Heidi Ann, our daughter, arrived! She was born on May 26, close to 9pm. She's a pretty thing, with her full head of hair. At almost 8 weeks, she smiles when you talk to her, and she even at times talks back. She's a surprise to us in that we were not expecting a baby girl. Yet, now we are quite used to the idea. While there's so much to share (such as how she was born on two of her great uncle's birthdays and how she measured 19 inches long, but two days later measured a more exact 21.5 inches long), in this writing, I'd like to focus not only on the joys of parenthood, but also on the challenges.

I'm a member of an online breastfeeding forum. I particularly love being a part of it. As I read the comments and questions of the other women on the forum, something sticks out to me. What sticks out is the fact that sometimes things don't go as you plan or as you hope. Parenthood brings with it joy. At the same time, it brings burden.

Take for example, pregnancy. While some women perhaps have a quite easy 40 weeks of carrying the child, others face difficulty. While some women LOVE being pregnant, others can't wait till it's over. Nausea can be a beast, sciatic nerve pain a monster, and sleepless nights a misery. Pregnancy brings excitement, but with it can also come disagreement.

Yet, while the pregnancy itself can be both exciting and challenging, the process of giving birth is quite another thing. The pain of naturally giving birth to a child is perhaps unmatched. It is this pain that a number of mothers refer to in my online forum. The unexpected 40 hour labor; the unexpected traumatic experience that has taken you surprisingly close to death. The birth of a child is miraculous, but it can also leave you scarred.

Interestingly, after the birth of the baby, there's so much more to yet experience. The baby suckles. It's a beautiful thing, the child feeding from your body the first hour after birth. And yet, for a time, scabs and blood can be associated with feedings. And then there is the possible worry of, "Is my child getting enough?"

Parenthood brings with it joy, joy of a new life . . . a life that comes from your own body no less. But parenthood, above all, brings responsibility. It brings servanthood. Gone are the days when only YOU matter. Gone are the days when you can go and come as you please, for you have a baby to care for. You have a person's life who depends on you; you have a child to raise, a person to shape. Parenthood is the greatest task that you have ever been given to do. It is exhausting. It is a burden.

Yet . . . you wouldn't trade it. Despite all of its challenges, the blessing of it far outweighs its curse. Just like the women on the forum, though they've experienced trial, they keep going, they keep loving their babies--they keep serving them because it's the good thing to do, the right thing to do. While a tear may be shed here and there over an exhausting day, a smile is cast when the little one gives you a hug, when the little one sings a song, or when the little one learns a new word.

Parenthood, while hard, is wonderful. Thus, to our little daughter, we say, " Welcome, Heidi Ann!" You are our burden, yes, unlike one we've never had. But you are also our joy, and for that we are grateful, tremendously grateful. Welcome, Heidi! We love you.