Casey Knaupp: On the Scene

It’s always great to see a loved one back from Iraq, even if it’s a quick visit before they head back to the war.

My brother-in-law’s recent stay was sweetened by the birth of his and my sister’s first child.

In the middle of his 15-month tour, he was able to get back to Texas in time, just as the family had hoped.

My sister Holly has been stressed for the last nine months about her husband Luke not making it home in time. She was determined to not have Addison until he got here; so, for the last few weeks of her pregnancy, she still worked but didn’t do much else.

She didn’t want to do anything to make Addison come early.

But the stress of the baby coming too soon turned into worrying if Addison would get here too late.

Luke arrived in Killeen on Friday, May 23, and was to be on leave for a little more than two weeks before heading back to Iraq on Wednesday, June 11, which is also his birthday. Their baby was due to arrive Wednesday, May 28.

There were no worries at first because they were so happy he was here and now the baby could come any day.

But, when a week went by and still no baby, we started to worry just a little that maybe she would come too late.

You’ll be put on a list to induce on Monday, June 2, the doctors told Holly. But at her appointment, they changed their minds and said she’d be “put on a list” — whatever that means — when she came back for a check-up on Wednesday, June 4.

That day, the doctor told Holly they would plan to induce her on Saturday, June 7, but there were no guarantees of that happening.

In the meantime, day after day, my sister tried new things — old wives’ tales — to try and go into labor. And day after day, nothing worked.

Castor oil anyone?

I offered that idea after several friends told me it worked for them. What they didn’t tell me is that it would make my sister sick for the better part of a day. And still no baby.

“I’ll never do that again,” she said. “And I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”

Holly also tried pineapple juice by the cartons, a full day of drinking nothing but raspberry leaf tea, eating eggplant, as well as endless other concoctions and lots of walking.

But nothing worked — until she ignored the doctor’s instructions about leaving town.

My sister was to not go farther than an hour out of town, beginning about a month before her due date.

But on Wednesday, June 4, bored and thinking maybe the baby was waiting for Christmas, Holly and Luke went to visit my parents — a good hour-and-a-half to two-hour drive away. While chatting with my mother at the kitchen table, Holly started to have contractions and decided maybe they better head back to Killeen.

Later that evening, with the painful contractions only two minutes apart, they arrived at the hospital.

Nearly 10 hours later, Addison was born just in time for her to spend almost a week with her father — whom she won’t see again for another seven months or so.

Luke headed back to Iraq on Wednesday and won’t be able to return to Texas until his 15-month tour is over.

It’s a sad situation — my sister having to go through nearly her entire pregnancy by herself, then having to raise the infant for months without her husband — all the while worrying about his safety overseas.

But she has been incredibly wonderful about it; never complaining to anyone.

Her family is here to help her in any way it can and will take turns aiding her with baby duties. But we won’t be there like her husband would; it’s just not the same.

Sending a loved one to Iraq for the first time is hard enough. Sending him back is even tougher. But waving goodbye with a week-old baby in your arms has to be nearly unbearable — for mother and father.

It makes me realize how precious love like that is and how if we ever find it, we should never take it for granted.

I have the utmost respect for the soldiers who serve our country, fighting to protect us and our freedoms while leaving their families behind.

So, to all of the armed forces who are serving and waiting to be returned to their children and wives, happy father’s day.

And, thank you.

Casey Knaupp
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