Nearly a month short of Michael's second birthday and a few weeks short of Rebecca's first birthday, our third child and second daughter was born in Provo's Utah Valley Hospital. Rachael arrived at noon on Thursday, August 7, 1975. She was a big one—7 pounds 15 ounces, almost eight pounds. She was 20 inches long.
"All is well with Claudia and the baby," I wrote the next day in my journal. "Since I returned to work today, Claudia was not expecting me to visit during the afternoon visiting hours. But I took off work and surprised her. She was so happy."
On Saturday evening, August 9, we went to the Dixon family reunion in the Payson Park. Even though she wasn't there, Claudia was the talk of the reunion for having just had a baby. We'd had two since the previous year's reunion. At that reunion, Rebecca hadn't been born yet.
"Claudia and Rachael came home from the hospital today," I wrote on Sunday, August 10. Home was a little brick house on 300 West in Provo, where we occupied the main floor and rented the basement level to four single college students. "Michael Adam seemed pleased; Rebecca less so, which surprised me. I thought she'd be too little to even know what was going on. It is good to have Claudia back."
Claudia's parents were visiting from southern California, her mom to help out with the new baby. Or, more accurately, to help out with not-quite-two-year-old Michael and not-quite-one-year-old Rebecca.
On Monday I had gone to work in Salt Lake City. Late that afternoon, August 11, a brief thunderstorm hit Provo and moved north along the Wasatch Front. Claudia was sitting in our front room nursing four-day-old Rachael. Michael Adam was next to her patting the baby. Rebecca was on her way to the kitchen looking for her grandma, who was putting clothes into the dryer.
That's when the lightning struck a tree overhanging our driveway, only ten feet from where Claudia was sitting. It sounded like a tremendous explosion. The sound was deafening. In the kitchen the dryer and stove sizzled before the power went out.
When I arrived home from work, there was evidence of shattered tree all over our driveway. For about three days, until the huge tree was completely removed, we had the most popular tree in the neighborhood.
I blessed and named Rachael in the fast and testimony meeting of the BYU Eleventh Branch on Sunday, September 7:
"Our Heavenly Father, by the power and authority of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood which we bear as elders in the Church of Jesus Christ, we take this infant child in our arms to give her a name and a first father's blessing. And the name which we give to her at this time is Rachael Cleverly. And by this name may she be known upon the records of Thy church and the records of this land.
"And may she, as she grows and develops, as she begins to perform the mission for which she was sent to this earth, may she be aware of the great heritage behind this name which she bears. May she pattern her life after the great woman mentioned in the scriptures, Rachael of old.
"And we bless her, Heavenly Father, that she may grow and develop, that she may be able to do that which she was sent here to this earth to do. We recognize that she has been recently in Thy presence. We pray that Thou wilt bless us—especially those of us who are her parents and family, who will have the greatest influence upon her—that we may teach her all that she needs to know to someday return to Thy presence. And may we be able to provide for her the proper environment that she may grow mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually, that she may be a valiant servant and child of Thine.
"We are grateful for this precious spirit who has come to be with us. We pray that we be worthy of her. May all be done according to Thy will. We say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."
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