This Time It's Not the Achilles

A week ago Cori and I were just a couple days away from boarding a plane in Milwaukee destined for New York City. There, we would wait a few hours before getting on a different aircraft. The next morning we would wake up somewhere over the Eastern Atlantic. Within minutes we'd be gazing out our window, squinting against the early morning sun, and watching with wonder as a vast brown and green landmass called Africa appeared on the horizon.

However, a week later we are still in Wisconsin! Again, we have postponed our departure. A month ago it was a re-ruptured Achilles that put the trip on ice (and my leg, too). I was pretty frustrated and angry that time. This time around, I'm not feeling that way at all. How could I be upset? I'm going to be a daddy!


It was last Sunday night, after a week of fatigue and nausea, that Cori called me into our temporary bedroom in her parent's house.
"It's positive" she said.
Staggered, I uttered, "seriously? ...Seriously? ...SERIOUSLY?"
The week that followed has been a spin cycle of emotion and questions.
Elation.
"We're having a baby!"
Uncertainty.
"What does this do to Ghana?"
Worry.
"Can you take anti-malarial medication while pregnant?"
Fear.
"What about malaria itself?!"
Concern.
"What does Ghanaian health care look like?"
Frustration.
"We were this close to leaving!"
Relief.
"Other ex-pats have had successful pregnancies in Ghana. We can still go. We just have a to wait a bit."
Excitement.
"We're having a baby!"


Cori and I have been married for a little longer than five years. If you had asked us if we wanted children, the answer probably would have depended on the day. People have told me if you wait until you're ready to have kids, that you'll never have kids. I think that's true about a lot of things. I don't believe there's any greater plan for each of us in life, although Cori might disagree. I think life is just a series of events, some affected (and effected) by us, others just the randomness of nature. It's how we respond in the face of these events that determines the type of life we live.

Nature has given us the opportunity to have a child. A week ago I wouldn't have told you that I was ready to be a dad. I still probably wouldn't. But if all goes well, in a little more than 7 months that's what I'll be. And I'm pretty damn excited.