A heart with four chambers

This is an email Katie sent to our parents after a visit to the doctor yesterday:

So, the Bean isn’t a Baby alligator. Nope, we aren't having a baby alligator. We are having a baby human, complete with a head, a spine, a heart, a bladder, two arms, and two legs. Last night, I started worrying that the Bean would be missing an arm or a leg, which we could deal with. Then I started worrying that the Bean was missing a head, which we couldn't deal with. Then this morning, while swimming, I thought what if the Bean is something else, like a baby alligator.

But, thankfully, the Bean is healthy and, at least, looked pretty happy. We are absolutely thrilled. The heart has four chambers, the legs were moving, the bladder was full - what more could two parents ask for?! We saw the spine and the main leg and arm bones—good to see that all the ice cream I've been eating has paid off in the calcium department. All of the measurements put our due date right on the 1st so the Bean is growing just as expected.

We've got pictures, as well. Looks more like a baby than a bean BUT it is still hard to tell what is what in each picture. It was helpful to have Dr. Youngkin tell us what exactly we were looking at. Apparently from the position of the Bean, he couldn't tell what we were having either (which makes me happy as it means that he won't be able to slip up and tell us!)

Love you all,

Katie


(The pictures starting in the upper left-hand corner and rotating clockwise: The Bean’s head smiling toward the camera; the Bean reclining with a bright spinal cord and a heart with four chambers; a bent leg in the fetal position; and a bent arm).

Uncle Don and the Circle

Katie and I are settling back in Austin after a busy couple of weeks during the holidays. Baby Tackett traveled to California for the first time during what was a very emotional trip. We flew to Los Angeles first, and then drove to Bakersfield for a traditional Wayne-Tackett “open house” holiday party on the 23rd where more than 30 people doted on Katie and her growing belly. After a quiet Christmas Eve of leftovers and Charlie Wilson’s War, the six of us (Mom, Dad, Grandma, Katie, the Bean, and I) headed back to LA to celebrate Christmas.

December 25 with the Wayne family (my Jewish side) has always been heavy on the cheer and light on the Christmas. The family custom, started by my Grandmother Mickey and continued by my mom and aunts, is to invite the “extended” family to holiday events. So, among my aunts and uncles, cousins and their children, we celebrated with a variety of politicos and media execs. My cousin’s children Sarah and Samuel seemed to have doubled in size and intelligence, and three-year old Justus dazzled everyone with his infectious smile and knowledge of obscure fish from Finding Nemo. We talked UT football with Uncle Randy and politics with Cousin Derek. In the middle of the festivities, however, Katie and I quietly ducked out of the party to fly to St. Louis.

Uncle Don, my father-in-law Bob’s brother, had been battling a couple forms of cancer for many months. Katie and I had spent the last few weeks eagerly anticipating email updates from Nancy (my mother-in-law) about Don’s condition. Fortunately, he had access to cutting-edge treatment for his cancer and spent the last few days receiving excellent care in Little Rock. Bob and Nancy traveled to be with Don during his last few days and talked with Don’s wife and children constantly throughout the process. He died only a couple days before Christmas.

There was no question about whether we would attend his funeral services in St. Louis. Family is central to the Klinglers, and to the Tacketts. Two years ago, Don didn’t hesitate to drive to Florida for our engagement party or to fly to Austin for our wedding. He also took a special interest in my desire to work in community development, sending me information about the many charities he supported. When I showed him the family tree I’d been compiling, he wrote me a long letter about his own research and the documents he found showing that his grandfather, the Bean’s great-great grandfather, was an orphan. In only a few short years, Don had become an important part of my life, so Katie and I traveled to St. Louis on Christmas night to honor his.

Two elements of the church service and reception held in Don’s honor truly amazed me. First is the strength of his family. His children—Kathy, Don, and Jimmy delivered moving speeches in front of an overflowing crowd in their family church. A strong theme throughout their comments was how proud Don was of his family. Second is the amount of respect and admiration for Don shown by both his friends and business associates. He was a real estate developer who did one of the first mixed use deals in the Midwest. Not only was he successful financially, but also those he worked with considered him “honorable” and “loyal”—“a great leader.”
Although my own father has taught me a great deal about Buddhism, I don’t believe in reincarnation. Don’s passing and the impending birth of his great-niece/nephew, however, did make me think a lot about the circle of life. Amidst the sadness and loss I felt at Don’s services in St. Louis, I couldn’t help but think about the family in which Baby Tackett would be born. A family with roots in the Midwest where family ties are strong. A family that has enjoyed success measured not only by professional achievements, but also by love, respect, and pride. And life for this family goes on…

Don was Purdue grad. Fittingly, his football team won the Motor City Bowl on the night of his reception. All of Don’s children and grandchildren filled his house to watch the game, eat leftovers, and to laugh and cry about his wonderful life. A few hours earlier, Katie and I decided that when we flew back to California to pick up our car to drive back to Austin, we’d stop in San Diego to watch our Longhorns play Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl. The Horns played well and the Bean enjoyed her first bowl victory (see the pic below). We’re pretty sure Don would have wanted us to go.