My other guy
I really thought that my husband was the only man for me. But barely a year into our marriage, I met another guy and fell in love. And unlike with my hubby, there was no getting-to-know-each-other phase, no texting, no talking, no going out several times before I felt this way about him.
When I first met the guy, he looked somewhat disgusting. He was covered with sweat and blood. He was small, wrinkled, and so very loud that it would be hard not to take notice of him. Still I was instantly smitten.
It is safe to say that it was love at first sight. I actually never believed in this until I experienced it first-hand. I wanted to hold him right at that moment, but unfortunately I lost consciousness before I could.
The next day, I saw him again. This time he looked a lot more handsome and clean, too. My heart was beating very fast as the nurse handed to me my sweet little angel. And just like any other mother, I could not help but cry.
My husband Mike could not be any happier. That exact moment in the hospital room when Mike and I held our baby in our arms and stared at him for what seemed like an eternity was like a scene taken from a movie. The feeling was surreal.
The first time I knew that I was having a baby was not a pleasant experience at all. At that time, I could not have imagined that I would be this happy to see my little one. At that time, all I had was worry, fear and anxiety over a pregnancy that I was not prepared for—physically, emotionally, spiritually, or even financially.
Mike was just fresh out of college and was still job hunting. I, on the other hand, had only been working for one year. I had barely saved enough for my future, let alone the future of another human being.
Most of our friends consoled us, saying that at least we had already graduated from college. Yes, that was the positive way of looking at it, but still, there were some things that made it hard for me to accept what I was going through.
Actually the biggest thing that worried me was my ultra-conservative family and how they were going to feel, particularly my grandmother who at the age of 83 should not be receiving shocking news anymore.
The first person I confided to was my brother who saw me crying in my room. He hardly said anything. He just cried with me. It was the first time I saw him cry after we had grown up.
After that, I told Lola about it. I knew in my heart that I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her because of this. But thank God, Lola was calm as a serene ocean when she told me to accept this blessing from the Lord with my whole heart.
I would also never forget the time when I told my mom about it. She was in the United States and we had not seen each other for the last five years (phone calls and Internet chats kept up close though). That time, she called me up to know how I was. When I said that I had something to tell her, she knew already before I could say another word. It is true that a mother’s instinct is true 99 percent of the time.
She did nothing but assure me that everything was going to be all right. I was deeply moved at how she, my father, my Lola, and my whole family still loved me just the same. I was extremely thankful that both my family and Mike’s family welcomed the situation with open arms.
But what I am most thankful for is the fact that the father of my son is a good man whose constant love and support kept me positive during the lowest moments in my life.
Mike and I had a simple but memorable wedding. After that, he and our families stood by my side throughout the whole journey of my pregnancy. My husband is truly one of the reasons I was able to pull it through.
Of course, I cannot say that I lived a fairy tale ending afterwards. Most of the time, Mike and I laughed at the most ridiculous things. But sometimes, we also fought over the smallest things.
Taking care of an infant who was awake when we were supposed to be asleep was one of the most difficult challenges in early parenthood. This is just one among the hundred other things.
Having a kid is truly a life-altering experience. They say that a parent’s love is unconditional, and I agree. I loved my child even before I saw him or met him.
I love him and will continue to do so even if he makes mistakes or grows up to become a person different from what I expect him to be. I will love him just like how my parents embraced every inch of my being, whether good or bad. Of course, I never really knew I was capable of this kind of love until I had my baby.
This month, I had my third Mother’s Day. Being a young mom is so many things, but as one of my friends puts it, it simply is sensational.
My son turned 2 last March.
(Wendi Peneyra-Garcia, 25, is a journalism graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman. She works as a home-based web creative writer.)
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