Up, Up, and Away
There’s an astronaut, currently on the Atlantis, who will be missing the birth of his child. Which, you know, sucks hardcore on a base level, but add to that the fact that the couple is infertile and were told she would never be able to maintain a pregnancy and well…I think you all understand.
As Josh pointed out, people married to astronauts are more understanding of that sort of thing, having mentally prepared themselves for the possibility of their partner going on a space flight, much in the same way that those who have a partner serving in the armed forces know that their partner may be deployed during an IVF cycle or a birth.
But come on, he’s not even on the planet.
They do have an older child via adoption–a boy–and this child will be a girl. So they are already parenting, though the arrival of every child–from the first to the 19th (if you’re the Duggars)–is important.
Still, I love how the mother puts it in perspective–“After being told for five years that we’d never have a biological child, I can’t squabble about a delivery date.” So I just want to send out good wishes to the Bresnicks. May it be an easy delivery for Rebecca, and a safe return home for Randy.
12 comments
Wow! Ok, call me crazy here…I’ve wanted to be an astronaut all my life. About the ONLY way I’d ever in a million years excuse my husband from the birth of our baby is if (AND ONLY IF) he was in space! 🙂
I second the easy delivery and return home wishes for the Bresnicks! God Speed Randy and Baby Bresnick!
That is such a lovely way for her to think.
Besides, how cool is that? When the baby is older, she can say “when I was born, my daddy was in SPACE.” And the wife has an excuse for everything now. “I think you should make dinner, after all, I had a baby while you were in space.”
I’m going to go on the assumption that she’s having a scheduled C-Section, then… If she was just due now and waiting to go into labor, she could go late when he’d already be home. If she’s not overdue and in no danger, why not postpone the scheduled C for a few days??? Of course I’m not the doctor, but still. I feel bad for the guy….especially because my hubby couldn’t be in the delivery room either. But at least my hubby was waiting right outside and went straight to the NICU w/ the twins. My thoughts are with the couple and their new arrival.
I don’t know if I’m more jealous of him or her. If I were her, I’d probably want to tag along, pregnancy or no pregnancy. (Or is that just from reading one too many sci-fi’s where they used a bit of acceleration/help from gravity to easy the delivery. 😀 Still very cool! I think I’d forgive him in the end.
What crazy timing! It seems like there are always deployment babies here in the Army communities whether they are nine months after they leave or nine months after they come home! 🙂 Somehow having your husband in space is infinitely cooler! How amazing is it their story and their attitude. 🙂
Nope Karlinda, I’m with you on that one! I told my DH this story and he said “You’d just be made because you’d want to go, too!” 🙂
OMG- so that is totally the best story ever. Imagine “your father was over the moon when you were born” Only they can say that and actually MEAN IT!! Could you imagine looking down at the Earth and knowing at that moment your child is being born- how awesome.
My husband would totally hop on a spacecraft to..and I would probably be jealous too. It does suck, but hopefully they will be able to get an uplink or something for the delivery or shortly thereafter.
That is a great (and crazy!) story! I admire the wife’s outlook. My thoughts are with the Bresnicks for an easy delivery and a safe return home for Randy.
I think HereWeGo hit it — absolutely none of this kid’s friends is going to top this birth story. Ever.
Ha, I hove Jen’s comment. So true. This kid will have the best story.
That gave me an awwwwwww feeling 🙂
Thanks for sharing this. I hadn’t heard that about their family. My husband works as a computer programmer at Johnson Space Center. He recently told me another interesting fact about Bresnick. His grandfather was Amelia Earhart’s photographer. They are flying one of her scarves into space on this shuttle mission. Thanks for giving me another reason to cheer this couple on!
http://www.collectspace.com:80/news/news-102109a.html