Becoming a parent, especially for the first time, is an incredible moment for anyone, a day their life changes forever. In the months before the birth, some parents-to-be think they’re completely ready but they never really know until the big day.
First Lieutenant Jake Osborne, United States Army, was just weeks from being deployed to Afghanistan when he and his wife Chelsea found out their first child was on the way. They were thrilled by the news, but the impending separation was going to be difficult. Jake definitely wouldn’t be around during Chelsea’s pregnancy and he might even miss out on the birth, too. Being an Army wife, Chelsea was accustomed to her husband being away when family events or other special occasions rolled around. She was resigned to not having him there when she gave birth.
One day, Jake’s commanding officer woke him up and told him to pack his bags. They were sending him home on leave just in time for the birth of his daughter. Two days later, he was on a plane home. He almost made it back to Athens, Tennessee in time for the birth, but not quite. “I was sitting in a restaurant right across from my gate in the Nashville airport when I got the news, waiting for my flight. Luckily, my sister was in the operating room with them and was giving me the play-by-play.”
All along, Chelsea had joked with Jake about whether he was really ready for the moment when he’d become a father. All along, he assured her that he was. But when the moment of truth arrived, life called his bluff. “I froze at the door. I stopped. I didn’t know what to say. I was giggling like a little schoolgirl. It was just unreal, unlike anything else I ever felt.” To meet Jake, Chelsea, and their newborn daughter, check out the video posted below.
How did you like the way this soldier reacted to becoming a dad for the first time? Let’s hear from you in the comments at Facebook and be sure to like and share!
https://youtu.be/x438vFOOYlc
