.:. You Shall Bear A Child

Well, we're in the home stretch. For those of you that didn't know, my wife is "with child" and at this point it could come any day! All of this continues to be quite remarkable, exciting, and just a bit unbelievable. Awaiting that child is such an interesting process. When we first had that conversation (the "I think I'm pregnant" one), I reacted in a much different way than even I expected. I was in complete disbelief (peppered with doubt and skepticism). How can this be? Granted, I shouldn't have been as surprised as the blessed virgin who spit out those same words to Gabriel...but I couldn't believe it!

So this time has become a reflection on Advent. Well, Advent and other things... It's just that throughout the scriptures we see all sorts of things regarding the waiting game for the Child. Not just Jesus, either. There are other pregnancy passages, but obviously the one who was prophesied about for generations is our focus.

The waiting might be the most interesting part for me. After It became a bit more clear that Erin was, in fact, pregnant I began to get excited. Ready? No chance, but excitement was building. Then a few weeks ago she had some pre-term contractions...it was enough to make us realize that this baby was not necessarily on the schedule we were working with--it could come any time! Ever since that, I feel like I've been longing for this baby. It's time... It felt like the pregnancy signaled us entering into a new season--we were due for it. But now it feels like there was some weird epilogue to the last chapter or maybe a forward to a new one. Maybe it's just a new book in the series. Metaphors aside, we continue to wait in eager anticipation--not knowing who this will be, eager to pour ourselves into him or her (a surprise). Knowing that that person will be a blessing to us and to many others.

.:. Reading Log

My Boys Can Swim by Ian Davis

It's only fitting to mention the book that my wife gave me to try to understand what being pregnant is all about. I must admit that I tore through this tiny little book as my in-flight reading on a couple flights. It took me a couple seconds to figure out the title (and what was on the cover). There are definitely some pieces that could offend, but some good insights, some funny prose, and some information that I was completely unaware of...some words that still make me cringe.