[1]Do you know what it's like to be a parent in today's day and age? First; you want to remove your children from all public education facilities---because they could get shot. Second; you want to keep them boxed into a fenced yard and not allow them to ride a bike down the street----because they could get kidnapped. Third; you want to stop them from playing in the dirt in the yard because they could get lead poisoning. Fourth; you want to stop them from watching TV because of all the negative content that brainwashes them. Fifth; you want to take away the video games because it leads to violent tendencies. Sixth; you want to keep them away from others so that they don't get sick from germs. Seventh; you want to keep them dressed well, fed well, and looking clean at all times so no idiots call children's services on you. Definitely don't allow them to get a bruise from falling while learning how to walk as that will be misconstrued as abuse. Eighth; you want to teach them their constitutional rights early because the odds of them needing to use them before they graduate high school are high-and they don't teach them in school until the senior year. Ninth; you want to keep your pregnancy a secret so no weirdo kidnaps you to cut your baby out of your belly. Tenth; you simply want to go live on top of a mountain to escape all the possibilities of your child being hurt in a society full of deviants! In the interim; you hear the coos of your baby as they enter this world. In the interim; you change their diapers too much rather than react to diaper rash. In the interim; you try to prevent obesity by delaying adult foods and feed your baby the good old boob. In the interim; you sing nursery rhymes to your child and delight in their laughter while leaving the hard core heavy metal to the wayside. In the interim; you delight in their laughter at the most amazing little things as their world expands. In the interim; your ears hear every little pitter patter movement and your eyes gain new levels of peripheral vision... In the interim; you cuddle and cherish them as the world will ultimately cultivate them outside of your wildest dreams. In the interim; you hold on to their beautiful innocence and prevent others from teaching them to hate. In the interim; you delight in the way they see an airplane coast across the sky or snuggle with a kitty cat. In the interim; you love the way they love you and how they bring smiles to everyone around them. In the interim; you enchantingly clean up their countless messes on the floor. In the interim; you know you'll have toys on the floors and decorating the house for years. In the interim; you count your blessings that your world has forever been changed by your child's existence. In the interim; you teach them language, how to walk, and how to love the world around them. In the interim; you find their handprint artwork all over your walls. In the interim; you find their love to be worth more than all the endless drama in this earthly world. As OUR child begins to say "DADA" and "MAMA"... you appreciate all the little moments more than words can say. As OUR child grows up in this ever changing world- we stop the chaos just long enough to celebrate the special days together. As OUR child awakens us with kisses, coos, and charismatic smiles; we enjoy facing each new day. As OUR child sheds a tear as we leave a room; we realize just how significant we are in their little world. As OUR child enjoys the securities we provide and explores the world around them; we remain steadfast in protecting them. As OUR child splats baby food all over their high chair and giggles and grins as they cover their body in flavors of the day; we are fascinated by their little joys. As OUR child disrupts whatever plans we had once plotted on our maps of life; we remain flexible and adjust as needed. As OUR child grows up in surrounded by OUR love; our worlds are complete far beyond all the words encompassed herein. So; as we turn off the news that once captivated our daily schedules and we plot new maps; we learn to shed the meaningless things that really don't matter. We learn to have a zero tolerance for those that waste our time. We learn to watch the purple dinosaur and Elmo on public television as we remember Romper Room. We learn to mow our own lawns so that our child can run in the yard. We learn to overcome our own shortcomings to embrace the best for our children. We learn to let go of the hurt and pains and focus on the good. We learn to accept the things we cannot change and have to the courage to change the things we can. We learn serenity within when others project their expectations upon us. We share homemade dinners with our families. We appreciate our families more than ever... We learn as we live and we thrive with our abundance. We count our blessings.... Blessings to All...We love you! Hugs! All the Best! Always Appreciative.....