Early in our marriage, and even before, Claudia and I discussed having children and how we would raise them. We knew we wanted to wait while we worked in our careers and learned how to be partners in life. We continued to think about the awesome responsibilities involved and the challenges we saw our friends facing with their own families. We thought that maybe if we had some practice, we could gain a little confidence so we got a puppy. She turned out to be a wonderful, well-behaved companion and that gave us the nudge, if not the confidence, to begin our family.
As Michael and Kristin entered our lives much transpired which added to the complexity of raising them. We totally depleted our savings to “buy the farm” two months before Michael was born and Claudia stopped working. We moved to Edwards AFB in the Mojave Desert a few months before Kristin was born and ten months later, we moved to Germany. We were concerned that this disruption might adversely affect our children so we included them in everything we did.
I left active duty so we could return to Napa in time for Michael to start kindergarten. All during the school years the concerns about the distractions and dangers facing our children lingered. These intensified when they went away to college. In the back of my mind I wondered whether I had done enough to help them face the future.
As Kristin and Michael entered adulthood, chose spouses, and started their own families, I realized that our hopes had been fulfilled and our prayers answered. I could now put those earlier worries behind me and we could just enjoy our expanding family. Of course, I am concerned about the future our grandchildren and their progeny face but Claudia and I are now in supporting roles, not the main event.
Prayer of gratitude and hope: Dear Lord, thank you for the wisdom and strength to prepare our children to face a changing world. Please guide us and future generations on a path of inclusiveness and peace. Amen
Bill Hanna