Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

She kissed him on the cheek and smiled, determined not to cry, determined that this would be a happy
moment
family. God knew there would be plenty of harder moments ahead.
256 Ty left, and the nurse wheeled jade down the hall with Tanner at her side. They situated jade on an
operating table and gave her an epidural, all the while watching her vital signs, looking hard for clues that
her body might be shutting down or seizing.
Jade felt only an occasional prod and poke until, at 7:23 that
morning, the doctor lifted Madison Jade Eastman for Jade and
Tanner to see. "Congratulations!" The doctor beamed. "She's a
beauty"
Through teary eyes, jade stared at their tiny, fighting-mad
daughter, and then at Tanner. "She's here." A relieved ripple of
laughter came from her throat. "Can you believe it?"
Tanner was crying without any sound, as though a leak had
sprung on either side of his face. He smiled bigger than she'd seen
in months; then he turned to Madison, her arms flailing as she
spouted soft baby cries of protest. "It's unbelievable, jade. I can't
believe this feeling." He raised both fists and stared toward
heaven. "I have a daughter!"
Madison's cries grew more lusty in response, and Tanner
laughed. "Her lungs are healthy" He grinned at jade, and she tried
to imagine which was better seeing Madison for the first time,
or seeing Tanner so happy. He lowered his voice and stared at
their newborn daughter, his eyes dancing. "She's perfect, Jade.
Absolutely perfect."
Tanner hovered near the doctor as Madison was passed to a
nurse, cleaned up, weighed, and wrapped in a blanket. "Four
pounds, two ounces," the doctor announced. "Bigger than we
expected."
Jade closed her eyes for the briefest moment, overwhelmed
with gratitude. Thank You, God. Whatever happens after this, thank
You... She opened her eyes in time to see the nurse hand Madison
to Tanner.
"Okay, little girl, go to Daddy"
254
Tanner took her in his arms, holding her like a priceless piece
-china. The minute his arms were around her, Madison stopped
g and squinted at the fluorescent lights. "That's right, sweetNo more tears. You're with Daddy now." He
cooed at her.
ou're the most beautiful baby in the world, little Maddie."
"I knew it!" Jade giggled. "A true daddy's girl; love at first
~ight." She was tired, and her words slurred, but nothing could have dimmed the happiness bursting
within her.
Jade studied her husband and daughter, and for the flash of
an instant she wondered if she would live long enough for their baby girl to know her. The thought didn't
dredge up sorrow in her as it might have a week ago. Because jade knew that if all Maddie had was the
love of a father like Tanner, she'd never want for anything. Fresh tears came, but jade blinked them back.