Posts filed in ‘Fatherhood’
Big Pappa
To borrow a phrase form the Notorious B.I.G., “I love it when you call me big pappa!” And right now I do, because I’m officially a dad, and I am loving every second of it. My very first son, Reed Owen Young, was born last Tuesday and weighed a very average 7lbs. 6oz. (I think all parents pray for average when their children are born). I know a lot of you have been hearing my wife and I talk about his arrival for quite a while and have prayed for his safety many times and for that we both are truly grateful. It truly has been a mountain-top experience for both of us.
I’ll never forget those first moments in the delivery room immediately after he came into this world. he was naked, messy, and throwing a royal fit, but I thought he was perfect. They put him on a warming table to record all his stats and he was just opening up those lungs as babies naturally do when they are first born, and then I reached out and touched his little hand with my finger and mumbled what I could to him through my tears, and he stopped crying and looked directly at me. He had a great sense of ease knowing I was there. From that moment on I realized I was truly a Big Pappa and this little guy would look at me like that for the rest of his life.
Never have I been more frightened and excited simultaneously before. I thank God every day for the opportunity that Jenna and I have to raise our child in the ways of His kingdom.
It’s a Boy
Well it’s official, the Young name has made it through another generation. Just yesterday my wife and I found out that our baby will definitely be a boy! We are both ecstatic about the news and for me it’s kind of surreal. I mean, it’s great news, but wow is this coming fast. I feel like just yesterday we were in college, staying out until 3 in the morning, and doing whatever we want, and now we plan our trips to the grocery store around my wife’s level of nausea. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade this for the world. I’m ready to be a father, but it seems like my whole mindset has changed overnight.
I just thought I would share that little tid-bit with you all this morning. Maybe the picture will make you laugh. We can already see that he has my chin!
A Little Surprise
I guess I should post something about this since everyone is emailing and commenting about it already. So, here goes.
This past week my wife and I had a little surprise, and not the kind of surprise that results in cake, presents, and a trip to Cancun. It was “THE” suprise, and it was the biggest surprise of my life up to this point. In case you don’t know what I’m referring to allow me to fill you in. My wonderful wife and I just found out that we will be having out first child in September of this year. She is due in early September, and somehow it seems fitting that my wife would be due on Labor day.
Aside from the fact that it was a complete and utter surprise, we are elated about the thought of becoming parents. It’s just one of those things that makes you feel more important the instant you discover it. For instance, today I was walking through Target and it hit me just how cool this really is. I was able to contribute to the populating of this earth, and suddenly I felt very important. I walked with a swagger and held my head high because in only 8 short months that would be my kid running down the isles knocking stuff off the rack onto the floor, and soon that would be me chasing after him or her screaming “Knock it off!” My how time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was doing those things. Well, I guess that was just yesterday, but that was at Wal-Mart, not Target.
I will leave you with this. When I was in elementary school I was involved in a program called “Talented And Gifted” and I can remember disticntly one day we were discussing the future. The teacher asked us all to write down our thoughts on certain questions she had pertaining to the future. One of those questions was, “What do you fear most about the future?” We all took turns presenting our answers to the class, and when it came to a fellow classmate of mine who sat across from me he simply answered, “Joel Young’s kids!”
To be quite frank, that has been my greatest fear as well, but I think I’m finally ready to face my fear. Because let’s face it, at this point, I don’t really have much of a choice!