Babies!

Babies have come up alot in conversation and around me. From 1st graders discussing how babies were made on Friday, to seeing a baby at a neighboring table (and the college students reactions to it) at dinner Fri night, to playing with a 1-2 year old at church this morning, and finally to returning home to see that a 9 year old has given birth to a baby. Four times in two days is so many.
I can't lie and say that having kids never crosses my mind. I am excited to have children of my own, but I know that my time to be a mom is not now. For now, borrowing children is the best way I can think of to still have interactions with them. You don't have all of the responsibility for them (like paying for food/clothes/housing/toys or dealing with crying/diaper changing), but you get to enjoy them for the good parts.
Even with older kids as I substitute, help with kids at church, and today went to a middle school outreach basketball game, seeing the kids in multiple contexts helps build the relationship. You can see how they behave in different areas and also show that you care about them (still without feeding/driving/etc them).
So my personal philosophy is to work with kids in other settings such as school, church, babysitting, or camp, until the time when I am ready to be fully responsible for having a child of my own (and my husband's). Babies don't disappear, they grow up and you are always responsible for them. And for all of the children and teens who sadly are having babies... I hope that we as society will do something to help reduce your number. You should be responsible for yourself before having another life to take care of.