Emily, Eva, and I are sitting together in our hospital room right now with some morning light cracking through the window. Things are very peaceful and quiet. Earlier around 9am or so we had a surprise visit from Grandpa Nad from San Diego. He drove in last night and made it as far as Nephi before crashing at a hotel. He surprised Anne Carroll this morning and the two of them came for a visit to see the first great-granddaughter. He and I shared a great moment as he held Eva for the first time and told me about the first time he held Anne Carroll (his eldest daughter) and how (at the time) he never would have imagined living to see her become a grandmother. We will enjoy these last few hours together in the hospital before we take our daughter home for the first time around 1 o'clock or so. So this entry looks to be the last post to the blog from the "Front Lines." Orem Community Hospital, their staff, and especially Dr. Judd have exceeded all our expectations. More to come front the homefront.

BABY DEANS HAS A NAME!

Eva (eh-va)is named after her Great, Great Grandmother Eva Williams Darger who was a tremendous example of strength, perseverance, and courage. Elizabeth is a tribute to her Auntie Elizabeth, (Emily's sister Elizabeth Jane) who is also a beautiful and courageous woman that we admire and know that baby Eva will to.

Eva Elizabeth spent most of the morning lying on her Dad's chest asleep. We had a great night last night, got some good sleep, and are looking forward to visiting with friends and family today in the hospital. I've never seen Emily so happy. She is taking everything in stride. Early this morning Emily sang an original (written on-the-go) song to the baby while she nursed. Something like 'Please stay awake and eat pretty girl so your mom can get some sleep.' The mother-daughter bond has already set in. I'm writing in the blog right now in an attempt to circumvent the (been going for half-hour already) "lactation" lesson from 'Karlene.'

Another day as a Dad, its pretty wonderful.

The little Princess was born at 12:09pm. She weighs 8 pounds 8 oz. She is 21 inches long. She has beautiful long fingers and long legs like her mother. The delivery was "fun," "wonderful," and "the best" according to Emily.

We are in the hospital and Dr. Judd is on the way over to deliver the baby. Emily is feeling good. Anne Carroll Darger (Grandmother), Susan Deans (Grandmother), Elizabeth Darger (Sister), and me....the Dad, are here in the delivery room. The doctor predicted an 11:47am delivery time....we'll keep you posted.

Tommorrow Emily and I will go to our early morning appointment with Dr. Judd to learn whether or not we will be having the baby this week. We have been cherishing our time together these last couple of weeks and we have also done a lot of reflecting on our marriage up to this point. As a good friend (and mother of 3) explained to us, we are turning the page on Chapter 1 of our life together and with the baby comes Chapter 2, a whole new world.

Last night we drove up Provo Canyon to Bridal Veil Falls park to have a picnic by the river and spend some quality time together. At Emily's suggestion we brought our journals and we recorded some of our thoughts and feelings as we turn the page to Chapter 2. As I wrote, I directed all of my comments toward my future daughter. I told her about all of the challenges and joys her mother had experienced during the pregnancy and I also apologized for not having found a name for her yet. (Still working on that part) I tried to explain how inadequate we feel welcoming her into our home and I found myself asking her to be patient and forgiving, understanding that we will try our best but will undoubtedly make mistakes along the way. Then I lifted my pen and stared at the flow of the Provo River for awhile, a small pool collected just across from us on the other side of the bank and I was sure it was home to one of Provo's famous Brown trout. I looked around for my rod, no luck, so I picked up the pen again and wrote some more.

To set the stage for some of the thoughts and feelings Emily and I have going into this delivery, I should probably mention a tragedy that recently took place with some friends of ours. A little over 3 months ago they had a baby boy who was all smiles when they brought him to church for the first time. He was beautiful, and from all appearances, just another healthy baby boy with brown hair. Two weeks after I first met him some questions were raised following a routine blood test after a trip to the pediatrician. The next week he and his parents admitted him to Primary Children's in Salt Lake, and two weeks and 10 chemotherapy treatments later, he died of leukemia. I attended the funeral and watched my friends walk behind the pallbearers toward the gravesite. I had never experienced anything quite like it. The casket was the tiniest white box you could ever imagine. The father bore a powerful testimony of the atonement, the resurrection, and how he looks forward to the opportunity he will have to raise his son during the millenium. As I drove home by myself to Provo, I was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude for the plan of salvation, and a new sense of dedication to loving and appreciating the incredible blessing we have to bring children into this world. (Please remind me of this when I call to complain for lack of sleep) So needless to say, the tragic experience of our good friends has awakened us to a sense of gratitude for the blessing and opportunity we have before us.

So, as I turn the page to Chapter 2 of my life with Emily, I find strength in recognizing the reality of me becoming a Father...."One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing." - Socrates