December 1996 our first and only son was born and BOY I was so excited. I love my girls and I would never trade any of them for a thing, not even another son. The Lord was giving me an opportunity to raise up a man of God, and someone who would carry on our family name.
During Carri's labor in the hospital, we began to notice that something just did not seem right. For one, she just was not progressing very quickly in labor. You would have thought child number three would just walk out into the delivery room. Just kidding. The other thing we noticed is that his heart rate was dropping quite a bit every time there was a contraction. In between contractions, his heart rate was around 160-170. During and after contractions, his heart rate was dropping in to the low 100's, then the 90's, then the 70's…all the way down into the 20's. Yes, that is right his heart rate would drop into the twenties. Me being a paramedic and Carri a nurse, we knew that there was something seriously and critically wrong. Our nurse was alarmed, our doctor, well he was clueless. In fact, he lost his medical license a few years later.
We were not stupid nor naive, we knew something was critically wrong. What can you do in a situation like this? Pray, and that is exactly what we did, we prayed. When Brenton was finally born, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice. Our beautiful bouncing baby boy was being strangled throughout the entire labor and delivery process. Oxygen was being cut off from his brain for a few minutes at a time, several times every hour. That is why his heart rate was dropping into the twenties during contractions.
After a labor and delivery like this, you would expect complications. The brain needs blood and oxygen to survive. Without it, either you suffer brain damage or you die. Brenton however had no ill effects whatsoever. Except, he is one of the funniest persons I know.
Just like our other children, we prayed and made sure God knew that we knew the children He blessed us with were His.
At the age of 15, Brenton has been on two foreign mission trips to Nicaragua. He has also been on three domestic youth mission trips. He has shared with me and our church that he feels God calling him into ministry. The other cool thing, he has already preached his first sermon a few months ago. Without a doubt, our son truly belongs to the Lord.
The picture is of Brenton and some Nicaraguan children.
Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
May my life be the proof and evidence of Christ's love!
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