Show T t r 7 The servicemen who became dads while on duty in the Gulf are celebrating their first Father’s Day with their babies Here six tell their stories ZZ— ON OUR COVER: Army Spec 4 Eric Henry 22 with Megan Micah and Matthew 8 months Stationed at Fliegerhorst Airfield I left in Germany in September for the Gulf I knew that my wife Colleen was going to have twins but we didn’t find out she was going to have triplets till she actually had them They were bom on Oct 6 I found out about five days later through a Red Cross message I thought the Red Cross had messed up So I called my mother in Sterling Va and she said yes I had triplets I was so stunned I almost passed out It felt scary nervous great — everything rolled into one When I called the hospital my wife started crying and I started crying She told me that two of the babies the boys were on respirators but that every day they seemed to open their eyes a little more A week and a half after the births I was given leave to come home My parents took me to the hospital I didn’t really believe I had three of them until I held all three Two were in cribs the other was still in the intensive-car- e unit When I held the first two I started crying It’s pretty overwhelming I wasn’t sure I could hold one ' much less two During the three weeks I was home Colleen and I were getting almost no sleep because once we would 4 USA WEEKEND June 6 1991 feed one another one would wake up Once we would get two down the third would wake up You have to feed newborns every three hours It was hard but this is what we wanted We were happy healthy and all at home Now they’re starting to walk in baby walkers and you can sit on one side of the room and call them It takes some time but they’ll get over to you It makes you feel really proud when you hold them on your stomach and you can get them to go to sleep knowing that they feel safe enough to fall asleep with you Almost every night I rock them to sleep in my lap The best thing is when you’re holding them and they smile at you A family outing is an experience My dad got us a 7 1 Chevy Impala We have three car seats in back and my adopted daughter Cor-inrides up front with us And we have two double strollers Every time you go out you walk five steps and it seems you get three people coming up to you and asking questions You walk another five steps and there’s another couple of people It’s hard but you’re so proud that it really doesn’t matter There’s no word except proud 2'’-year-- ne National Guard Sgt I st Class Michael C Matthews 38 with Laura Michelle 4 months Stationed at GrubbsKyle Training Center Smyrna Tenn I left for Saudi Arabia on Sept 15 my wife Betty was three months pregnant with our second child I knew she would be taken care of by family and friends but I had a feeling in my heart that I would be worried about her the whole time I was gone In February the doctor sent a message through the Red Cross that they were going to do a Caesarean section on Feb 26 and my presence was requested I arrived home in Nashville at 8 pm the day after the baby was bom (in a normal delivery as it turned out) and took a taxi to the hospital I was in my desert uniform with my backpack on I got up to the maternity ward and when the nurses saw me they started crying I said “Where’s Betty?” They pointed to her room I went in and the baby was there and I was grinning from ear to ear and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her I held the baby and then I kissed Betty and hugged her The war made me appreciate everything we have even more: the air we breathe the water we drink Everything in Saudi Arabia is so When desolate You appreciate the little things like trees And for me having a baby was just the greatest thing in the world to come back to It doesn’t bother me to change her diaper or get up at 2 o’clock in the morning to feed her Her crying doesn’t bother me Now that I have been through a war I can put up with just about anything Photograph by Aubrey Watson z |