We Got Him

On August 22 at 5am, the phone rang. Kyndal’s voice was steady but filled with anticipation—she was heading to the hospital. Kevin had already gone into work but was rushing back home to be by her side. Angie and I gathered ourselves quickly and made our way to the hospital later that morning, arriving around 9am.

We didn’t know then that this would be the beginning of a 36-hour journey.

The first day passed with us sitting in the waiting room, visiting the labor and delivery room when we could, and just being present for Kyndal and Kevin. Labor is such a mix of patience, prayer, and quiet endurance. By evening, we went home to get some rest, only to return the next day to wait it out alongside them.

The hours stretched long. Angie and I passed some of the time watching Netflix shows on my laptop. But as the afternoon wore on and the updates grew more infrequent, I found myself pacing the hallways—I simply couldn’t sit still.

Around 3pm, the waiting room turned into a little guessing game. We each placed our bets on Jonah’s arrival time: I said 7:00pm, Angie guessed 7:30pm, and Luisa (Kevin’s mom) picked 8:00pm. The clock ticked, and the silence from the delivery room grew heavier. Finally, unable to stand it, I texted Kevin at 8:00pm a single word: “Well?”

At 8:06pm, his reply came: “We got him.”

Yes, we do.

On August 23 at around 8pm, after 36 hours of labor, Jonah Jensen was born. A healthy, beautiful boy who instantly made us grandparents.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget that text from Kevin, or the rush of emotion when we finally met Jonah. A long wait, a lot of pacing, and more than a few prayers—and then, just like that, he was here.

Welcome to the world, Jonah. We’ve been waiting for you.