Life's Greatest Adventure

The other day I was catching up with an old instructor from school. I went in to see him about a favor, but we ended up talking for a while. He did most of the talking, but it was nice to catch up with him.

At some point in our talk, the topic of our pregnancy came up. He congratulated me and he mentioned that he was going to be a grandfather for the first time. Then he said something that stuck in my mind.

"Life's greatest adventure. It really is."

I didn't say anything; I just smiled and nodded. He has been through this and know what he is talking about. At this point any comment from me would be like a high school football player talking about what it means to play in the NFL...to John Madden. In other words, I haven't traveled the road enough to tell you what traffic is like. Enough bad analogies for now.  

We are about 15 weeks into the journey, and to be honest it is kind of a dull spot. I don't want it to sound like I'm taking this for granted, but in the grand scheme of things there is not much going on right now. Let me elaborate.

First you have "The Decision." This is the moment that you decide to have a baby. It is very significant and there is a lot that goes into making "That Decision." It can't be taken lightly. This is a long-term commitment. You are deciding to start a family. Families are the foundation of a society. If families are weak, then society will be weak.

Then you have "The Discovery." This moment could be broken into several different sections. There is the moment where you think you might be pregnant, and then there is the moment you know you are pregnant. The thinking part comes from feeling some of the initial symptoms. The knowing part comes from a positive pregnancy test. Special moment.

After that you have what is know as "The Reveal." This is when you tell your friends and family in whatever way you deem appropriate. We told our families in person, but most of our friends found out through social media. My parents are going to be first-time grandparents, so I wanted that moment to be memorable; it was.

That sets off a rush of events. The unpleasant symptoms kick and, you choose a doctor, and you begin to get your home ready for baby. There are several doctor's visit including a couple of ultrasounds. More and more people have heard the news and everyone is happy for you. They all want to know if its a boy or a girl, and we patiently explain that we won't know until March. 

Then you get to where we are; we are in a dull moment. My wife isn't suffering as much as she was in her first trimester. She is starting to show a little more each day, but what we are really anxious for is the ultrasound in March. Then we will know if we are having a boy or a girl. That will make shopping so much easier for my wife.

More than anything, I think this is the calm before the storm. This is the perfect time to stock up on diapers and other essential items. These are the last few months where it will be just the two of us for many years. Our children will be our responsibility until they go to college, get married, or I send them to boarding school in Europe. I would like to keep my options open.

My Sacrifice

They say hindsight is 20/20. When you look back at your life you have a better perspective because you have had a chance to look back and see things in a different light. It is like looking at a painting. If you stand right in front of the canvas, it may not make any sense to you. If you take a few steps back you can see the whole picture, and you get a better understanding of what is going on. Life works the same way.

As I look back on my life there are things that begin to make sense. Lately I have been reflecting an and appreciating the sacrifices my parents made for me as I was growing up. They gave up so much of themselves so that I could have a better life. At the time, I am sure that I focused on the things that I did not have instead of being grateful for the things that I did have. Looking back, I have to say that I had it pretty good, and it was all because of their hard work and their dedication to raising us as they saw fit.

I am having to look at my life and think about what I am willing to sacrifice for my unborn child. It is not even the size of a bean at the moment, but that hasn't stopped me from evaluating my life and looking at things that I have to change. There are small things and there are big things and there are really big things.

First of all, I have to say that any sacrifices that I make are very small compared to the sacrifice my wife is already making. For nine months she will carry this being inside of her until he or she is ready to come about. Any women who have had children know that this is not an easy task, and I do not envy any of you. I think that is why mothers have a special bond to their children that men cannot really know or even understand. We are a little over a month into the pregnancy, and it has already proven to be a challenge. There is so much that goes on during a pregnancy; a mix of physical and emotional changes that have to be experienced to be understood.   

So I understand that my issues are miniscule compared to what she experiences every moment of every day. Still, there are things that I am going through that are small examples of the larger sacrifices that I am already willing to make for this child.  

Take "my office" as an example. We live in in a two bedroom apartment, and one of those rooms has been converted into a study room/man cave. Since the closet in our bedroom can barely contain my wife's clothes, my clothing has to go into the closet in this second room. I have also taken charge of the decor in this room. My allegiance to the Oregon Ducks is on full display in this room.

Guitar Corner

One of the corners of this room is dedicated to my guitars. I have one on a stand and the to others are around it, ready to be utilized at my leisure. My wife has decided that this corner is the perfect place for our baby's crib. You are probably asking yourself the same thing that I am asking myself. Where will my guitars go? That questions remains unanswered. Everyone has their cross to bear.

It is a small price to pay. Having the crib in my office means that whenever I am working late at night and I need to take a break all I have to do is turn my chair around to see my baby. It means that if he or she cries I will be right there. It means that this child will know right away which Oregon team he or she will be expected to cheer for.

What else am I sacrificing? I don't really know yet. I don't know much of anything. We don't even know if its a boy or a girl yet. All I know is that I am ready and to give it all up for the well being of this unborn child. These are things that I have only recently started thinking about, but I am convinced that I would do them at the drop of a hat.

I believe that parenting is not for the faint of heart. I am not fully there yet, but everyday I am learning something new about what this all means. Hopefully, I will figure it out before July. If not, I hope that my son or daughter knows that everything that I do is for him/her. And I will never stop reminding them that even though their mother carried them for nine months, I had to find a different place to put my guitars.