the miracles of childbirth and of friendship...

late last night, two of my best friends had twins. their first children. and i can't really explain the impact on my life...

i've known kathy and greg longer than i've known k. kathy started as a salaried employee at my last job about 3 weeks before i began my internship. she and i joined current office on the same day - the first two hires. we've been close friends for a long time now. in time, i've grown nearly as close to these two people as is possible for me. they were at my wedding. their dog was best friends with my first dog. they were the first people i called when i found out about k's cheating. they've been there through it all...

but today is even more special to me than all the friendship can describe. because two weeks before i found out i was going to be a father, i learned that kathy was pregnant. and less than a week after i found out about ian's conception, kathy had miscarried...

our chidren would have been weeks apart in age. they'd have grown up together - best friends by birthright. except kathy's body betrayed her. she and greg spent years and thousands of dollars trying to conceive again. all while ian grew into a healthy and happy little boy - and they always treated him like a nephew...

finally last year - in what they called the last chance - in vitro fertilization worked for my friends. and worked twice as well. and today, i met those two little healthy kids who have no idea how blessed they are with the parents they have. parents who have stood by me through every little and big thing i've been through in the last eight years. parents who got me addicted to gardening through their own prowess and who showed me what love should be between two people. and parents who - along with my family and one other very important person - have taught me the value of conviction and love and real, REAL friendship...

ian knows kathy and greg as aunt kathy and uncle greg. i only hope that i can be considered uncle chris to tommy and ginny. i can't think of much right now that could make me more proud.

i love the miracle of childbirth. i love it even more when it happens to deserving people...