Become a parent....sort of.

I have never had a child. My husband and I got married when I was 40 and neither of us wanted our own before then or after. We teach or have taught lots and lots of children and that has always been enough. We have nieces and nephews that we love with all of our hearts and souls. We love other people’s children….very, very much. We are both great with kids. I mean really great. Kids love us and we love them right back. And I have always loved coming home to my quiet, clean, non-kidded-up home and leaving said home whenever I want, to do whatever I want.

There are several reasons I think I wouldn’t have made a good parent.
1. I am crazy. I would be “that” parent at school. I would be “that” parent at sporting events. I would be “that” parent all the time.
2. My husband and I are opposites when it comes to children.
Him: Yeah, sweetie, you can wear those cowboy boots with your shorts and super girl cape to the grocery store.
Me: What in God’s name do you have on? You aren’t going anywhere dressed like that.
Him: Sure, son, go play on that big mound of dirt.
Me: Get out of that dirt!!! You are getting your perfectly matched clothes dirty and will track it into my clean house!!
3. I am selfish. Nothing funny about that. I am just too selfish. Parents are selfless people. I am not that guy.

Well, guess what? It turns out that maybe none of that is perfectly accurate. It turns out that our friends actually PICKED me and my husband to be their child’s godparents! Now, I am going to be honest, I think it is mostly due to him and not me, but, truthfully, I think we are perfect. Here’s why….
1. I am crazy. I love her and I would beat somebody to death if they hurt her. I would be “that” parent at school and everywhere else and she would need me to be. I don’t think that kind of crazy is all that bad.
2. My husband and I are opposites when it comes to children. She is a creative, joyful, and brilliant, perfect for my husband. She needs focus, structure and help to be successful in school and life, perfect for me.
3. I am selfish. What’s mine is mine. If she ended up mine, I would love her just like I gave birth to her. I am selfish and I am totally cool with that.

Now, I hope and pray that I will never have to fulfill my role as her parent because she has the best parents I have ever known. But if I do, I am going to freaking rock. Thank you to our friends who trust me enough to be a major part of their precious child’s life. That is the best thing ever.