A Birthday Inspired

Dear Tricia,

So, Tuck's birthday reminds me of a great story that I don't think you've ever heard. Others have for certain, but I think you will cherish this little nugget.

Jason and I were married for a long time, really long depending on who you ask, before we even considered the thought of children. The truth is Jason didn't want children at all, and it certainly wasn't something I could see myself enjoying.

In fact, we were the last of our closest couple friends without children. They had all gone the way of parenthood several times over. Every time we visited to meet and adore the newest little bundle, we left with the greatest sense of relief that it wasn't us!

We would ride home and talk about how weird new babies were, how much work, how much money - how MUCH everything a baby is - and how grateful we were just to be us. We almost always talked about how they look like aliens.  We commended each other on how hard it is to lie and say 'oh, she's beautiful,' and then get in the car and remark that you need a full cup of coffee before looking straight at her.

We were also well aware of the cases of a couple who hasn't particularly figured out how to be a successful couple, and so they decide that having a baby will somehow help this scenario.

But then.
Then we came to see you.
And Robb.
And Tucker.

He was brand new and peachy and angelic. He was wearing a blue and red onesie, wrapped in a yellow, snuggly blanket.

And, he. was. perfect.

And you were so natural, as if there had never been a Tricia not holding this baby.

And Robb was beaming. Literally.

If you could see the photo from my memory, there is light emitting from your joy. All three of you. Like when the clouds have sun behind them.

We got in the car and it was quiet. We probably got all the way to I-25 before there were words. And then Jason said, "That wasn't terrible."

And I said, "Yeah, that was weird."

He said, "I've never seen a man so content. That man was made to be a dad."

There was dialogue of how perfect Tucker was, how parenthood somehow seemed to further enrich you (this was puzzling at the time), how you guys were going to be amazing parents, how he was the luckiest baby on earth.

Whether it was you two, your solid marriage, your delight in the gift of this child, how beautiful you made it all look - whatever it was, that was the first time it wasn't scary for us.

And on that day, the tiniest spark of hope was born in both of us. Our son was born 12 months later.

That's a pretty big change of heart for two people who weren't even considering having children. I consider Tuck's birth to be a divine appointment, for my own selfish reasons. :)

Happy Birthday, Tucker.  You changed the world.

~ Jenn S.

She captured us in some of our happiest days.  However sleep deprived, we felt like we were staying up all night at the best slumber party ever. 

(The balancing act got {*much*} harder later, but those first few days were bliss.)

Now this is a beautiful story. Indeed, a nugget I will cherish.