For those that hate to read, the good news is that Robin is pregnant, around 17-18 weeks and after yesterday’s sonogram we are happy to announce a boy is on the way. Our new one should join us late July.
Best Laid Plans
6, maybe 7 years ago I laid out a plan to my wife. To hold off having children about 5 years. Because of course by then we can handle children and figure out the rest because life will be so grand then. Well life never takes the course you plot. You can occasionally steer a few degrees but for the most part you are swept up in circumstance.
Our life was no exception but youth makes you quite naive.
Trials by Fire and Loss
I’ve been wanting to tell our story for a while but with all painful or trying events you need time before you can reflect properly.
Over the past year and then some we had the harsh reality that life is much more precious and messy than we ever expected. I like to tell others that we, we meaning boys, are raised with the notion that if you look at a female wrong–she’ll get pregnant. That’s just not the case. The Doctors will tell you that if it were that easy we’d all be set with just a couple of sperm and eggs and continue humanity rather easily. Not! Then once you conceive that’s just the first of your uphill climbs, there’s a 1:3 chance that a woman will miscarry–another thing you are never taught so when it happens to you it’s absolutely soul crushing.
If you’re lucky you won’t roll those dice until your second or third child, at least then you have a consolation prize as our Dr. put it. Robin and I had the misfortune to experience this a few times early on. Robin is amazingly strong and I am there for whatever her needs may be. I’d like to say ‘We were strong’, but the strength really lay with her. I am but a bystander, a woman goes through so much I can barely comprehend.
In the end we probably became a little too clinical for our own good but it’s hard not to. It’s like in a scary movie when you know something bad is about to happen so you prepare yourself. We began to steel ourselves to what might occur. To any of those out there that are going through this or even more difficult procedures we send you our hope. We know we’re getting off easy comparatively and we respect anyone trying to have a family of their own.
Perseverance and Time
Today marks a new chapter for us and one we are excited to share. Robin has had me under NDA for so long, I am a social creature after all and it’s been tough to bite my tongue. I like to show my joy. Especially for this!
We are happy that our early hurdles are behind us and from what we could tell we’re hoping for a safe and sound journey for the rest of Robin’s term.
The only thing I regret is my decision to make Robin wait for a family. If I had any foresight into how long it would take just to get us to this point I would have been happy to start sooner than later. I encourage those other plan makers I know out there to take note that your plans will not go accordingly, so be kinder and more flexible with your goals and each other.
We are gracious, humbled, and deeply happy. We look forward to what is to come!