(Finished March 2021)
AND THE POST YOU‘VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!
!!Salem Bryan Fowler is Born!!
(Read the bold for the highlights)
The date was approaching. The Lord had kindly and sovereignly planned a steady pregnancy for Katie in the midst of an unsteady time. Moving, starting a new phase of life, you know the gist. Baby was due Sunday, October 25 and the nesting was almost complete. We bought a smaller bedside bassinet, more appropriate to the size of our small room. We sold a (recently purchased) saggy futon and tried again with a pull-out couch for Katie’s parents to sleep on when they visited. We had all the hospital bags prepped and all the refrigerator items together in a corner for quick and easy extraction when the time came. We had the infant car seat strapped in and ready. And this was all done like 2 weeks ahead of time– people advised us that the 2nd kid comes quicker than the 1st… and… technically he did, but we’re not there yet.
So, in late October, the first semester of seminary was well underway and Katie was keeping busy with Justus and being a home-maker and making new friends and trying to go on frequent walks… you know, the works. Katie was ready… but… it wasn’t really her decision. Now, I can tell you from first-hand experience that Katie is a cuddle-bug and she can get very comfortable, very quickly, while cuddling and fall right asleep, for hours (or at least she could get hours in before kids). Why am I telling you this? Salem seems to either share this quality or really appreciate that quality in his momma, because this boy was comfortable, very comfortable! Like 6 days past due comfortable..
(((((In fact, we had just met a couple, Alden and Taylor Groves, who had recently made the trek to WTS from Charlottesville, VA, for their first year of seminary. The Groves were due with their first-born on Oct. 30, but little Theo decided to trade weeks with Salem and come on the 23rd. Feel free to follow their story by contacting Alden at alden.d.groves@gmail.com)))))
Alden 
Theo 
Taylor
Katie’s parents made plans to come stay with us, starting the 25th. At first we were worried they’d miss the birth, but as the time drew nearer, we worried he’d actually miss them! The second day of their visit, the 26th, Katie had an appointment and was discouraged to find that she was only 2cm dilated. But a look of determination marked her brow and she designed to work this baby down no matter the personal cost (okay, within reason, but it needed to sound intense so you don’t get bored). That evening, she went for an hour walk while her mom watched Justus. Her dad and I went to the seminary to study, as we were both enrolled in classes (him for a ThM). And by the time dinner was set on the table, we all waited patiently to get a read on Katie. Well, as most of you know, it’s very difficult to get a read on a pregnant woman, especially when she’s both past her due date and a very driven, efficient individual. Dinner might have been quite silent if it were all adults. Thankfully, though, a very excited 2-and-a-half-year-old gave us other, more important things to dwell on- like the fact that we were apparently “having a PARTY with Mammy and Pappy!” Yes, every evening they were with us was a party to energetic, little Justus. And after Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday yielded no progress for Katie, we decided it was time to make this ‘party’ official!
Yes, Tuesday came and went, with close to 4 hours of walking for Katie. Wednesday, one of her feet was paying for it, so she took it easy afterward. Thursday we shared a pizza & movie night with the grandparents. But Friday, we stepped our partying up a notch (for a 2-and-a-half-year-old, that is). Katie, her mother and Justus went to the Dollar Store to buy party hats and decorations and balloons. They made brownies and bought ice cream, and by the time Katie’s dad and I returned from the seminary, the festivities were underway! We had dinner with all our respective party hats on, Justus made sure his was orange and mine was blue, and then we ate DESSERT!!! (Yeah, we don’t ever give Justus sugar so this was a huge treat and after that point it is always my unspoken, appointed duty to help him drain that energy by bedtime). And then we danced the night away with everybody’s favorite songs: “Baby Shark” and “Gummy Bear.” I mean, come on, who doesn’t like listening to those songs… over and over again… for an hour…? Okay, we did put a cap at 3 or 4 times through, I think, but it really was a blast.
That night, Katie began having contractions (we must have partied the little guy down a bit, or made him jealous). The next day, Katie, Mom and Justus went to a thrift store to buy some things.. nothing specific, just some therapy spending. This is actually something Katie never does, so I was all for her treating herself. And what might Katie return with if NOT a (humorously tight) Superman costume for Justus and some new kid’s books (she would do that- goes therapy shopping and buys nothing for herself, but several things for others). But you KNOW that little boy put his suit on before we could put it in the washing machine, and before we could say Justus League, he was running around the house watching to see if his cape would catch air. What a precious memory. Here’s a snap shot:
I stayed home Saturday to keep an eye on the family and help Katie with whatever she needed. Contractions became regular, but spread throughout the day, so she continued about her business, (pausing to focus every once in a while). At 4:30, Katie, Justus and I went on a walk to visit some llamas at a farm across the street. Along the way, we saw a couple tables with goodie bags laid out on small tables outside people’s houses…? Oh! It’s Halloween! Is our baby going to be born on Halloween? No, if anything, he’ll be born on Reformation Day (Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed a very important piece of paper to the door of the Catholic Church in Gutenberg, Germany, if you didn’t know already- great story, look it up). By 5pm, contractions were 4-6 minutes apart and we were on our way back home to eat dinner and labor in the tub before making the big decision. On a side note, an opportunity/necessity availed itself in the form of last-minute bedroom rearrangement. We had swapped sleeping arrangements with the in-laws to give them more privacy and time to sleep while our little megaphone ran around early each morning. Without getting into too many details, we needed to move the bed and dresser for practical reasons (which have been of great benefit down the line) and the timing seemed perfect to do so around 6:30pm.. at least for me. Katie, for some odd reason (sarcasm), was struggling to focus and make decisions on where things would work best.. hmm.. maybe this wasn’t the right time…
By 8pm, Katie was laboring in the bath tub with scented candles and calming music while her mother and I were frequently visiting to help or distract her. By 9:30, contractions were 3.5 minutes apart, the car was packed, Justus was in bed (the last evening as an only child- it was wonderful while it lasted, dear boy, but there is so much more in store for you), and Katie was getting dressed to straddle a car seat on the way to the hospital. We arrived to the hospital at 10:15, got set up in a triage room where we found out that Katie was 7cm dilated, and quickly walked her to a labor&delivery room to get her monitored up. The question still loomed- will he be a Reformation (Halloween) baby or an All Saints Day baby? He was definitely riding the line.
Katie and I swayed together and rehearsed several of our exercises while we listened to Jon Foreman, Bon Iver, Ellie Holcomb, and others. The monitors on baby’s heart just stayed as steady as could be, which is really a good thing but doctors are usually looking for a spike to know that the time is drawing near- yeah that never happened. At 11:20ish, Katie’s water broke naturally while rotating on a yoga ball and the rest moved quickly after the excitement. All of a sudden, Katie’s eyes widened, her voiced raised and projected the words, “He’s coming!” (This is where the speed of delivery was quicker for boy #2 than for Justus). Our nurse told her to get on the bed and not to push yet. She waddled the few steps and lifted a leg up to the bed.. I’ll skip some details, but I was preparing to catch our second-born, until, to my relief, Katie made it onto the bed and 5-7 women efficiently entered, moved me to my wife’s side, and told Katie it was time to PUSH! Seconds later, we heard our son’s voice, I cut the umbilical cord, and we held our little Salem Bryan for the first time.
At 11:27pm our little Reformation (Halloween) baby was born, Salem Bryan Fowler. Yes, several nurses asked us if we had planned the name “Salem” around a Halloween theme. “Well that’s a twist!” We thought. But it’ll be a fun talking point when he gets to grade school. We got to take him back home after two nights, and we were thrilled to hear, upon our return, that Justus was on his best behavior for Mammy and Pappy that weekend. The grandparents were able to stay and visit/help another week- so thankful- and then we began life as a family of four.
So, all those details for a relatively easy pregnancy and birth, but every birth has a story and we believe it ought to be told. Every life has the value to deeply treasure these introductions into the world. Salem is a unique and precious boy. We are so thankful the Lord chose us to parent him. Give us strength, Lord to guide him in your ways, and well.
So why “Salem Bryan”? First, Bryan is Katie’s dad’s middle name and Justus has my dad’s middle name, so we’re keeping those in the family. Salem is derived from the Hebrew word for ’peace,’ “Shalom.” This was a name I have had in my mind since college. It was there that a dear friend summarized my life-pursuit in words. Will Wingate said, on our scenic route to a music rehearsal in Goode, VA, “Nate, your life’s ambition is peace.” I thought for a minute, then responded with, “yes.. I think you’re right.” I clarified the recognition that peace always comes at a cost in a sinful world- there is no peace without the vicious battle against evil, and I am willing to fight that fervently and persistently alongside my fellow man, but yes, ultimately for peace. “One day,” I said to my friend, “I pray we can sit on porch rocking chairs in heaven, remembering the laughs from our past and making new ones, enjoying the fullness of peace.” “Smoking our pipes,” he added. Since then, Salem has been a strong option for a boy name, given the opportunity, but I would have to make sure it was a fit. The option was available for Justus, but his names all fit him just perfectly- he was not a Salem. This little one, though, remaining in the warmth and comfort of the womb for an extra week, weighing in at 6 lbs 15 oz, with the softest little cry and the most alert newborn eyes, this… this was Salem. We knew. Praise the Lord.
Quick Updates about Salem since November:
The first 2-3 weeks were rough for Justus, as they normally are for siblings, but he leveled out and has come to love the family addition, learning even how to entertain his new audience when Momma is working. Salem is eating well, he is a very happy baby, though he has mild colic. He still wakes up about every hour or two, which is fairly wearing for Katie. Prayers appreciated. He smiles all the time, and loves looking people right in the eyes. By 3 months he was rolling well, and started to sympathize with Justus, crying whenever he heard his older brother crying. At 4 months old, he is becoming a talent at reaching for the items he desires, particularly when on my lap at the dinner table, haha! He seems to be inclined to music, which makes me proud. And he loves to be moving around and carried at all times, so momma has been going Ecuadorian and carrying that baby e’rywhere! There you have it! We’ll let you know more along the way 🙂 Much love to you all!
The Fowler Four 