Current Exchange Rate (Repost)

In honor of the series that Paul Peterson, Rindy and I are doing on Parenting, I thought I would reach WAY, WAY back into the archives for one of my original posts. I wrote this the night before my wife was induced with our third child, Brynn. Although this was written over 2 years ago, my feelings haven’t changed.

“Current Exchange Rate” – Originally posted in April 2005.

So here it is, the night before our induction date and this is the last post I will make as a “father of 2″. I must have had a million thoughts tonight, but one particular came to mind while chatting with an old friend from college. Warren and I were catching up on what we have been doing the last few years and I was telling him that at one point, I was attempting to teach myself guitar. Then the kids came and now my guitar sits on a stand and “gently weeps”.

That got me to reflecting on how there are things all over the house that have been exchanged or traded for time with our children. There is the guitar that has been exchanged for puzzles and coloring books. There’s Heather’s cross stitch that has been exchanged for a needle and thread to fix dolls and sew on “cubbie patches”. Then there is the stack of books that never got read. They have been replaced by the “Cat in the Hat”, “Click Clack Moo”, “Goodnight Moon” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?” Strollers and Wagons now fill the garage where our 2 door, red sports car used to be. The CD collection has been replaced by Disney and Pixar movies.

The list goes on and on, but the longing for those things does not. Would it be great to put in a CD and play some guitar while Heather works on a cross stitch? Sure, but which one really gives the greater return? Can you compare learning to play some song to having your 2 year old mutter the “itsy bitsy spider”? Will a cross stitched picture replace the mending of a “boo boo” or sewing on a new patch because your son memorized his Bible verse? So as I climb the stairs tonight and turn off the lights, I will pass several things that could have occupied my time today. I will probably also pick up some of the toys that DID occupy my time. I will be thankful that we are blessed to have these 2 children and even more thankful that we will have one more. Guitars, books, cross stitch and sports cars for 3 children to occupy our time? That has to be the best exchange rate around!