Bridger Evan Wangsgard was born on August 6th (three weeks early) at 10:19 am at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Missouri. He was 19 inches long and 6 pounds 9 ounces. Perfect in every way. We had decided not to find out his gender. But that wasn't the only surprise. Bridger came with the additional blessing of Down syndrome.
To learn more about this developmental disability, you can go to the National Down Syndrome Congress website. http://www.ndsccenter.org/
They even have a really cool story that helps put this surprise into perspective. Here's the exact link: http://www.ndsccenter.org/resources/package1.phpMom is doing very well.
Imagine my surprise, when I touched down at LaGuardia Tuesday night, only to pick up Jana's voice message, telling me that her water had broken and she was heading to the hospital. I was supposed to work the 6th and 7th with a client in Brooklyn. But they graciously accepted my proposed change to return on the 21st for Day 2 of the program. I still didn't make it back in time for Bridger's delivery, but did get to see him on his birthday.
His name was somewhat of a surprise, too. We had several others in mind. When we got the news of his condition, picking the right name seemed even more important. Let's see, I was in Brooklyn when he was born, so we thought a New York connection might be fun: Brooks? Bronx? Little Manhattan? LaGuardia? Seriously though, I was staying in the financial district, just across the East River from where I was teaching in Brooklyn - just over the Brooklyn Bridge.
Aha! Bridge! Bridger! Bridger Evan, our bridge to heaven. Evan is his late Grandpa Memmott's name. And so it was decided. Bridger Evan Wangsgard. (Jana had already suggested Bridger, so we had a name she liked, too.)
Thanks to all the members of our church who helped with babysitting, meals and especially to Melissa Stracener for being there with Jana through it all. Thanks to Mom Taylor for rearranging her 8/20 trip to be here on Tuesday, even before I was.We appreciate all the phone calls and e-mails of support that friends and family have sent our way. We'd love to hear from the rest of you, when you get a chance!
Love,Todd & Family
