How Can It Be?

How can it be a nickel short of a year already? The butterfly days
scatter themselves to the wind, knowing no hand can recover them.

Friday afternoon marked one year from the Thursday afternoon
that Suzy left work early for what was supposed to be
some supplementary maternity shopping, she'd hardly crossed
the threshold of Costco at Pentagon City Mall, when she knew . . .
knew that all our well-plotted plans were now fluid . . . Amniotic fluid.

Matt was just minutes away from the final Greek final
of his graduate career--Luke-Acts to be exact.
When Suzy got him on his cell after one failed attempt
he hit the July air like a bat out of the underworld oven,
careened down 16th street with all abandon,
shot onto 395 south, and down to the Pentagon City Mall
where he found soaked Suzy in front of Starbucks
being tended-to by a very good, very concerned Samaritaness.

The traffic statutes violated on the return pass through the District

we will pass over. How it could be that Suzy was at Holy Cross Hospital

in Silver Spring, MD where her M.D. works his miracles

just twenty minutes later, only the God of miracles can answer.

Zach did not arrive that day. Nor for the next seven. He was detained

by doctors who weighed the need to keep him wombed one more week
against the risk of in-utero infection. The amniotic fluid would replentish,

we were told, within his womb with a view . . .

And so, long sleepless hours began and lengthened into nights,

and visitors--nay, angels--arrived, bringing needed comfort

and encouragement to a barely-mobile Suzy, and a discombobulated Matt

Then, at length the Day arrived . . .

More on that in a day or five . . .

Anyhow, we hope you all can see and taste just a little

of how much this growing little miracle means

to two inexpert, but very grateful parents.