My dad’s story of the day I was born:

That year I had gotten a job in a small resort town 250 miles away, and Bill (my new boss) really stressed that he needed me to come and start right away.  And at that time they were working on a large construction project nearby, so all the available housing in town was taken up by workers.  I found a cabin to rent, and was looking for a house, but there wasn’t much of anything available. 

Your mom stayed in our home (which we had put up for sale) with your brother, and I commuted back there to spend the weekends with them.  When the time approached for your mom to have you, I asked for time off and went back to our home.

The day you were born, we drove to the Hospital and checked your mom in.  I immediately started making phone calls to, you know, your granny and grandpa, family and friends.  Because your mom had been in labor well over eight hours with your brother, I assumed it would be a while before you were born.

After about an hour, the doctor came out and asked me if I’d like to come into the operating room.  My first reaction was “no”, because I… well, the idea of being in there with all the drama frightened me because I worried I would not handle it well and be a distraction rather than a composed observer,… I mean it just wasn’t a common practice in those days.  I hadn’t known that that was an option.  At that time, it was a new idea that they were just starting to offer.  I figured I’d make a few more phone calls and think about it a little longer.

I was in the middle of another phone call when the doctor came out and said, “You have a baby girl.”  That quickly.  You mom was only in labor two hours with you.  I was pretty surprised, especially after your brother’s birth had taken so long… with complications.  He was breach and the umbilical cord was knotted, but not too tightly, as he was still getting nutrients from it.  Anyway, your birth was really quick.  Looking back on it, I wish I had been at your births.  But it just wasn’t a common practice in those days. When I got my first look at you in the nurse’s arms, I was utterly struck by the amazing miracle of it all and so thrilled. To this day you have continued to thrill me with pride at what an amazing woman you are.

I stayed another week or so in our home, and then your grandmother came, which was a real blessing.  You know, your granny was a really solid individual, and your mother was kind of scattered.  So it was really great to have your grandmother come and take care of things for that time until I could find a place for us to live in our new town and move us there permanently.  I continued to work there during the week and commute back on the weekends.

There wasn’t anything to rent until the house on the street to the lake became available in September.  We took two weeks and moved into that big yellow house, the one down by the park on the lake.  It didn’t even have a furnace in the winter, just a space heater in the living room.  We put you in the room above the living room.  There was a vent into your room so it stayed fairly warm.  We were really worried about it being too cold for you in the winter.  In the meantime we looked for a house to buy.

So, that’s what I remember about the time around when you were born.