Expecting Fathers

I have to take a break from the golf talk because I'm going to be a father! Jess surprised me with a bib that says "I LOVE DADDY". We are both very excited because we are at that time in our lives where we want to take that next step and be parents. It also comes with a huge responsiblity. Not only is that little baby going to be time consuming but is also going to be very expensive! We just got back from visiting the hospital to see how far along we are (8 weeks). We have to plan our budget accordingly to pay for the upcoming medical bills and how to keep Jess from feeling that wonderful morning/afternoon/evening sickness. I must say she is a trooper but I don't think we will have more than two kids because I'll keep reminding her how she felt. =)

When we talked to the nurse for our first checkup and we told her the baby was planned, she laughed and said that is a first. She told us how many teens come in pregnant and act like it is no big deal. They never have any questions. Jess and I thought about what it would be like to be 16 and expecting. I would be in shock and fear of not only my future but the future of the baby and not being able to support him or her. Many teens have this unrealistic view of babies and how much fun they are. They don't get to see them when they are really sick and crying in the middle of the night. The financial responsibility would have to be left up to their parents or Government because their is no way they would be able to pay for the medical bills let alone the daily necessities such as diapers, clothes, food, & medicine. If the teens were to quit school and work full time, they would probably only be able to cover daycare and maybe food because they wouldn't have the education to get a good paying job. That means living with their parents till their 30 (ouch!). I am afraid our society is creating more situations such as these where the children are going to suffer and their is going to be a vicious cycle.

The problem I see in the future is the people who are having more babies are a lot of the same people I just explained. They are accepting welfare checks from the government because they receive more money from the government by staying home with their babies rather than going out and getting a job because the only jobs they are qualified for are just above minimum wage due to not having an education. Are their children going to do the same? Unfortunately, the statistics say there is a very high percentage that their children are going to repeat the same cycle. Children act and eventually behave like their parents, especially the daughter who doesn't have her father around to be a male role model. These children that come from broken homes and lack of good role models as parents will probably end up giving up and following the same path because they don't think they can do any better. The number of poor uneducated people who are getting pregnant at an early age are going to outnumber the people who are paying for their welfare check by a number that doesn't add up.

Ok, enough of the ranting. I sound like my dad. Now I know why I am a conservative. Hey, I took another job cleaning an office every morning so I can put money away for our future and our soon to be childs future. We have a plan to be successful and to teach our child about making good decisions. As long as God fits into that plan and is the focus of our decision making, we will be just fine.

This baby we are about to have is going to be such a blessing! That pic of Jess and I and our little nephew Jackson shows how a happy baby should look like that is blessed with a loving mother and father who would do anything for him. Thats the way God meant for it to be! Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers in order to be the parents God wants us to be.

In His Grip,