I have always been drawn to rankings. Maybe it’s the sports background:

College Football rankings
NCAA Tournament rankings
Sports Center's Top 10

For whatever reason, when I see a “Top 5 Reasons Why” article, if the topic is anything that remotely interests me, it's a guaranteed click on my end.

In the past few weeks, parenting from all angles has flooded my thoughts. The best man in my wedding and his lovely bride just ushered twins into the world. How awesome (and very demanding for them) that is! Another really close friend and his sweet wife also just learned they would be having their third child. It has brought so many memories back to me with regards to fresh baby skin and a brand new life to share. Meghan and I are now what seems like in the semi-seasoned stage of parenting. And, we arrived here in just the blink of an eye.

With our boys just recently turning 10 and 8, we have had the pleasure of parenting for a decade. Looking back, we both have been given so much happiness from our Eli G. and Casey Face. Reflection allows you to look at it all. The successes. The failures. The things we got right. The things we desperately long for a do-over. As parents, Meghan and I have tried really hard not to rush each phase and to enjoy the ride as much as possible. To be present with our boys is one of our principal parenting goals. We’ve won some and lost some. Luckily our boys are still standing, so we've got that going for us which is nice.

No doubt the most fortunate and crucial gift we have been given is this opportunity to raise and share life with our 2 sons. Without further ado, I want to share with you my top 5 blessings of being a parent.

Seeing Your Child Grow

There are many successes and failures along the way and you get to experience each of them with your child. Celebrating successes, encouraging through failures (and they will have…and need to have…both in order to grow as people).

The Magic is BACK

Holidays, birthday parties, bicycles, and general excitement of all things new. As parents we get to enjoy all those feelings of excitement and new! We get to see their eyes light up from the simplest things as they experience life. I loved all of those things growing up, but honestly, it is so much better seeing it through their eyes!

The Family Bond

Having children has served to tighten our bond as a family. Meghan and I have experienced a closeness we never knew existed before children. We have also seen all the relationships we have with our parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, as well as some very close friends grow stronger through their interactions with our children. The strengthening of that bond, and the affect our boys have had on those wonderful people, and that they each have had on our boys, is invaluable.

The Priority Shift

Talk about rocking your world! For the first time in our lives, we truly learned what it meant to serve and value others more than ourselves. Every decision, large or small, now took on two new variables. What we wanted for Eli and Casey was placed before what we wanted for ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not tooting our horn or trying to say we are perfect. We don’t get it right all the time, and, trust me, we know that. But our family paradigm shifted and truly continues to teach us the value of placing others above yourself.

Learning the True Value of Trust

No one in the world, not even your spouse, will trust you like your child will. For the beginning and formative years of their lives, you are the ones they come to for answers, for clarification, for encouragement, for courage, for comfort. Sure, there will come a time when they begin thinking independently and search on their own terms (eventually….they will come back around!), but there is no more absolute trust ever given than that of child to parent. There is also no greater responsibility ever given to you.

Guard it closely.
Honor it.
Admit and apologize when you fail.
Know they are always watching, listening & learning.

When you get a chance today, hug them up, drop them a note or send them a text. Let them know they are number one on your Top 5 list!

meg-at-the-end

Hi all! It's Meghan here. Now that you've been formally introduced to each writing staff member with last month's storied series, I wanted to give each writer the full palette this month with this new series entitled: OUR FIVE BEST.

I'm taking a minute at the conclusion of each post to shed some light on just exactly what makes each writing staff member a wonderful part of meghancobble.com. Check out the goodness and strength that Kenny brings to this online team from my heart in the image below. His favorite jelly bean is Jelly Belly's crushed pineapple. Head on over to the shop and nab a bag o' writers to grab yourself some writing inspiration. Words are most certainly worth it.