And now for something competely unrelated...

My good friend and neighbor had a baby boy yesterday in the wee hours of the morn. A few months previous to her delivery, she had asked me to be her backup labor coach. You see, in the military, even if your service member is NOT deployed, you really never know where they will be at any given moment or if they will be reachable. I was, of course, completely honored by her request and set about to learn all there is about birthin' a baby. I learned a lot of great tools and techniques, none of which I actually used when push came to shove. But I learned nonetheless.

Anyways, the reason I am telling you all this, is because it was the single most amazing event I have ever witnessed! Before yesterday, I would have told you that my friend is a very strong woman but now, I feel that is a complete understatement. Even through the contractions, she was as polite and poised (although she did correct my grammar at one point -- I had it coming though) as always. I was absolutely amazed at the whole process and in awe of the human body's ability to bring forth life (cliche I know -- but you weren't there! You don't know!). My prior birthing experiences had been limited to The Baby Story on TLC. So you can imagine how very different it was to have front row seats!

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I adore children, and especially babies. There is something about their honesty and innocence that is so beautiful. And this baby is no different. Holding his tiny little body and looking at his little fingers, it's hard to imagine anything more awe inspiring. I think that being there for the beginning of this child's life has created a special bond though. I see a lot of spoiling in the future for this little one!

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to be there with my friend during such an important event in her, and her family's, lives. I hope that I was able to provide a level of calm and comfort for them through the rough spots.

And now, for the star of the show: