January 24, 1986.

I woke up at 5am that morning. Ready to go!

Lucy was making her morning coffee and getting ready to get ready for work. Stephanie,Helen and Alex laid quietly sleeping on make shift colchones on the sala floor. The nights sleeping together like that are dearly missed. We knew we were family and we had the greatest love.

I walked into the kitchen and told Lucy I think it's time quietly trying not to wake the little ones.
She smiled and proceeded to wake up Jay. It was early in so many ways. A little over 2 weeks to go still according to the clinica's calculations.

We scurried about and got into that tiny little Honda Civic 2 door hatch back and off we went.

We were speeding of course. The clinic was in Harlingen and that was at least a thirty minute drive. I was hanging on and anxious. I had done this before just 13 months prior so it wasn't the event that scared me but the fact that it came so soon and with what seemed not a moment to waste. As we sped down the dark highway with no one else in sight Jay said, " Hope no cops are around". My reply of course was, " If there is you better not stop until we get there". Then we saw the lights.

We pulled over reluctantly and before the officer got to the drivers side of the car I'm sure he knew something was awry. It only took a moment and the officer said, " follow me there". It was so exciting.
With each bump I knew it was getting close. We finally reached our destination just in time for our newest adventure to begin.The officer went inside to get help and when the kind Nuns came to the car I felt a sense of relief.

They wheeled me inside and into a room. As they began to take my vitals I told each person as they went in and out of the room that it was time. They each calmly told me, " Don't worry my child. It is too early for this to be the day. This sometimes happens and you think it is time but we assure you it's not". Bullshit!

Jay was assured and told to go on back to Brownsville and go to work. They were going to give me something to relax and allow me to sleep. How can you argue with Nuns?

As the final person entered my room I pleaded with her, " Please check me...Please". So she did.
"It's TIME !!!! " she said. At last someone believed me. She begged me not to push and to wait until she could get someone back in the room with her but it was way too late for that. A few quick blinding moments and one wonderful gorgeous cry.

There he was. Dimples so pronounced and eyes so blue. Hardly any hair but it was there. He was here.

His dad said the moment he got into his truck to make his deliveries that day he received a call over the radio telling him to head in. He knew he had missed it.

We had chosen not to know what sex the baby was going to be as we did with all our kids. We had picked out the name Madison Lane. He wasn't a girl though. So, we took a few extra days to figure it out. I finally opened the Bible and there it was.
Matthew - God's Gift. Perfect!

Happy Birthday Teo! I love you so.