Before...

... we were (are) "Marcus & Karen." "Karen & Marcus." Just the two of us. Just a couple of newlyweds, kinda doin' our own thing, not responsible for anything except our own personal hygiene. We go out to eat whenever we want, take trips whenever we want, we lie in bed all day if that's what we want to do. Our marriage is great, our jobs are great ... life is great.

Then, a few months ago, I had a bright idea.

"Marcus," I said, "I have a bright idea. You know how perfect everything is? Why don't we shake it up a bit? We need a baby. Whaddya think?"

And the silly man agreed.

So tonight, as I write this, my phone is three feet away. I'm glued to the phone, you see, because we're on the verge of adopting. The birthmother who chose us to parent the little girl currently gestating away in her womb is about to go into labour any minute now. We've already had one false alarm a week ago, when we raced to the hospital to meet her, only to be told to go home, it's not time. She has contractions on a daily basis.

And now we're petrified.

Luckily, we have good friends. Friends who give advice like:

"You're life is SO going to change. Enjoy each other now, because this could be the last time you get to do so."

and:

"Do you guys have ANY idea what you're getting yourselves into?"

and:

"You don't need much sleep, do you?"

and my personal favourite:

"It's going to be a nightmare." (This from an 11-year-old boy. I would love to know what this kid knows that we don't.)

So, here we sit and wait with bated breath, wondering why we chose these people to be our friends in the first place, and even worse, contemplating the possibility that they may be right. Still, common sense says that if parenting were so horrible of an experience, there wouldn't be 6.4 billion people on the planet, right?

Right??

Comments

[Chris Walters]

Kaz,

Congratulations to you and your hubbie. I haven't spoken to you in about 4 years so I had no idea about Alexis until I got an email from some old friends at Landmark. Holler at me some time so me and the Mrs. can come and check out Lil Miss Chookooloonks !! (What kind of expression is that ? DAMN Trinis !! I know, I know, you're saying DAMN Jamaicans !!) Latah !!

- CW