As I wait for Trey, it seems my mind becomes flooded with an variety of emotions: excitement, apprehension, joy, indifference, hope, love, amazement. I think I am ready to take on the responsibility of being a mom and I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. With each new experience in life, each new chapter, there is only so much preparation that can be done, only so much you can learn from books and the advice of others. There seems to come a point at which you just have to jump in and experience it for yourself. You learn from your mistakes and successes along the way — taking both in stride.

The other day as I sat on the floor in Trey’s room making his curtains, I listened to the afternoon news on NPR. One report told the story of a Lebanese family’s escape from their village as the bombs rained down, destroying their neighborhood and killing their neighbors. I don’t wish to comment here on the politics of the wars in the Middle East, but rather to voice the thoughts of an expecting mother. I hear such stories and can’t help but to wonder what all this will mean for Trey. Is this the kind of world in which to bring up a child? The world is full of suffering. Children are exposed to so much more than their little minds can comprehend. It seems so much worse now than the “good ole’ days” that our grandparents love to discuss. I realize though, that my parents probably thought the same thing back in 1979. There has always been suffering, even in the “good ole’ days” wasn’t there something called a “World War” and the “Great Depression”? I thought about it for a little while, but was reminded of a promise that Jesus gave us as recorded in the book of John. “…In the world you will have trouble, but be courageous-I have overcome the world!”

My hope is to provide the very best that I can for Trey. I know that as he grows and learns about the world around him, I will be growing and maturing in my own ways. It’s an exciting journey that we have ahead of us. I thank each of you who have been supporting and encouraging us and praying for us along the way. We greatly appreciate it.