Nothing can prepare you for being present at your child’s birth. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I’d be here now, with my wife and a Cajun midwife, about to catch my baby daughter.

At this point I was in a trance, as I heard Mama say, “Okay, Mr. Jim, I just gotta help Layla out. When you see me take Layla in my hands, I’m gonna hand her to you. Stand close to Maggie, here by the side of the bed and keep holdin’ her hand like you’re doin’, but when I turn, you need to be down here at the foot of the bed with me, okay?”

I nodded my head and said okay.

Maggie was squeezing my hand so tight I didn’t think she was going to let go of me, but just at that moment Mama said, “Come down here now, Mr. Jim,” and surprisingly Maggie let go of my hand.

Mama and Myra were busy at the foot of the bed, but as I stepped to Mama’s side Myra moved back. With the music playing softly and the golden morning light filling the room, in all her glory, there was little Layla in Mama’s hands, and in the blink of an eye Mama handed Layla to me.