Without a Word_ How a Boy's Unspoken Love Changed Everything - Jill Kelly [6]
I let Jim name each of our children. I had picked out plenty of girls’ names but boys’ names were not as easy to come by. Because of Jim’s love for hunting he was determined to name our son Hunter. And so it was, the new rookie was put on the family roster as Hunter James Kelly.
While Hunter was getting acquainted with all the other newborns in the nursery, Jim started working the phones. One of the first people he called was teammate Thurman Thomas, the unstoppable running back who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007. Thurman was Jim’s go-to guy on the field and also a close personal friend. At first, I thought it was a little odd that Jim would call him before any of his brothers, but his intentions immediately became clear. Thurman and his wife, Patti, had three girls, so being a kid at heart, Jim wanted to rub it in. He was relentless in his quest to rattle Thurman with the good news.
Thurman didn’t answer the first time, so Jim left a message. However, boys will be boys, so one call wasn’t enough. He placed two more calls, leaving the same message every time: “Oh, did I tell you that I had a son, a boy, born on my birthday? Just in case you didn’t hear me the first time, I had a boy, yes, a boy.”
Hunter’s future was set in stone and the playbook for his life was written. He would play football. He would go hunting. He and his daddy would do all the things that fathers and sons do together. And Jim would be there, guiding Hunter every step of the way. The two would be inseparable. This was going to be a relationship that every boy would long to have with his father: a relationship to behold, to envy, to respect.
It didn’t take long for the media to catch wind of the good news and gather at the hospital, hoping to hear firsthand about Team Kelly’s new rookie. After Jim was certain that Hunter and I were comfortable, he stepped out to address the curious reporters. With something much more important than football to talk about, he could hardly contain his enthusiasm. It was the birthday he would never forget, for he had been given the most precious gift in the world. Not even a Super Bowl win could compare to this triumph.
Before Jim walked out the door, I smiled at him and said, “Happy birthday.” Then I snuggled Hunter close, stared into his eyes, and whispered, “You are a gift.”
Finally alone with my son, I explored every inch of his tiny body to make sure everything was okay. The nurse had assured me that Hunter passed all the mandatory newborn screening tests with flying colors, but examining his little body for myself was a must. It’s a mom thing. If you’ve held your own baby after giving birth, then you know.
Fresh out of the womb, Hunter’s body looked strong and solid. His facial features were beautiful, with the cutest little nose, perfect lips, and big, bluish-green, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled. His skin was flawless and radiant, and he had such a full head of dark brown hair that he could have made his daddy jealous.
I’ll never forget those first few moments alone with my son. Hunter captured my heart immediately, and I just knew he was destined to be extraordinary.
And in those few peaceful moments in the hospital, as I held Hunter…
Everything was perfect.
Chapter 2
Welcome Home
Hunter seemed so content and peaceful; he barely cried or fussed during our two-day hospital stay. It was apparent that he was just happy to finally be out in the world. He must have heard all the exciting things planned for him and could hardly wait to get out in the backyard to toss the football around with his dad.
As for me, after spending two days in the hospital, I couldn’t wait to get home and introduce Hunter to his big sister, Erin Marie. Erin was