by Monica Tunnell

Created on: November 23, 2008

I am startled by a cry in the middle of the night. I wake up, look around, and realize that it is not morning yet. I stumble out of bed, rush to my baby's room, and assume the position for the fourth late night feed this evening. As I doze off in the rocker while gazing at my beautiful baby girl, I realize that maybe this whole parenting thing is a bit more than I bargained for. I place my little one back in her crib and stumble off to sleep for what I hope might be a total of three hours before she wakes up again...if I'm lucky. Was this what I signed up for?

When thoughts of parenthood glimmer in our minds, it is difficult to see anything but impending joy. The realization of all that the job entails doesn't set in until after we have entered the point of no return. Oh, sure, we all hear stories, but until we are expecting a child, we don't hear the negative tales. When we get our due date, that is when all the stories begin to be unfiltered. Unfortunately, it is just a bit late for any pondering or reconsidering. We have taken the plunge, and we are in for the long haul. Why is it important to consider anything before signing up for the role of parenthood? It is important because we need to be certain this is what we want. We need unfiltered feedback prior to our attempts to get pregnant. Without this feedback, we truly are going into the most important role of our lives, blind-sighted.

Parenting is the double-edged sword in life. It is the most rewarding, yet frustrating position you will ever hold. It is ever-changing and filled with ups and downs that are unparalleled in any other experience. Your life will be forever changed, altered beyond your imagination. You will find yourself saying and doing things you swore you never would. You will hear your parents talking as you utter the very words they hurled at you when you were a child. You will feel frustration and helplessness that you have only heard about from others. But yet you will find that despite all of this, there is a certain joy and fulfillment derived from parenting that cannot be found through any other role you may serve.

To know that you have the ability to mold a person into someone who can contribute to this world in a positive manner is a profound and moving feeling. To see the hopes and dreams of that child come to fruition and know that you helped it happen is a most humbling and touching realization indeed. Children will stretch your comfort zone, allowing you to experience things you

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