This guest post is by Scott Phelps, an adoptive father. It is part of A Dad’s Devotion, a month-long series of original stories related to adoption, fatherhood and Father’s Day.

It was a Wednesday afternoon in Tucson, Arizona and my wife, Kala, was up in Prescott Valley taking our son’s birthmother “A” to a doctor’s appointment.

My wife and I were very fortunate to have gotten to know “A” and develop a relationship with her. All day I had been thinking about our pending arrival and something told me I needed to leave work early.

I got home around 4:30 and called Kala to see how it was going. She informed me that she had just dropped off “A” at home and was heading south to come home. She said that the appointment went well and that Zarek should be born sometime over the upcoming weekend. That news made me so happy and excited.

I was home long enough to change clothes when Kala called me back to tell me that the birthmother called to ask if she could take her to the hospital. I needed to grab our pre-packed bags and get to Prescott Valley as soon as possible. It was a four-hour drive, so I figured that I would have plenty of time before Zarek’s birth. Boy was I wrong!

I loaded up the car and headed across town to get on the highway north. I didn’t even get halfway to the highway when my phone rang again. It was Kala telling me “He’s here!”

“What do you mean, ‘He’s here’?, I asked her.

My wife and birthmother didn’t make it

It turns out that my wife and the birthmother didn’t make it to the hospital. Kala had to call 911 and pull off to the side of the road. She put the car in park, grabbed a blanket on the way around the car and got to the passenger’s seat just in time to deliver Zarek.

Yes, my wife delivered our son at mile marker 321. The ambulance and a fire truck showed up a few minutes later and transferred the birthmother and Zarek to the hospital where everyone checked out OK. The firemen were nice enough to open up the water valve on the truck so she could clean up before she followed the ambulance to the hospital.

In the meantime, I am driving like an escaped con to get up to Prescott Valley. A trip that normally took us four hours, I made it in three. I did cheat a little and drive in the car pool lane going through Phoenix. I just couldn’t wait to see Zarek!

I got to the hospital to find the birthmother and Kala all smiles. Zarek was asleep in the incubator. I didn’t hesitate to pick him up to hold him. My heart exploded with joy! I had become a proud father! I get to re-live that joy every day when I hold Zarek and he gives me that beautiful smile.

Looking back on how it all happened, it is still hard to believe. My wife delivered our son in the front seat of our car! How often does that happen? Simply put, it was meant to be!

Scott Phelps is an adoptive father. His wife, Kala, is the owner of Adoption Profile Creations where she creates adoption profiles for hopeful adoptive parents.

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