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Journal entry of Mark Robertson (continued)

I am writing this at three in the morning by the soft light of my desk lamp. Why, you ask? Because Winter and I are now the parents of two adorable little foals. And we have just got them back to sleep, after they woke up crying. Permit me to take you back a fortnight to before the birth...

It was just another late Winter day, a clear and crisp day after a week of snow fall. By now Winter was heavily pregnant, hardly able to move for any great length of time so she spent most of her time relaxing on a sofa.

I was washing up after lunch when I heard Winter give a startled gasp. 'Winter?' I yelled, dashing over to her. The sofa was soaked with fluid - her water had just broken! 'I'm sorry honey, I know how fond of this sofa you are.' she said ruefully

'Forget that, how are you? Why didn't you tell me sooner?'

'I'm fine, I just thought it was just the usual discomfort so I didn't want to alarm you. I mean I'm not due for another week anyway.'

'Alright then, I'll contact Cloudsdale hospital and get them to send a shuttle. Stay calm!' I said, dashing off to the magigraph.

Fifteen minutes later, the shuttle arrived and took us to the hospital. Once there I paced up and down the corridor while the Doctor and nurses took her vitals and assessed her condition. I wanted to be with her throughout the whole affair, but I left, knowing that in my agitated state, I would only make things worse, so I needed to compose myself before going back in.

'Deep breaths Mark, just take deep breaths!' I told myself over and over again.

Eventually I did the only thing I could think to do and exercising the last sliver of faith I possessed I got down on my knees and began to pray.

'Great St. Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of Jesus, and devoted child of the Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that Heavenly fire of charity which glowed in yours. Because you bore, without murmur or complaint, the calumnies of wicked men when falsely accused of crime, you have been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve her in the dangers of motherhood, and shield the children she now bears, that it may be brought safely to the light of day, and receive the sacrament of baptism.'

I knew that our children would never be baptised, and strongly doubted that St Gerard - or any other saint had heard, but the prayer did have the effect of steadying my nerves.

With new found courage, I re-entered the room where Winter was resting between contractions.

'Ah, Mr Robertson. You'll be glad to know your wife is doing well, the foals are comfortable, and the contractions are progressing nicely. The nurses and I will just step out for a bit so that you two can be in private. If you need us for anything at all, just press the call button.'

Winter looked better than I expected, given the circumstances. We had a private conversation which I won't reproduce here, except to say that she was glad I was going to be beside her while she gave birth.

And it was a surprisingly easy birth. After an hour and three quarters, both foals were safely delivered. The first born was a pale grey colt who was followed nearly three minutes later by his sister, a Bat Pony with midnight blue fur and a silvery mane and tail.

And to bring you back to tonight, I have to admit that I now look fondly upon these past nine months. Winter and I have been busier than either of has ever been. Life has become an endless cycle of antenatal checks, family & friends visiting, endless washing of nappies and late night feeding and changing. I have bags under the bags under my eyes! Tonight the twins woke us up for yet another feeding. While Winter lay down on the sofa (the same one her water had broke on) I lay the foals between her legs until they latched onto her teats.

As they suckled, I knelt down beside her and with my croaky, off tune voice sang a lullaby I remembered from my childhood as I stroked Winters mane.

'Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant Ar hyd y nos "Dyma'r ffordd i fro gogoniant," Ar hyd y nos. Golau arall yw tywyllwch I arddangos gwir brydferthwch Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch Ar hyd y nos. O mor siriol, gwena seren Ar hyd y nos I oleuo'i chwaer ddaearen Ar hyd y nos. Nos yw henaint pan ddaw cystudd Ond i harddu dyn a'i hwyrddydd Rhown ein golau gwan i'n gilydd Ar hyd y nos.'

By the time I had finished the song, the twins had finished feeding, so leaving Winter to rest, I burped them and put them back in their cots. When I turned back to see how Winter was, I saw that she had drifted off to sleep. I decided to let her be, and since I knew I wouldn't get back to sleep myself decided to make this journal entry. It's about time that we name our foals, we can't just keep calling them the "The twins" their whole lives! Our daughter is a Bat Pony, and by naming convention, they have names to do with night time. We have all but settled on calling her Moonbeam, for the colour of her mane and tail. Our son, the pale grey colt we have taken to calling Foggy Daze after his awed reaction to seeing an early morning fog, which held him spellbound. Personally I have also given them the "pet names" of Selene and Phileas. 'But what do those names mean?' Winter asked when I told her about them. 'Well "Selene" is the name of the Greek moon Goddess, so Moonbeam - Selene. I call Foggy "Phileas" as bit of a joke. You see on Earth there's a story about a man who has to circumnavigate the world in eighty days for a bet. And his name is Phileas Fogg. Get it? Phileas Fogg, Foggy Daze!' I said grinning. She didn't get it, but she has decided to humour me.

Being a father is proving to be the greatest adventure I have ever embarked upon, and a challenging one at that. I doubt I shall ever know how and or why I ended up in Equestria, but I thank whatever God or force that brought me here. I now have a loving wife, and two healthy children, which I love with all my heart. If ever you find yourself in a similar situation I urge you to accept the world you find yourself in and make the best of it that you can. In so doing, you may - like myself - find peace and happiness in your life.