PETER

   Wow! I wonder if some people think about how hard it will be and what they're going to do once they become parents.
   "Peter, stop!" How many times have I heard this in the coffee shop this morning? I have watched Peter cry, scream, spit on the floor, hit his mom, and run out the front door and down the sidewalk.
   Now I know what any mom is going to say to me. "Wait 'til you have kids!" I know. I can't wait! But while I am I have begun to ponder what I will do. Parenting does not begin when the baby pops out of a pushy mama. Anyone who frowns at a smoking pregnant mama or gawks at a preggo cocktail knows that parenting happens well before the due date.
   I would argue, however, that parenting begins even before the pee test. The responsibility of a child is one of life's greatest endeavors and I dare say many Americans take on this conquest without much more thought than what color the nursery will be or what sports records he/she might break in high school.
If you decide to start parenting at birth you will have already missed several months, if not years, of parenting opportunities.
   I am thankful for this chance to slow down and take time to "perfect my parenting skills" before the dry run is over and the real deal is upon us. I am working on making regular exercise a consistent habit in my life. I have begun cooking healthy meals at home which rival any local eateries' menu selections. I am reading more and spending more time getting to know my Father. I'm nurturing the most important relationship in my household: my marriage. Let the parenting fun begin! I'm sure, looking back, these will be some of the best times of my life as a parent.