Words cannot convey the giddy delight that overcomes the soul when you find out that you will soon become a father. You find yourself wanting to sing it to the world, skip down mountains, and watch spring blossoms unfold themselves in the early am light, awed by nature’s amazing ability to regenerate every year. What a precious feeling.
For me, it was a dream come true — one I had began to doubt would ever come to pass, especially given Caitlin and I are in our latter thirties. Getting pregnant was not easy for us. But in the end, it happened.
I remember when Caitlin let me know the metaphorical game was afoot. We were driving home from Dulles airport in early March, I had picked her up after a three week assignment in Albania. She said to me in the car ride home, “We should pick up a pregnancy test on the way home.”
Something went click in my head, “She’s pregnant!” The tests that weekend confirmed it. The DC blizzards of 2010 had been very productive indeed!
But then the hard part began, which was keeping quiet until it was safe and Caitlin’s employer was in the know. In reality, we weren’t very good about this, more of a slow leak from immediate friends and family to more casual friends, and finally on Friday everyone was clued-in.
I feel unleashed! Finally, to be able to write about this most important life-changing experience. Ah. :)
My friends, we still have a long way to go. Six months, in fact. Nothing is certain, and I know this. But right now I feel so blessed and grateful. To be a Dad! Wow! And to celebrate Mother’s Day with Caitlin as mother-to-be, well, that will be special.
I know that many of my readers are parents. What was it like for you when you found out you were pregnant or had successfully adopted the first time?