On The Night You Were Born

The night you were born was exactly three years after your dad and I were married. Before the doctors came in to deliver you, I passed your dad an anniversary card.

I suppose you were the gift.

When we first met, you were red, splotchy, and screaming. It was an interesting first impression.

That evening they brought you back into our room after the doctors checked you out. They rolled you into the room while we were finally eating dinner. They told us your results look good, and then the nurses left. We were alone with you for the first time.

At this point, it occurred to me that we had no idea what we were doing.

And then you began to cry.

Still numb and sore from delivery, I couldn’t move to help while your father sprang into action. He changed your first diaper.

It was late, and we tried to get some sleep. We wheeled your cart between my bed and the sofa where your father was sleeping. You both drifted off, but I stayed awake looking at you and imagining what this would be like.

I decided that parenting would be like a pilgrimaged. It would be a long journey with high mountains to conquer and low valleys to enjoy. There would be a lot of surprises along the way, and there’s no chance of us anticipating every little thing.

But, like a pilgrimage, it would be a long experience. We will learn a lot, and there will be plenty of joys and sorrows along the way.

So along this journey we promise you a few things:

When you are happy, we will be happy for you. When you are hurt, we will mourn.

When you fall, we will help you get back up and help you learn how to walk again.

When you’re lost, we will come find you. When you wander off the path, we will wait for you. When you mess up, we will forgive you. When you triumph, we will celebrate you.

We will teach the things you need to know, and even somethings we just like teaching.

We will surround you with other pilgrims, family and friends, to support and cherish you. Some will stay with you the whole journey and some just for a few miles.

We will provide you with everything you need, somethings you simply want, and a few things you don’t want but should have anyway.

We will be a soft place to rest, but never a place to become complacent. We will encourage you, empower you, and find things that inspire you.

We will show you how much we love each other, so you understand how much we love you.

And we will raise you up in the faith, giving you a head start on the journey God has planned especially for you.

After a while, you began to cry. Again, your father got up to change you. Then I nursed you.

Jonah, we love you. We look forward to this journey with you. Thank you for making us parents.