My first blog
Well all, probably the majority of the news you will get from me on this thing will be baby stuff. I plan to use this as a journal of sorts, something that I have never done before, but think it is now time to step back and reflect.
I am now past the halfway point of my third decade on the planet, and although you may think that is the reason that I decided to have a kid (clock ticking and all) that is actually not the case. Interestingly, I have lived long enough to understand that life is not a static thing, even as an adult. You are expected to experience changes as you grow from childhood to adulthood, but once you are an adult, those changes end and you are the same person for the rest of your life. Not so.
I have realized that I am not the same person that I was in college, or the same person that I was when I moved to Texas with Dave, or even the same person that I was in graduate school or at my first professional job. I am now the person who has lived through all of that and am now ready to pass that knowledge on to someone else (or at least try). I was not ready to be a parent until I reached that point of understanding, whenever or if-ever that point arrived (ticking clock be damned!). But, as you can see, that point did come and here I am.
So, all of the changes that will occur because of the kid – loss of spontaneity, less money, more structure, more responsibility, etc., are only bad if you think your life will continue to be exactly the same as it as right now (and of course, if you like it). I have realized that my life will always be changing, quickly or slowly, but changing nevertheless. From that perspective, it does not look so much like a traumatic experience. In fact, I expect it will be very rewarding.
Posted on March 3rd, 2008 in Uncategorized by Mindy | 4 Comments »
March 5th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Wow! How well articulated! (Not to suggest you’re not articulate, of course, it’s just that I’ve never actually heard anyone at THIS end of child-rearing articulate Change so well.)
And what about Dave? Is he foreseeing the day he’ll run out of Warcraft buddies, so he’s now embarking on breeding “a little liberal army in the woods,
Just like these redneck lunatics [he sees] at the local bar, with their tribe of mutant inbred piglets with cloven hooves”?
It’s a Great Adventure!
March 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am
You just helped me out…a lot. I’ve recently been contemplating (better late than never?) why I thought I would be a good candidate for parenting. Not enough time for reflection can do that to you…that is, leave you stuck in the question. Anyhow, I think you are in a remarkably good place, and hope you know how excited we are up here in MI as well. This is going to be one lucky kid!
March 5th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
What can I say? The culture war is on baby!
March 7th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Mindy, since I’ve only told Dave how excited and happy I am for both of you, this is a nice way to say it again to you and to let you know that I have no reservations whatsoever that you’ll both be great parents. You both have so much to offer a child. I admire the way you are welcoming change into your lives and seeing this as an opportunity for growth. My only reluctance is having you all so far away, as it always has been, but even more so now. I will miss the joy of knowing your baby the way I have been able to know Marci’s family. But we will do the best we can with visits, blogs, pictures, or whatever it takes. Wow, I am so excited and happy for both of you, it’s hard to express!