Memories – First Child

We moved into our first house on Christmas Eve in 1965 and we were so excited to be there even though there were boxes everywhere. A couple of 22-year kids with a place of our own, with a 25-year mortgage. There was no Christmas Tree that year but being in the house was special. It got cool that night and then we found out the central heat was not working. We also found out that getting it fixed between Christmas and New Year was a challenge. Eva was still working at Gulf Oil, and I was still working at NASA, so we both had to plan new ways of getting to work.

During the next several months, we bought more things for the kitchen and for some of the other rooms. Eva got different items that made our house more our home and there was much to do outside to get it to look like a yard. It had been very rainy for a couple of weeks before we moved in, and the yard was a mess. It was hard work; however, it was fun at the same time just living in the moment together.

It was the first part of June when Eva brought up the subject of children. Now she must have been thinking about that discussion for a while because of the way she slipped it into our conversation. We had been so busy since getting married and prior to our wedding, that we had not discussed having children. Growing up in a family of four kids, I always assumed I would have kids, but it was not something I had thought about at that point in our marriage. The subject would come up in more of our conversations over a few weeks until she had me convinced, that we were ready to add to our family.

I got so tired of driving 100 miles a day to and from NASA and working so many hours, I went to work for Texaco in June. There, I worked rotating shifts but a lot less overtime on a regular basis. When I worked days, Eva and I rode to work together and had more time to talk about our plans. I think it was the latter part of August when Eva told me that we were having a baby. She had the biggest grin on her face and her face was almost glowing.

Eva got busy doing things I will describe as getting the nest ready for the baby. She made a lot of her maternity tops, and she would read everything about the latest trends like new baby bottles. We bought a baby bed and other items and then chose which bedroom for the baby. These days, parents find out early whether it is a girl or boy so they can plan everything, and the family can know what to buy. That was not a common process then, and we did not want to know anyway. It was an exciting time and Eva was busy all the time, but when I was home, she would sit with me a share what she had handled, and then we would talk about what needed to get done.

I remember as Christmas was getting closer, we went shopping for gifts for our families. We bought gifts for all of our nieces and nephews, something special for each of them. I remember Eva and me sitting in front of our tree talking about how the next Christmas would be different with a baby then. Back then, there was no maternity leave, and the woman could not work beyond six months pregnant. Eva worked until the middle of January. The people in her office at Gulf Oil gave her a baby shower and going away party that I got to attend. I had worked at Gulf between 1962 and 1964, so I got to catch up with some friends that still worked there.

Then by the middle of April 1967, we were on week-to-week doctor visits for status checks. Eva’s health and the baby’s development had been normal. My Grandmother on my Dad’s side passed away and her funeral was on Monday, April 24, and Eva had a doctor’s visit that day that was expected to be her last appointment before going into the hospital. I was not with her, because I went to the funeral. When I got home, Eva was excited and told me that we had to be at the hospital at 5:00 am the next day. Not sure if either of us slept much that night. Eva was up by 3:00 and double-checking everything that needed to be taken with us.

We got to the Heights Hospital early, so we had to wait a little while before they took her to start getting her ready and we were too nervous to have a conversation. Both Eva’s Mom and my Mom arrived at the hospital not long after they had started the IV drip. They both were allowed to see her until Eva was moved to the Labor Room, then only her Mom and I were allowed in there, one at a time. Her labor began around 7:00 am and then at 4:23 pm we had a healthy baby girl. I never shared the things she said to me during the worst part of the labor, but I expect most women say the same kinds of things when going through childbirth. Thanks to the meds, she did not remember much of that. Our lives were forever changed.

It was normal in those days, that the Mom and baby would not leave the hospital until the third day. That way, they could make sure that both were doing well before going home in case of infections or other problems. The hospital released them on Thursday, and I took Eva and Tammy home to begin a new chapter as a larger family. Every day was a new experience for us and I would watch Eva grow each day as a loving Mom.

Eva passed away just three days short of Tammy’s 55^th birthday with just as much love in her heart as she had all those years before, but for a much larger family.

George Straight – I Saw God Today