
and go they did. Katherine, looking beautiful, even peaceful, on the bed as she
was rolled out the room, whispered, “Pray for me.” Tyrell, who had disappeared
momentarily into the restroom to blow his stuffy nose, had missed most of the
foregoing drama and was half bewildered in asking, “What’s going on?” We huddled
into a corner of the room and prayed aloud. I asked that angels could come to the aid of this mother and baby for their protection and safety.
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| Two Geraldines - July 1998 |
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| Katherine with Grandma, the Hot Chocolate Queen of the High Uintahs |
Katherine’s story:
Katherine arrived in the operating room. The OB doc, having
quickly scrubbed and the nurses, having given her belly a thorough but hasty
scrubbing, were now ready to proceed, as it was now evident that anesthesia was
here also to administer the quick general anesthetic. The baby would perhaps be
out in one minute’s time. The doctor stood next to Katherine with sterile knife
in hand. “Wait!” he instructed. The baby’s heart rate was on the rise – yes,
slowly….. yes! The heart rate was now, most assuredly, in safe range. The team
watched and waited. And then they brought Katherine back into the delivery room
where Tyrell and I waited. Katherine ended up with an epidural anyway,
just in case there of further emergencies ahead. The epidural didn’t work very
well, and Katherine’s breathing and relaxation techniques came in handy after
all and served her well through 'til delivery. The baby’s descending head, of
course, pushed on the adjacent cord and just before the baby was born, his heart
rate dropped again. It didn't help that his position was "face up". Doc deftly turned the head, and baby, before Katherine gave a final push, and suddenly here was "Liam".
He cried, and his mama was all too ready to gather him up.
There would be no
episiotomy, there would be no NICU stay for lack of oxygen to the brain,
and there would be no hangover for Katherine from general anesthesia. There was
merely a strong baby, a beaming mother and a relieved father and grandma.
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| Daddy Tyrell and Liam |
It was
stunning, really, this answer to our prayers. I couldn’t help saying out loud: “Thanks for joining the party, Mama. And thank you to every angel who was
here with you tonight!”
My Mama and her team of angels had worked hand in hand with us this night and into the dawning of day, serving up a breathtaking miracle. There was
nothing more to say but, ”Good morning William Tyrell, and welcome to your world
of blessings!”
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| Two thrilled grandmothers: Brenda and Peggy |
There was a
virus originating in China which quickly spread worldwide. At first we were
terrified; the news and rules from the “CDC” certainly tried to keep us that
way. We stayed away from each other, hovered in our own homes, and tried not to
venture out, until this Grandmother, like most of the family, decided enough was
enough.
As the time drew closer for Jayni to have her baby, her greatest wish was that
she could make it through her pregnancy without acquiring, “the virus.” She and
Craig were pretty careful to exact this outcome, and were successful.
Up in Idaho I was trying to gage when to head to Utah to be present for the birth
as was Katherine’s request. Late Saturday night, May 29, I made
the leap and headed down to Utah when Katherine described contractions I figured were the real deal, and arrived at her home
around 10 pm. We all headed to bed, agreeing to be up and going in an hour or
two. By 1 am, she and Tyrell were off and Grandma Brenda Bowen arrived at their home to stay
the night. About 1:45 I arrived at the American Fork Hospital. All was peaceful and
dark in the parking lot when I stepped out of the car and made my way to the
door. 
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