Welcome to our blog! We hope you enjoy reading about our adventures in parenthood and lifestyle. It’s been a wild ride so far and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
From Babies To Big Kids, Our Life Changes Forever
When Emily and I got married, we had no idea what to expect. I grew up in a large family and had always assumed that being a husband and father would be incredibly easy. I was completely unprepared for the incredible amount of work that comes with fatherhood. It took me a little while to figure out how day-to-day life would be different and how I would cope with the challenges that come with fatherhood. I had to learn to be more independent and self-sufficient. I had to grow up fast.
Emily had one little girl, Amethyst, from a previous relationship, so we didn’t have any prior experience with children. Even though she was just a little baby, Amethyst had a way of putting things that were difficult to understand simply. When she was two years old, I looked at her and said, ‘You’re a big girl now, Ami. Can you please help me put this TV tray together? It’s just a few pieces and I’ll show you how it goes together. Once you can do that, the rest will be easy.’ She looked at me with that funny expression that only a two-year-old can have and replied, ‘Daddy, when I’m big, will I still help you with your TV tray?’ I didn’t have an answer for that. It was then that I realized that being a parent is not about easy, it’s about change and growth. It’s about becoming a more mature and responsible person. The role of a parent is not something to take lightly.
Our Family Is A Full House
When we had Amethyst, we decided to add another daughter, Star, to our family. It was love at first sight and we knew right away that this relationship would be different. We were so happy to finally have a baby girl to love and spoil. We called her Stella, which is short for Stella Maris, the name of the first child of Mary and Francis, the Baby Jesus.
Unfortunately, after just a few months, things took a turn for the worse. Star was born with a serious heart condition, which is why we had to re-home her when she was just nine months old. We had to wait almost a year for a healthy baby girl to be born and it was definitely worth it. Since then, Star has shown us what a positive attitude and strong sense of responsibility can do. She’s grown up to be a beautiful, caring, and most importantly, independent young woman. When she was younger, she would come to us asking questions about life and she’s always had an interest in getting to know more about God and His ways. It’s been a blessing to see Star grow up into a mature Christian woman who is now a wife and mother herself. We’re so happy that our family is complete once more.
More Than Meets The Eye
While we love having our little family of three, we’re not closed to the idea of having more children. After we lost Star, we knew that it wasn’t the right time for us to have more children, but it also didn’t feel like the right time for our family to be complete. At least, not yet. We’ve been back in contact with the doctor that treated Star and he’s given us the all-clear to have more children. We’re already looking into adopting or fostering a child, as it’s become something of a calling for us to help provide a happy home for a child who needs it. It doesn’t feel good to lose a child, but it also doesn’t feel right to keep them. In the meantime, we’ll enjoy parenting our little girl, Aisha, who recently turned five.
We hope that this blog has helped you to see a different side of parenthood. It’s not all fun and games, especially when your kid is sick or injured and you have to put in a lot of that dad’s sweat equity to get them through. We’d love to hear your stories about fatherhood or even just your experiences as a parent, no matter how many children you have.