This is one of the most significant and consequential events of my life. Yesterday, my firstborn son, Joseph, was born into the world. We have spent months preparing for this day, and my parents have spent more than a decade anticipating this day.

Praise the Lord that the whole process went smoothly, more or less. It's been a difficult few days. For my wife, she began to feel mild contractions since Thursday. By Saturday morning at 5AM, she woke me up and told me that her contractions were real, coming irregularly at around 5 minutes per. It came as a bit of a surprise, as we had an induction scheduled for Wednesday of this week. We prepared a little, and then went to the hospital at 6AM.

They ran tests on her. While she was not yet ready to deliver, they couldn't let her go home because of her high blood pressure. So, we had to induce and deliver the baby. The induction took a little more than a day, with them putting her on an IV of high blood pressure medicine, magnesium, and the induction medicine.

Then, at 8AM, she was ready to deliver. The doctor came, and in about 20 or so minutes of pushing, little Joseph popped out. Thus far, aside from being very light, and initially low on blood sugar and oxygen, he's a healthy, mild mannered, polite, cute little boy.

My wife says she's glad the hardest part of her life is over with. I'm not sure she understands what she signed up for...

A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow because her hour has come; but when she brings forth the little child, she no longer remembers the affliction because of the joy that a man has been born into the world. (John 16:21)