Saturday, October 27, 2007

Feelings of a Future Daddy

So we're sitting here on Oct. 27th (one day past her due date) awaiting the arrival of little sweet Nadia Elise and I wanted to take a moment and capture the flood of feelings that I've experienced throughout this season. Each and every day since we discovered we were pregnant has held it's own special treasure. From my personal priorities shifting to my beginning to relate the myriad of stories that I've heard from those with much more wisdom than I. I would have to say that my most overwhelming feeling of concern has nothing to do with my abilities to accomplish the function of a father, but rather has to be my ability to be exactly the father God has asked me to be. The father who stewards this precious gift through life without suffocating her, while also teaching the natural boundaries of life. The father who provides just the right mix of mercy, grace, and discipline. The father that allows her to "fall and get back up and dust herself off". The father that patiently listens to her biggest passions and biggest heart breaks. The father that helps bring out the very gifts that God has given her...no matter how opposite that they might be from my very own. The father who is a "soft safe place to land", even her first, second, third, and so on big mistakes. The father that providers her with a daily example of a Godly man that she might desire someday when she grows up. The fathers that gives her away someday and then mentors a son-in-law and grandchildren.

I am so thankful that God has found me worthy of these tasks and I know God has given me exactly the gifts that He desires for the rearing of Nadia Elise.

I have to say that my least amount of concern is about having an absolutely AMAZING WIFE who is incredibly supportive and full of wisdom and grace. She is 100% supportive of me and I of her. I have no doubts that we'll run into struggles as parents and as partners along this path...but am 100% that we will recover quickly and end up strong as a result, as Nikki and I are focused on keeping God the number one priority in our life. We are both focused on the fact that it was the two of us prior to children and that it will be the two of us following the maturing of our children. I'm so excited about sharing this season of life with Nikki and seeing how we both grow.

I'm so excited to meet sweet little Nadia Elise and learn so many things from her :-)