By Cheryl Groom Merrick
The time seemed to go so slowly. Garrett was excited and so was I, but I was also nervous about being a mother and caring for a baby. I’d hardly even seen a baby close up. I was afraid of labor and worried that Garrett would not be there when our baby was born. In those days you didn’t know if you would be having a boy or a girl until you delivered. I liked that.
We had spent months getting ready: making little clothes, painting a crib, and getting things a baby would need. After Julene was born, Cathy Merrick gave us a baby shower in Akron, Ohio, and my friend, Jamie Morton, gave us a baby shower in Provo, Utah.
Garrett, Ken, and I went to the 4th of July fireworks in Provo ( just in a field ). Garrett was hoping that our baby would be born that day, but I wanted to enjoy the holiday. Then a couple of weeks later, I began to have cramps. I was so grateful that it was Sunday and Garrett was home. I wondered when we should go to the hospital, but Garrett said that there was plenty of time. Unfortunately, he was right. Seventeen hours later after a difficult posterior birth and forcep delivery when her heart rate began to drop, our little Julene entered the world. She just looked around and blinked. We thought she was so beautiful!
After a couple of days in the hospital, Garrett brought us home. She was so small. I dressed her in the smallest dress I had and Garrett and I took photos of her by our trailer and the Provo River. In Church, I just stared at her the whole time. She was so wonderful!
Her Grandparents Pearson, and Crane came to her baby blessing. Soon, her Grandpa Groom and his wife came to see Julene Anne Merrick. Julene, our first baby, was their first grandchild and great grandchild. We were all so glad she had arrived!
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