As per aunties Amy and Jeannette's requests: a family photo from day 1

A gift.

A new life named John Samuel has entered the world from the Source of all life, Jesus Christ. And what an awe inspiring event birth is - it is the power of the physicality of love - love emptying itself to bring life into the world.

I would look at Cheryl at the peak of a contraction and feel afraid of how far she was emptying herself to bring John into the world - a holy fear gripped me as I beheld a pure love enduring everything for the sake of another.

And I say this after what the midwives called a relatively short labour for a first child; I can't imagine what a long labour would be like.

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I feel as though I am forever indebted to the Mother of our Lord and St. Elizabeth mother of John the Baptist for the health of this child. Monday night, after playing a few rounds of darts, I arrived home at 12:00 am and had to work he next day but I decided to pray the Supplication service to Mary and stay up later than I should have. In the middle of the service is the maginificat and when I read it I simply couldn't control myself. The Mother of God and St. Elizabeth let me know that they was looking out for us.

The next day, the beginning of Cheryl's labour, Cheryl got an email from a friend with simple recording of "O Virgin Pure." We listened to it a number of times during early labour and the song stuck itself in my head.

Labour was progressing very well. 8 centimetres dilated ... fully dilated .... head coming out ... and the heart began to slow down. Little John's heart wasn't recovering as fast as the midwives would like. It should only go down to about 90 bpm and bounce back to 110-120 but his little heart was suddenly down to 6-70. They decided to go ahead and intervene to give the baby a bit more space. The midwives told me to call 911 to play things safe. I called 911 and urgently requested an ambulance.

The 911 operator had to ask me a number of questions about the condition of the baby, what was happening, etc. At this point I was extremely upset and swore at the poor lady and then apologized. After speaking with the operator for a while in the hallway, I reentered the bedroom where Cheryl was labouring. I saw John's head coming out and the midwife pulling him out. The midwives calmly but firmly encouraged Cheryl to push hard for at least 5 seconds at a time. Before John had fully exited the birth canal, the midwife cut the umbilical cord. Then, John came flying out of the womb looking a bit grey and very purple. In the words of Cheryl, "He was purple and larger than life as he flew across the room. He filled the entire room at that moment." Indeed, he did fly across the room. With absolute calmness, the main midwife, Kim, quickly passed John to Val, the second midwife, who suctioned his lungs and airways, gave him oxygen, closely monitored his heart rate, cleaned him and warmed him. During this time I sat beside John talking to him and asking him to breathe. I heard someone saying, "Please God!" in the room. Suddenly John cried and I knew everything was good.

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Many thanks are due our midwives who - with stillness and focus - delivered John into the world. Kim, the main midwife, radiated stillness during the entire birth.

I will always be grateful to Cheryl for her total giving of herself. I will always praise the Mother of God and St. Elizabeth for their powerful intercession. I will continually thank our Father in heaven for his tender compassion on all he has made.

It's a...

Ladies and gentlemen ....

The first one out of the womb is a .... BOY!

That's right. He's John Samuel Zacharias and he is cute, was born on March 8 at 5:32 am, weighs in at a lean 7 lbs 5 ounces and stands a towering 22 inches.

We appreciate your prayers and we ask you to continue praying for the health of mom and child and the spiritual strengthening of this growing family.

All our love and gratitude for your prayers and gracious gifts.

sincerest love,
John Samuel, Cheryl and Matthew Zacharias

No ordinary Monday/ "The due date is not a deadline"

So, today's my official due date. No baby yet. I've been surprised at how many people are surprised I haven't had the baby yet...as though the due date is some kind of last day to hand in a paper or something. Ever since I was 37 weeks people seemed to expect the baby to come anytime.

Well here I am, still plodding (or waddling) along looking like an egg with legs and arms! I read that of all the babies who are born 2 weeks late, only 1% show signs of being post-term. So it could still be a little while... My mother and I may still have some days to have some fun together going out and doing stuff when she gets here (tomorrow afternoon). And as I was telling my friend Stacy, now that I'm due I feel less obligated to "get things done" and more free to just chill out and enjoy these last special days of anticipation and pre-parenthood. There's lots of room for inner reflection and inner preparation. And a little nesting.

However, I have begun to feel that things are happening...twinges and aches that were not there before, gradually lasting longer, or intensifying from day to day. Pain that is strangely welcome, as it heralds the approach of the most momentous day of my life. Our dear Deacon Gregory had a dream that my baby was born on the 10th, and was a girl. The thought of that dream makes me happy. It feels like a good omen.

This is a good week. I woke up happy this morning...the way I used to feel as a kid when I woke up on my birthday...the way I felt when I woke up the day after Matthew and I started dating. Honestly, how many Monday mornings have felt that way?

Glory to God!

And good night. Need my pregnant beauty sleep.