27 Years Ago

Twenty-seven years ago something very nice happened to me. My Maggie was born.

Unlike this rainy morning, the Tuesday that she was born was one of those sparkling spring mornings.

I had worked full-time at Capital Holding until the previous Friday, helping it get ready to sponsor the Derby (Pegasus) Parade. This was the year that they were introducing a new mascot, a huge Pegasus-shaped hot-air balloon, which would be floated down Broadway, held down with ropes by a dozen people. I had worked for months to get the balloon designed, manufactured up in Canada, and inflated for a trial run in Louisville. It was the first large balloon to appear in Louisville's Pegasus Parade – and I was planning to go to the Parade on Wednesday to help ensure that all would go smoothly.

Ed left for work that morning, catching the bus downtown. I had a bowl of Cream of Wheat cereal, (that I craved for my entire pregnancy). And then, without warning, my water broke. There was no guessing about whether I should find my way to the hospital. I called Ed at his office to tell him to hurry home, except he wasn't there. He and his boss had slipped out to watch the Blue Angels air show, one of dozens of Derby events. This was years before cell phones became ubiquitous, but the receptionist somehow tracked him down.

Next thing I know, Ed and Fred (his boss and dear friend) show up at the front door. Fred had driven Ed home and wanted to offer congratulations even before our baby was born.

We immediately headed down to Norton Hospital, where the long wait began. We had taken a Lamaze class, so we breathed together -- Ed coaching me on. Every time it got a tough, Ed assured me that I was tougher. It was the Galloway-way. For the next 15 hours, he was at my side (except when he raced to McDonald's for a burger and shake). Finally, just before midnight our baby was born. We didn't know beforehand if we were having a boy or a girl. We were delighted with our new baby girl and an added surprise was that she had the most beautiful red hair.

The hospital where she was born was located on Broadway and I was able to watch the parade the next afternoon from the window of my hospital room while rocking my new baby girl. At that time, there were some strict measures in place that only allowed "family" to visit a newborn baby and mom. Soon after the parade was over, a large and rather loud group of people came up to the maternity floor claiming they were all the family of the Galloway baby. It was the people from my marketing department that I had worked with on the Parade and they all wanted to meet this new Derby baby.

And that is how Maggie began her life, and how I began my life as a mom.