I am SO excited to share Jeromy and Becky’s stunning firefighter baby announcement photos, but more than that, I’m excited and honored to tell you just a little piece of their story and the events leading up to this beautiful gift of life.
On Christmas morning Justin and I woke up at my dad’s house and opened gifts with my sisters and we all had breakfast together. I was honestly a little frazzled with everything going on. Christmas Day was different this year because it was the first Christmas Justin and I were married and spending Christmas Eve night together. Typically in years past I would wake up with my family and spend the majority of the day with them before heading over to Justin’s brother’s house to bring my gifts for Justin’s family and have dinner with them. So we would do our main gift exchange separately and then a second one later in the evening. That is what we had been doing since 2009! Suddenly this year we both wanted each other to be a part of each family’s “main” gift exchange so that meant I had to hustle in the morning to get through my family’s gift exchange, make sure all my dishes were prepared for Justin’s family’s Christmas dinner and head over to Jeromy and Becky’s by 11am. So needless to say, I was a little frazzled as I was driving over to their house on Christmas morning. I sent a text to my two best friends and asked them to pray for me because I was struggling with leaving my family so “early” on Christmas and with things just being a little different. Change is hard for me and I always have a little bit of panic when something is different so I told them their prayers would be greatly appreciated.
I got to Jeromy and Becky’s and took my seat for our gift exchange. I had never done this before with them and I was honestly nervous because it was my first time being a part this special Christmas tradition with Justin’s family! I was quietly sipping my mimosa and had just finished opening my second gift when Becky handed me and Justin identical packages that were wrapped with blue cellophane twisted at each end like a giant piece of candy. I was thinking, “Aw cute, she got us something that matches or goes together!” Of course in my mind I’m like “okay Justin we need to open this at the same EXACT time so that one of us doesn’t know what it is before the other person.” This is how my brain works… lol. So I’m sitting there trying to tear it open as QUICKLY as possible because I just know Justin is going to get it unwrapped before me and as I get the paper ripped open I see soft cloth rolled up… and that’s when I hear Justin say in a confused voice, “A bib?!”
For a split second in my head I’m like, haha, a gag gift. But for literally only a second or two because I took it out and unrolled it and as I’m reading what the bib says, Justin is reading it too… “If you think I’m cute, check out my uncle!”
AND SUDDENLY I’M SCREAMING AND EVERYONE’S YELLING AND I SCREAM ONE LONG, HIGH-PITCHED SCREAM BECAUSE I HAD BEEN DREAMING OF WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN FOR YEARS!!!! WE WERE ALL SO SURPRISED BECAUSE BECKY HAD BEEN PRETENDING TO “SIP” HER DRINKS SO OF COURSE NONE OF US SUSPECTED ANYTHING. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT! JEROMY AND BECKY ARE HAVING A BABY!!!
We all got up and hugged each other and I was trying to keep the tears in my eyes!!! My heart was racing and we were all SO happy and excited! Needless to say, my Christmas was immediately made the best Christmas EVER. This is the first time Justin’s parents are going to have a grandchild and the first time Justin and I are becoming an aunt and uncle!!! Neither of us have ever had a close family member who lives nearby have a baby, so I’ve obviously been excited for this day to come for a long time and always wondered when it would happen! Even my sisters when they found out asked when they can babysit!! We’ve all had limited time around or with a baby or even a little kid so needless to say, there is a LOT of excitement surrounding this child already and it’s going to be beyond loved and spoiled!!!
It’s crazy to think that next Christmas and for the Christmas mornings to follow, there’s going to be a little one roaming the halls of Jeromy and Becky’s home. There will be gifts that the baby gets to “open” and keep forever. (Seriously there goes all my money.) We’re going to get to teach him or her words and things about the world and how to be kind and make people feel important and loved. I’ve never been able to grasp what it’s like to have the promise of a new life entering the world but I feel like I’m kind of starting to understand just the tiniest bit through this season. There is something so beautiful and promising about welcoming a child into the world… someone who hasn’t seen or experienced any of it yet and is full of hope and the prospect of a bright and beautiful future. I won’t fully understand until if and when we start a family ourselves, but I can kind of begin to grasp the concept now of how joyful a child truly is. This is why the Bible says children are a blessing from the Lord! They really are!!!
“Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame.”
I don’t want to share too much because this is Jeromy and Becky’s story to tell, but this pregnancy is truly made even more joyful by their story. Two and a half years ago Becky was involved in a serious car accident that almost took her life. She collided with the narrow end of a jersey wall and her car engine was pushed into the dash and she was pinned in her vehicle. We hear about extractions all the time with Jeromy and Justin being firefighters… and you just hope and pray it’s never somebody you know and love. The firefighters and medics on scene actually knew who Becky was because of Jeromy and literally saved her life by getting her out of the car and medivac’d to the hospital as quickly as possible. It was the scariest Sunday morning of our lives and I will never forget driving on the highway and literally seeing the helicopter carrying Becky flying above me.
When we got to the hospital, we honestly didn’t know if Becky would survive. The damage to her right foot and leg was severe and there was talk of possible amputation… Becky’s dad walked into the waiting room and said with tears in his eyes that the nurse had just told him “It will be a miracle if she walks in a year.” We were all speechless and absolutely devastated… but so thankful that she still had her life. “She is a living miracle,” I kept saying… and now two and a half years later, she is a living and WALKING miracle. It was a long and hard road to recovery but she was always SO tough and worked so hard to get herself back on her own two feet. It was inspiring watching her determination and grit even through so much pain. And now she is going to be a mother!!! This is truly such a beautiful piece being added to their story and to me it is a testament to the Lord’s goodness. It is amazing to see the joy that this child is already bringing into Jeromy and Becky’s lives and into our entire family. I’m so thankful and I pray every day for a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and for God’s blessings to surround this child every minute of his or her life. I can’t wait until we get to meet and love him or her with all our hearts!!!
Shortly after the Christmas baby surprise I said, “I want to take all the pictures!!!” and Becky responded, “Oh yes, we figured!!!” We got to planning for their announcement photos and a couple of weeks ago we met at Jeromy’s firehouse and took the cutest shots with their dogs and the most adorable “Rookie Training” sign and little firefighter boots and knitted booties. I’m dying at how precious everything was. I can’t wait for August to get here!!! It’s going to be so exciting and such a sweet season…. and one that will continue to go on as this child grows into an adult! That’s so crazy to think about!!!
Jeromy and Becky, I hope you love your photos and feel so loved as this baby’s soon-to-be parents. You have the best support system and have a full list of babysitters just dying to take him/her off your hands whenever possible!!!!! We can’t wait to meet your little one and shower him or her with love and affection!!! It’s going to be the most joyful and rewarding journey you’ll ever embark on and we are thrilled to walk alongside you in it. We love you and are so excited for you!!! Here’s to a bright and beautiful future!!!
