my sister started pushing in the middle of the nurse's shift exchange.

i planned on staying as close to her head as possible, but when the nurse stepped aside to give the other nurse the lowdown, i stepped in.

1-2-3-4-5 - you're doing great - 6-7-8-9- and breathe, i said alongside her best friend, while holding one of her legs.

and again. 1-2-3-4 ...

"you're doing great!" her new nurse said. "i can see his head."

i didn't plan on looking, i really didn't. being a very visual human being, i feared that i'd get 'grossed out' and never be able to unsee what i might see, but things had changed; now that i was one of her coaches, i had to know how she was doing, what was going on and where the the baby was at exiting wise. any good coach knows what type of coaching is needed moment by moment, after all.

i'll spare you the details (you're welcome), but it was one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen; i saw my sister persevere through pain and exhaustion, my brother-in-law support her in the best way possible (one of my favourite parts was seeing them high-five each other at the end), my sister's friend hold her other leg up and celebrate each step along the way, and doctors and nurses living out their passion.

and then i saw them pull my nephew out. LIKE A LITTLE HUMAN CAME OUT OF HER WOMB. an adorable - very slimy - complete with a full head of hair little human. my nephew, jensen joseph martel, to be exact. AND IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.

at the risk of sounding like i'm about to blog about the birds and the bees, i still can't fathom how all of this happens. (in this case) two people loved each other, made love and bam! (although this was a five year wait kind of bam), a baby formed inside of her womb, grew fingers and toes and hair, got enough nourishment to grow bigger, moved and kicked, caused my sister a lot of heartburn and managed to cover his face every ultra sound, and worked his way out of her womb and into this world, moving us all to tears.

i saw nervousness and anticipation in their eyes when they got the call to come in for their induction, but the purest form of love once he came out. i saw deep joy in their eyes, and watched them define teamwork as they bonded with their son, changed his first diaper together, and learned how to swaddle their baby boy with a blanket.

reluctantly, i had to leave the next afternoon, but i did so feeling closer to my sister and her husband, more appreciative of life, and closer to God, the one who knit us together in our mother's wombs like my favourite psalm, psalm 139, says (i've included part of it below.)

amanda, you crushed it. you crushed the last nine months and the 30 hours you spent in the hospital before you started pushing. i am so proud of you and honoured to have been there through it all. you are a great mom and a champion.

al, watching you support my sister and acknowledge her hard work throughout the delivery was a gift to me. you are the perfect person for amanda and a great dad!

jensen joseph, i miss you already, but i know you're in good hands. xo

for you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
i praise you because i am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
i know that full well.
my frame was not hidden from you
when i was made in the secret place,
when i was woven together in the depths of the earth.
your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
how precious to me are your thoughts, God!
how vast is the sum of them!
were i to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.