Being a father

Here in the next couple of weeks I will experience a major change in my life, pretty much at any time in the next three weeks I am going to become a father. It is something that I have looked forward to ever since August 9 2006. I knew this day would come but I did not think this soon. Amanda and I just thought that since we both got full times that we would just use this year to travel, see things, and do things that we have always wanted to do. Someone had other ideas. It lead to the conclusion; you are never fully prepared for somethings in life. I think if Amanda and I had waited until everything was perfect we would have never had kids. I just can not imagine a time that we would have sat down together, and said " I feel like we are ready to be parents in nine months. I feel like we have enough money now, lets have kids now." I just can not imagine doing that feeling like I am ready to be a father. I had a dream the other night where I was holding Braxton, and I said to Amanda " What did we even do before he was here." I can only imagine that it is going to like that, but even better. This little boy is going to change our lives for the better. He is going to bring so much joy in the life of Amanda and I. I know it is going to be hard, I know that we are not going to get much sleep, and that the money is going to be a bit tighter, however we will be parents, the highest calling that we could ever have. Amanda and I always say to each other, " I just want to hold him." Holding him for the first time will be the greatest moment of my life. I can not wait to take him to his first football game, to take him to the Zoo for the first time, and so many other moments that every father looks forward to. It only seems like a few short years ago I was heading to the MTC so excited to start the next step of my life. This last Tuesday, Amanda and I had to renew our temple recommends for Shane's wedding. Their in the waiting room was a young man waiting to be set apart as a missionary. I could help but sit their and remember the day that I got set apart to be a missionary. I still to this day remember that well. The thing I remember the most was walking to have a final interview with President Brady, ( the former Stake President) I was sobbing, and I did not why. Maybe it was because I was could not watch Sportscenter for two years, maybe it was because I could not hang out with my friends and watch Football. When I sat down in the chair with him and he sat and talked to me, I then realized why I was crying. It was at that moment that my life was never going to be the same. When the interview was over, I had never felt better. It was then time to be set apart as a missionary. I remember getting set apart, and when the blessing was over I really felt different, like I had a purpose in life. I know that when that baby comes I will feel that same feeling only to a stronger degree.