Very early this morning I got a text that I had been waiting on for about 30 hours… that one of my best friends had her baby! He is a precious baby boy named Alister and is perfectly healthy, as is mommy. Unfortunately Meagan and her husband live all the way in Arizona, so I won’t get to meet him for a few weeks (until Spring Break!). Although I am sad that I wasn’t able to be there for Meg during her pregnancy and Alister’s birth, I am so excited for her and Nate!

Lately it has seemed that everyone in my life is pregnant. At first it was such a crazy feeling to know that some of my closest friends were going to be mommies (or daddies). It was a weird, “wow, we are old” feeling, as well as a nervous feeling, knowing that I could be in the same position before I know it. In a lot of ways it was hard too, at first. I think that being the oldest in my family (as in brothers, sisters and cousins) I have always been used to experiencing everything before most people that I know. David and I are planning on not having kids for a while, so for a little bit I felt like I was being left behind. But then I began the exciting journey of watching a very close friend of mine go through every part of her pregnancy and realized… wow, I have a lot to learn. And what a blessing that I get to learn it from some of my very own best friends!

In so many ways I have been feeling lately like I am cheating… or getting away with some spying. I have the opportunity of having some seriously wise and wonderful women in my life learn to be mommies before my own eyes. They share their wisdom with me; they are honest about their struggles; they are open enough to let me in on the things that most people don’t tell you about having babies. On of my great friends, Melissa, is an amazing mom. period. And she is super brave. I tell her all the time how thankful I am that I get to catch a sneak peak into adventures like natural birth, cloth diapers, green cleaners, and homemade baby food. Without her, I doubt I would have every considered these things as options for when I have a baby, but now I want to try all of them! She has encouraged and inspired me… and I am so excited for the other awesome soon-to-be moms around me to do the same. I never knew that having people go through things first was so great!

Don’t get me wrong… some days I have baby fever. I mean, once you have met a bundle of joy which was created by God through some of your best friends you really begin to appreciate the gift of life. However, I love where David and I are and I don’t want to change anything yet. I figure that I still have a TON to learn… and as my friends continue to have babies I just get to catch a few more sneak peaks.

So congrats again Meg and Nate! And to all you parents out there. Take joy in the fact that you are truly amazing to all the rest of us :)