By By Adam Prestridge
Now that tax season has come and gone, my wife and I decided to make a bit of an investment.
Our investment paid off Monday when we found out that my wife was five weeks pregnant and we were going to be parents for the first time. A lot has changed in our lives over the past year and this is just icing on the cake.
Man, next year's tax season could be a good one from what this father-to-be has been told. Having a baby wasn't intended to be for tax purposes, but everyone we tell the good news to always respond with, "Maybe it will be born before the end of the year, so you can have a tax write-off."
It doesn't make sense. Is this what children are thought of, tax breaks?
The reason our friends, co-workers and family keep mentioning a tax break is because my wife is due between December 29, 2005 and January 1, 2006. Personally having the first baby of the New Year in Pensacola is exciting to me; you just can't keep me out of the newspaper. Others just keep blabbing about taxes.
The most important thing is that my wife and I have been blessed with the opportunity to have a child. There are so many couples out there that try to get pregnant to no avail year after year. On the flip side, there are those that can have children, but abuse what they believe is a burden and are blind to see as their fortune.
Honestly being a father isn't too scary for me. Everyone asks if being a father is nerve-racking because it will be my first child, and honestly I'm not scared. One thing I am is anxious. I don't know how my wife and I are going to make it through the next seven months and three weeks.
We've taken advice throughout the years on how to live our lives right and how to be good to one another in our marriage. We've kept an open mind about everything that has been shared with us, and are always open to suggestions and tips to being first-time parents.
We'll continue to listen to our parents because, after all, we turned out fine, but any new advice is welcome.
Even though the first advice we've received thus far is in regards to taxes, we know that everyone is just teasing us. We are confident they feel as blessed as we do about having children.
You don't have to tell us twice that children are more than a number on a W2.
Adam Prestridge is publisher of the Atmore Advance. His column appears on Sundays.