Special delivery on Thanksgiving

By JODI RALL
In the Bubble columnist
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Making the day even better, 13 years ago I brought into the world my own little Butterball turkey. No kidding. Delivered at dinnertime, my baby who was four weeks early hit this world weighing in just over nine pounds. The day began like this . . .

I had three little Indians running around me. The oldest Katie, not quite 6 and in kindergarten at the time, chose an Indian name at school – Morning Glory – and she led the tribe that morning. Little sister Zoe had her own Indian outfit; if I had to name her it would not be very Indian, however “Wild Thing” comes to mind. And he who shall remain nameless was bobbing around with big blond curls imitating everything his big sisters did.

It was a joyful time. The evening before we had watched as the three put on their own play, and also watched Snoopy and the gang’s Charlie Brown Thanksgiving as a family. The memories are so clear to me, and I have to smile even now as it was such a happy time in my life.

While cooking our Thanksgiving meal, with the smell of pumpkin bread in the air and the turkey just about to go into the oven, everything changed in one moment.

The three little Indians plus the Butterball turkey

I was standing in front of my stove talking on the phone to my mother about how to make sausage stuffing. It was like something you would only see on a sitcom: My water broke. “Mom, you won’t believe this but I have to go. I need to call my doctor.”

Deciding I needed to sit down, I walked over to a chair in the family room when Ken doll promptly yelled “Don’t sit on that chair. It is leather!” Really, honey? Then as I’m trying to come up with a game plan of who would care for my children, Ken doll is fretting over “What will happen to all this food? Who will make the stuffing and turkey?”

Saving the day, my dear friend and neighbor Beth Brown came to the rescue by taking my three to her home for the day. My other neighbors all pitched in to save Ken’s dinner.

Yes, the nurses took pity on Ken doll and fed him. I didn’t want my male readers thinking he had suffered. Speaking of suffering . . .

A short while later John William made his grand entrance into this world. Our little man made for one great Thanksgiving story.

The other great God wink of that day was putting a beauty of a baby named Rodgers next to the Rall basinet in the nursery. In preschool John became best friends with a little girl named Caroline.

Caroline and John at his 5th birthday party

As we celebrated Caroline and John's birthdays on the same day, it clicked that Kelli Rodgers was the mom who had delivered her fifth girl on Thanksgiving Day.

We had both delivered at Baptist and the nurses were extra kind to both of us since this was my fourth child under five years of age and for Kelly it was her fifth girl. (Kelly was better at math than I was and spread her children out a little better than me.) Lifelong friends we will all forever be, and for that I’m extra thankful!

Happy Birthday John William Rall! It is official: Eric (hubby’s real name, you didn’t think it was really Ken doll now did you?) and I have four teenagers. Let the adventure begin. Looking forward to seeing all the great plans God has for our son.

Jodi Rall is a special events coordinator and publicist who lives with her husband, four children, two dogs and various other pets in Brentwood. She has been known to play tennis. Contact her at jodi@brentwoodhomepage.com. Follow her "Jodi in the Bubble" blog by Clicking here.