been in iowa all my life can't see myself ever going anywhere else

god bless to all, thank you very much

be patient things usually work themselves out just dont give up

i did send this to a male friend it says mom but is true for dads in a different way

don't know who wrote this but it is so true

*Being A Mom *
>
> We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter
> casually mentions that she
> and her husband are thinking of 'starting a
> family.
>
> 'We're taking a survey,' she says half-joking.
> 'Do you think I should have
> a baby?'
>
> 'It will change your life,' I say, carefully
> Keeping my tone neutral.
>
> 'I know,' she says, 'no more sleeping in on
> weekends, no more spontaneous
> vacations.'
>
> But that is not what I meant at all. I look at
> my daughter, trying to decide
> what to tell her. I want her to
> know what she will never learn in childbirth
> classes.
>
> I want to tell her that the physical wounds of
> child bearing will heal, but
> becoming a mother will leave
> Her with an emotional wound so raw that she will
> forever be vulnerable.
>
> I consider warning her that she will never again
> read a newspaper without
> asking, 'What if that had
> Been MY child?' That every plane crash, every
> house fire will haunt her.
> That when she sees pictures of starving
> children, she will wonder if anything
> could be worse than watching your child die.
>
> I look at her carefully manicured nails and
> stylish suit and think that no
> matter how sophisticated she is, Becoming a
> mother will reduce her to the
> primitive level of a bear protecting her cub.
> That an urgent call of 'Mom!' will cause her to drop
> a souffle or her best crystal without a moments
> hesitation.
>
> I feel that I should warn her that no matter how
> many years she has invested
> in her career, she will be
> Professionally derailed by motherhood. she might
> arrange for childcare, but
> one day she will be going into an important
> business meeting and she will think
> of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use
> every ounce of discipline to
> keep from running home, just to make sure her
> baby is all right.
>
> I want my daughter to know that every day
> decisions will no longer be
> routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go
> to the men's room rather than
> the women's at McDonald's will become a major
> dilemma. That right there, in the
> midst of clattering trays and screaming
> children, issues of independence and
> gender identity will be weighed against the
> prospect that a child molester may
> be lurking in that restroom.
>
> However decisive she may be at the office, she
> will second-guess herself
> constantly as a mother.
>
> Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to
> assure her that eventually she
> will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will
> never feel the same about
> herself.
>
> That her life, now so important, will be of less
> value to her once she has a
> child. That she would give
> herself up in a moment to save her offspring,
> but will also begin to hope
> for more years, not to
> Accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her
> child accomplish theirs. I want
> her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny
> stretch marks will become badges of
> honor. My daughter's relationship with her
> husband will change, but not in the
> way she thinks.
>
> I wish she could understand how much more you
> can love a man who is careful
> to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play
> with his child. I think she
> should know that she will fall in love with him
> again for reasons she would now
> find very unromantic.
>
> I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will
> feel with women throughout
> history who have tried to stop war, prejudice
> and drunk driving.
>
> I want to describe to my daughter the
> exhilaration of seeing your child
> learn to ride a bike I want to capture for her
> the belly laugh of a baby who is
> touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the
> first time. I want her to taste
> the joy that is so real it actually hurts.
>
> My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize
> that tears have formed in my
> eyes. 'You'll never regret it,' I finally say.
> Then I reached across the table,
> squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent
> prayer for her, and for me, and
> for all the mere mortal women who stumble their
> way into this most wonderful of
> callings.
>
> Please share this with a Mom that you know or
> all of your girlfriends who
> may someday be Moms.
>
> May you always have in your arms the one who is
> in your heart.
>