I can remember each of my children’s births with vivid details. I know where they were born, who was the attending doctor–or nurse as the case was with one, and midwife with two–who was there, who came to visit, and what the circumstances were surrounding that special day or days. Each birth was unique. My first born had a good friend in attendance. We saw her at the store as I went into labor and she tagged along. She wasn’t going to stay for the whole thing, but did an amazing job of video taping everything with decorum. I remember the excitement leading up to his birth. We were in a living nativity scene as Mary and Joseph when labor pains first started on Friday. Monday morning early, almost 4:00, he was born. The second we walked Old Town Bandon in shorts and tank tops two weeks before she was born on February 22. It was hotter than summer. I was so ready for the baby to be born. We tried everything. Then the night before I was to be induced, labor started. My midwife didn’t believe the nurse when I said the baby was coming. I could hear the exasperation in her voice as she said, “She was only at 6 cm when I last checked her three minutes ago!” She reluctantly came in and said with shock, “You’re going to have a baby!” I had gone from 6 to 10 in under five minutes. The middle child was born only 16 months after my second. His birth is a little more hazy. I remember deciding that I would return to the States from Ecuador to have him. I lined up a midwife for the last month of my pregnancy, but when I called thinking my water had broken, she told me to go to the hospital the opposite direction from her. So, a doctor on call delivered my baby boy. He was in there for less than five minutes and charged us an outrageous amount of money. I never saw him again; the nurses discharged me. My youngest has the most memorable birth. He was born at home. After he was born, I said I wished I had been able to have all of them at home. It was so relaxing. Our family’s best friend came out for the week leading up to it. She got to see me in labor and then left Saturday morning. That evening in a rare hale storm David was born. It was three days of start and stop labor, but when he was ready, there was nothing stopping him. It was so precious to see the older children watch from the loft and later having the younger ones come in and hold their new brother. My oldest child was really my fourth birth. She was born before I was married. I met her shortly after I started dating my husband. When she was eight, we had nine hours of ‘labor and delivery’. Her mom called saying she needed a new home. Within the nine hours she was at our doorstep. The transition was not smooth, but we have been able to become friends again.

Birth is something that binds people together. Women especially relate to birthing stories, but even farmers tell the story of the birth of their cow, horse, sheep, pig or other animal. The beginning of life awes even the most sedate person. It is no different with a book.

In late February, I sent my manuscript, Dragon’s Future, to Booktrope to be reviewed for publishing. It was a nerve-wracking experience. I didn’t even tell my husband or any of my family members that I had done it until I heard back from Booktrope! Then when I heard, I had the two to three weeks of deciding if I wanted to follow through with this decision. I couldn’t believe it had been accepted. The mayhem of social media, blogging, editing, proofing, and cover designing has filled up the last five and a half months, but now it is finally time! The moment is upon us. The due date is only six days away. Unlike my natural births that I had, this one will happen on the day scheduled, at least for the eBook. The print copy may be more like my natural births of not sure exactly when after the due date I will get to hold the baby in my hands. I can’t wait! I am so ready and excited to see it and to know that my baby is here. However, just like my children, I will then hand my baby into the world to make its own way. I look forward to hearing your feedback–good and bad, but hopefully mostly good.

As an expectant mother, please forgive any emotional outbursts that I have in the next week or so. Expect my Twitter account to be filled with comments about the book or the Facebook party (come join, there currently is a contest for whoever invites the most people). My Facebook page may be filled with dragon related links or photos and words about the book. Believe me, the excitement will wear off, just like the newness of a baby wears off with sleepless nights. Until then, allow me to exult and rejoice in the life of a new birth.