TROY BOY'S ARRIVAL

It was supposed to be a BIG SUNDAY!   I had been leading the McClellandtown Free Methodist Church for over two years.  We had seen significant growth in the congregation through new converts.  This particular Sunday, August 24, 1980, I was scheduled to baptize nearly thirty people in a lake following our morning worship.  Woo Hoo!

Early that morning, Debbie being pregnant with our second child, woke to her water breaking.  She called me and told me that it was time to go to the hospital.  Sunday morning!

Travis had been born via a Caesarian Section, but we hoped for our next child to be a natural birth.  It had been four-and-a-half-years, but our doctor still recommended the University Hospital in Morgantown.  We had to have an operating room on stand-by in case any problems developed.  McClellandtown was a forty-five minute drive from the hospital on a back road that went north, east, south and west to get there! 

Debbie immediately called our next-door-neighbor, Rose, to watch Travis while we were gone.  Rose was a member of our church and was excited for us.  I immediately called a Lay Minister in our congregation, Mike Dunham, and asked if he could preach for me that morning.  I had put him on notice jokingly a month earlier;  little did we know that he would actually have to do it.  He agreed!  Then I called my Superintendent, Ralph Page, and asked if he could attend the baptism service and fulfill my responsibilities there.  He also agreed!

We grabbed the necessities and began our twisting journey.  First, we drove through Masontown, Pennsylvania, and dropped down into a long valley on the other side.  As I flew along with Debbie rubbing her belly and counting to herself, we passed the Dunham family heading toward the church.  They saw us and we exchanged horn toots and vigorous waving.  [I would find out later that week that they ran out of gas immediately after passing us.  Mike had to walk into town for gas which made them late for church.  No cell phones in 1980.  But Rose, filled everyone in and Mike eventually made it in time to preach.  J]

The trip was chaotic!  I drove as fast as I could and still be safe!  Debbie was doing her Lamaze training to try to stay calm and focused.  I was flying! 

Finally, we arrived at the hospital and I parked at the emergency entrance.  I helped Debbie out of the car and we entered the hospital.  We received assistance quickly and she was placed in a wheel chair and taken from me to the labor room.  I was instructed to go to admit her.  I did so as quickly as possible and then flew up to the labor room. 

Everything had been prepared and all precautions were in place.  Troy was delivered without much difficulty at 1:40 PM. I remember telling Debbie that we had another boy!   What an exciting day for us!  We were so happy to have another baby in our arms.  Within moments after his birth, he was wrapped in blankets and placed on Debbie’s stomach – inches from where he’d been moments ago! 

Eventually, Debbie was moved to a room and Troy was taken to the nursery.  Debbie was exhausted, but it was a wonderful exhaustion!  We celebrated the tremendous joy of having grown our little family.  During this time, I made calls to grandparents, family and other friends to announce our joyful news.  We named the baby, Troy William Haire.  Travis bore my father’s middle name and now Troy would bear her father’s middle name! 

The afternoon passed quickly and soon it was early evening.  The churches of the Uniontown District were holding August Sunday Evening Worship services at the campground.  I decided that I would attend this service and proudly announce the birth of our second child!  I said good-bye to Deb and headed out of the hospital.

That’s when it hit me!  I had left my car in the emergency entrance with the doors open and the motor running earlier that morning!  As I exited through the ER, of course – NO CAR!   I went back to the nurses station and asked if they knew anything about my car.  They told me that the shift had changed and they had no knowledge of the whereabouts of my car.  I asked if there were any keys on their desk and they eventually produced my key ring.  Security was unable to help me.  So, I exited the building and began my search.  Before long I thought I saw it on a far corner of the parking lot.  After a long walk, I did discover it.  The security person taught me a lesson that day!  I made it to the service and then later picked up Travis.  That’s how we began our lives as a family of four.