March 2nd, 2019 is a day that we will never forget. That would be the day that God brought us our little girl Ellie Harlow White. That morning around 2 AM I was awakened by my wife Rachel telling me that she thinks her water broke but was not sure. We were trying to figure out if we should go back to bed or go to the hospital. We quickly decided to go to the hospital to play it safe and we are so glad we did. It would only be eight hours later and 30 minutes of pushing before we would get to see this sweet little girl screaming for her new parents. Since then I have learned so much about babies and how easy they make you want to be self-less every day. 

Going back five years before Ellie was born my wife and I made a decision to wait five years before having a child. We wanted to build the strongest foundation we could before bringing a child into this world. I am so glad we did because although Ellie doesn’t try too, she is so dependent on her mom and dad. Also, we needed all those years to build up our sleep bank. I have to say even with all the work I have done, becoming a new parent is one of the most rewarding, and wonderful things that has ever happened to us.

It can be somewhat funny because when you first tell people that you are having a child, they want to tell you horror stories or give you advice that often comes off negative. We would rather tell you the things that will melt your heart every day and put a smile on your face. Here are five ways in which becoming a new parent will change your life for the better and give you an appreciation for life.

1. Your marriage grows to a whole new level with appreciation for each other daily.

2. You get to live your childhood all over again.

3. You appreciate your parents even more.

4. You learn how to get things done faster and prioritize better.

5. Unconditional love becomes apparent every day.