Thursday morning when I woke up, I knew that my day had been planned for Jeanne and me, thanks to my granddaughter, Mattie, and her husband, Ben Canizaro. It was on that day that God had decided Mattie would give birth to their first child and our fifth great-grandchild.

Spending the day in a hospital waiting room was not something I looked forward to. Early that morning, as I prayed for Mattie to have a healthy baby and a trouble-free delivery, I also selfishly asked for an exciting day. God, in His faithfulness, really blessed me with the people I met during the wait.

Parking at East Jefferson hospital is an adventure in itself. I finally was able to park on the fifth floor, next to the hospital entrance. While waiting for the elevator, I introduced myself to a pleasant young lady. In the elevator, she shared that her husband was taking a stress test and seemed concerned. “He had a triple bypass 10 years ago,” she said. I asked for permission to pray with her for him. We did, and I thanked God that the results of the test would be positive. Later that day, I ran into them in the cafeteria and was told that all had gone well.

In the cafeteria line, one of the servers said, “You’re from LaPlace, aren’t you?” We had a casual conversation as I ordered my meal. It always feels good when someone recognizes you.

In the waiting room, initially with me, Jeanne and my daughter, Ronny, there was a lady who had fallen asleep. Ronny accused me of speaking to her while she was sleeping. I found out (after she woke up) that she had been there since the night before. Her daughter was in labor with her soon-to-be first grandchild.

One of the nurses at the desk in the area of Mattie’s room said, “I know you from somewhere.” “Are you from LaPlace?” I asked. “No,” she said. I then asked her what high school she attended. “Bonnabel High School,” she answered. “That’s it,” I said. “I used to speak there.” In 1994, she was a senior when she heard me speak. “I knew I heard that voice before,” she said.

As the day progressed, the crowd in the waiting room grew to approximately 30 people to welcome Mattie and Ben’s newborn.

During the end of the wait, two employees of the hospital passed by, and wanting a little action, I introduced myself and with a serious expression asked who the Saints were playing this weekend. After a puzzled look, one of them caught on, laughed and said, “Man, we’re finished.”

The good news – the baby arrived at 5:55 p.m., a healthy 7-pound, 12-ounce boy named Carter Waylon Canizaro. The wait was worth it to see Mattie relieved and Ben, a proud dad, holding his son.

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net