I’m very excited to feature a special friend, Debbie Scales. Debbie and I go back about 45 years when we were both newlyweds and teachers at Indianapolis Christian School in the 1970s. We brought our first daughters into the world in 1978. Debbie shares some sweet memories about five generations of daughters. Memories that can be passed down to the next generations. Welcome, Debbie–so glad to have you!
FIVE DAUGHTERS, by Debbie Scales
My maternal grandmother was born on June 13, 1908. I know nothing about her birth and early life except that she was born to godly parents who had a large family.
My own mother was born on January 15, 1930, in an unpainted house that sat on a weedy patch of ground in rural North Arkansas. The day my mother was born, women who came to help my grandmother deliver her baby draped sheets above the bed where Grandma lay to keep the snow that was sifting through the roof from settling on Grandma.
I was born on March 24, 1952, in Trinity Lutheran Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. I believe my mom was administered some type of anesthesia while delivering me. My birth was the first in my family’s lineage to occur in a hospital under the supervision of medical professionals.
My daughter, Lara, was born on September 22, 1978, at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Franklin, Indiana. Because at the time natural childbirth was in vogue, I patted myself on the back for requesting no anesthesia. Fortunately, the birth was uncomplicated, and the labor was not excessively long.
My grandmother’s natural birth experience in 1930 differed from my own natural childbirth experience in 1978. For one thing, sheets were not hung over the bed to keep snow from falling onto the delivery field.
My first granddaughter was born on September 29, 2008, at IU North Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her mother, my daughter, was given an epidural injection at some point in the labor process. Lara contentedly watched TV and played Solitaire atop her distended belly while waiting for her labor to progress to the point of delivery.
Regardless of the conditions under which these five daughters were born, their mothers welcomed their babies with delight and wholeheartedly devoted themselves to their care. They fed their babies, changed them, bathed them, dressed them appropriately for the seasons, tended to them through sicknesses, protected them as much as possible from harm, taught them about Jesus, and loved them with a deep maternal passion.
Below is a painting of my beautiful mother and me painted in the summer of 1952. The painting was done by an artist somewhere in Formosa (now Taiwan) or Okinawa, where my father was stationed with the Air Force. The artist produced the painting by looking at a photo my mom sent to my dad.
How grateful I am for my rich maternal heritage.
Short Bio of Debbie Scales
After devoting years to working and childrearing, Debbie now spends her time indulging not only her grandchildren but also her passion for writing. Her articles, poems, and devotionals have appeared in various Christian publications (Christian Woman, The Secret Place, and Power for Today). Debbie is a member of Heartland Christian Writers and lives with her husband Dan in Central Indiana. You can visit her blog at www.dscales24.com
Do you have special memories of welcoming children into the world? Please share by leaving a comment. If you are reading this on your cell phones, click on the “read this in your browser” button, then keep scrolling to the bottom where you will see the space to leave a comment. If you are reading this on your PC, just keep scrolling all the way down. I love to hear feedback from my readers!
Thank you, Patti, for sharing that story. I can remember I was always hungry during labor, too! Thank you for stopping by.
Thank you for this delightful story of the five daughters, Debbie. When I was in labor with my daughter (my firstborn), I complained that I was so hungry. The Head Nurse told me I couldn’t be in true labor. The OB staff kept insisting I had hours before my baby would be born. When the doctor came in to check on me, I was so close to delivery that he put me on the stretcher himself to transport me to from the Labor Room to the Delivery Room. Years later, I saw that same Head Nurse at a nursing meeting. She was almost blind by then, but when I told her my name, her face brightened and she laughed. She told me she would never forget me because in 35 years of OB nursing, she had never seen a woman in labor who was as hungry as I claimed to be that day!
Patti, I remember that a nurse who stood beside my bed while I was in labor said, “They have beef and noodles in the cafeteria. I hope I get there in time to get some.”
She wanted me to hurry up and have that baby so SHE wouldn’t miss dinner!
It was a landmark day in my life, but for her, it was just another day at work.
Thanks for reading my post on Becky’s site!