{...Blog Benediction...}

It's been 13 weeks, 4 days, 11 hours, 35 minutes and 49 seconds. But who's counting? Each day has seemed to drag on while the weeks have hissed by. I wonder if I'll look back in 20 years and ponder on the years past and wish for just a few more.

About 8 weeks ago Katie texted me on my way home from work and told me that she had taken a pregnancy test "just to see, but it was negative." When I arrived at home, she looked up with a smile and said, "It's positive, I was too nervous to tell you, and I actually send that text before I even took the test to try and not get my hopes up!" I was shocked. I didn't know how to react! Slowly, the news sank in and I was overjoyed. I asked to see the test and sure enough there was a huge "+" sign on the pee soaked plastic utensil. I even made her take another one just to be sure. You can never trust those Dollar Tree purchases.

Since then, we've battled morning sickness (which was more often then not during the evening), financial concerns and emotional turmoil. It's been quite an experience. We've had so much fun telling our families and our friends. Some people showed no emotion or surprise while others fell out of their seats or jumped for joy at the news.

Mom fought through Stef and Mel to give her daughter-in-law a hug.

Dad just smiled and went out to check on the chicken.

Katie's natural roots guided us to go see a midwife at 7 weeks where we learned that....something was wrong. If this were Katie's blog and not mine, you'd have the details and descriptions galore. You'd probably have cute graphics and medical terms as well. I'm a guy. Blogging is already pushing it. The midwife informed us that we had a problem with the baby and put Katie on modified bedrest. Katie dropped out of the community soccer league and took a leave of absence from her job. As a physical ed major, she had to take a doctor's note to her professors and sit and watch as her classmates performed skills analysis. It has been hard on Katie, but we've made it through.

As of last Tuesday, everything is good. Still no soccer, but work is permissable. We've decided to seal our lips no more. Katie is pregnant. I'm going to be a Dad. And I'm horrible at keeping a journal, so I've decided to blog about my feelings and experiences as I become a father. I'll write about my fears, concerns, thrills and poopy happenings. Basically the factors of becoming a father. This is the Father Factor!