With the week nearly over, many milestones have been hit.  When one would think that there would be a chance to breath… life proves otherwise.  Most importantly, my wife is finishing up week 11 and heading straight into week 12.  The ending of the first trimester upon us and there is one resounding theme… exhaustion.  I do not know how my wife does it, but she is able to make it all work, and she is doing an awesome job.  Yes, I am just a little proud.  Not only that I am going to be a dad… but that my wife is doing so well.  We have our first appointment coming up in a little over a week….. nail biting… check. Also, I was given the promotion that I have been working towards for a little while.  Also, ending the 3^rd week of this semesters worth of classes… and finally getting caught up from the storms and earthquakes.  I was able to make it to one class for Jiu-Jitsu (hey that is a milestone) and I have been cranking back the alarm so that Monday should be my day back in the gym.  With so much going on it is easy to lose one’s self in the chaos.  I was given a few reminders today from a couple of amazing friends about reality.  Parenting and work.  As nice as it would be to find myself were (as one amazing friend called it) “heaven” is, there is the fact that I have a long way to go to get there.  Tonight is one of those nights that little more is needed than a house by a river, my family, some good friends, a few chairs, a guitar, a fire pit, cigars and some drinks… the sound of music mixing with the ebb and flow of the river, the clinking of glasses, the sudden silence as we listen for the pitter-patter of the little bare feet on the hardwood, making sure that we are clear.  But, oh how that fear of my preparedness for this pending fatherhood begins to cast the hurricanes, summits, pitfalls, blizzards and all of the other obstacles that will have to be faced that stand between the now and the then.  So into the roar of the chaos I find myself screaming I AM GOING TO BE A DAD, I am scared out of my mind, but bring it on life, let’s see what we can make of it all.