Chapter 15 One of Jeff's Choice

Chapter 15 One of Jeff's poor choices.

We were living at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The years were 1997 until 2001. We moved there from Germany. When we left Germany, Jeff was living with my parents because of some poor choices he'd made. (I've already written about it, Chapter 10 Jeff.)

After his senior year of football, yes, all my boys loved football, he decided to join us at Fort Campbell, for the second semester of his senior year.

Jeff had college opportunities, with football scholarships, but decided to go out on his own and find himself. He was eighteen, so basically nothing we could do. Off he went into the world to make his own mistakes. Jeff was a child who needed to be kicked in the head by the mule twenty times before he realized that mule kicks. Please understand, Jeff's highly intelligent. Children like that are often the most difficult to parent.

He took off with a less than desirable young lady, Tay, who was a few years older than him. I'm not sure where they went, but Jeff called me faithfully every week to let me know he was still alive. I'm also not sure of everything they got into.

During the summer of 1999, Jeff and Tay returned with news that Tay was pregnant and due in September.

They found an apartment, we paid the downpayment and first month's rent, and they found jobs. Jeff was a fry cook, and Tay waited tables.

Jeff and his dad, Brian, were barely on speaking terms at this point.

In the middle of the night September 3, 1999, I got a call from Jeff, "Momma, Tay's in labor."

"Okay, there's nothing I can do, you need to take her to the hospital."

I was asked to join them at the hospital and did. I stayed until Geoffrey was born.

Just back in bed, a few hours later, I got another call. "Momma, can you come? The baby's in trouble."

"I'm on my way."

Tay's mom lived in town and refused to come. Her mom as a drug counselor and both, Tay and Jeff, used drugs.

The infant, Geoffery, struggled because of the things Tay had done to her body while pregnant. Geoffery was taken that night to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN.

I stayed until the baby left. Tay checked out of the hospital and she and Jeff followed. Before they left, Tay hugged me and asked if I could be her mom.

Early the following morning, I got a call from Jeff, "Momma, can you come to the hospital?"

"You know I get lost every time I go to Nashville."

"Have Dad bring you."

"You know how stubborn your dad is. I'll ask but make no promises."

I did ask Brian, and he agreed to take me, but said he'd remain in the car.

At the hospital, I got out of the car and Brian said, "I'll wait in the waiting room, but won't talk with Jeff."

"I appreciate you bringing me."

I knocked on the NICU door. Jeff came to let me in. He hugged me, kissed my cheek, and said, "Where's Dad?"

I pointed to the waiting room. "Over there."

Jeff ran to him, and they hugged. Prayers were answered and peace was made.

This story doesn't end here. Jeff realized this baby was solely dependent on him and he straightened his life out and became as close to a model citizen as Jeff is capable of being. He remains my wild child.

He got a job and trained as a chef. He left Tay and got complete custody of Geoffery. Tay had a little girl, two years old, she'd already lost custody of, which didn't help her case.

I don't know what happened to Tay. I do know Jeff went to school and got his culinary arts degree, married a wonderful lady, Crystal, and they have two children. Crystal raised Geoffery as her own. Geoffery is 25 years old and doing extremely well. He and his wife, Whisper, are expecting their first child at the end of April. I'll be a great grandma.

Jeff is a chef and has his own catering business. He is extremely busy and is the 'go to person' for all catering needs in that area. His business is flourishing.

I feel I need to add that I'm positive the time I spent on my knees in prayer asking God to protect and intervene in Jeff's life made huge difference in his outcome. I also want to mention that Jeff came back years later and apologized for everything he put us through.