Dear Rhett,

The time has finally come for you to make your entrance to this world. I hope that someday in the future you can look back at this and see a glimpse into what I’m feeling just hours before you are set to be induced. I am so excited for you to be here, but like any first time father… I’m terrified. I don’t know if I’m terrified more than most, but it sure feels that way. This whole thing has been different than I pictured, but no one is ever really ready for the scariest thing they are ever going to go through.

When your mom and I first found out we were pregnant, we were so excited that we couldn’t stand to wait to tell everyone! When we told our families about you they were so excited and we were so excited. A few months later we were set to find out that you were a boy and when the doctor told us about heart problem, we were so scared, but it was our family that helped us get through it all and you are so lucky to have them. Since then your extended family has grown quite a bit and there are people all over the country who have helped in making your surgery as easy on us as possible. When you look back and see all of the posts of love and prayers and all of the people wearing shirts in support of you I hope it fills you with as much joy and thankfulness as it has filled me and your mom. People praying and adding you to prayer requests at church and just showering our whole family with love has left a mark on my heart that will never be forgotten. We are ALL still so excited!

I’m sure by the time you’re reading this you’ll be well aware of my love for music and I hope that you share in that passion of mine. I want to show you the lyrics to the first and only song I’ve ever written:

“I call you on your cellphone

Tell you I’m standing outside

I need to tell you something

Can you come out tonight

And I’m out here waiting for you

It’s not about last weekend

Or the fight we had last night

It’s not about our problems

It’s about the rest of our lives

And I’m out here waiting for you

So come on down the aisle girl

And put your hands in mine

I wanna be your husband

I want you to be my bride

And I’m out here waiting for you

And I’m out here waiting for you

I hear your momma crying

She thinks there’s no end in sight

I see your little head now

Welcome to your life

And I’m out here waiting for you

And I’m out here waiting for you”

 

Now I’m sure you assuming I wrote that song about your mom, but that’s not true. I wrote that when I was 17 years old and the first three verses were for someone else, but that’s a much different kind of heartbreak than what you were born with and I’ll always be here to help you through that kind later on. The last verse, however, was written for you Rhett. I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to have a kid. My biggest aspirations in life were always to get married and have children and I’m so lucky to already have your mom and your brother Talon in my life, but that verse right there was for you little buddy. Many years have passed since I wrote those words and I’m finally getting to live the rest of that song.

I don’t really know what the next few weeks hold for you, but you have already been so brave and so strong. I hope that everything the doctors have said is exactly how the next month will go and you’ll be on your way to being fixed up in no time. Everyone is so excited to meet you!

No matter what happens, don’t give up on us. We’ll never give up on you so you’ve got to fight like hell during delivery and this first surgery. I have no doubt you’ll feel lonely without being held by your mom and me, but we’re right here. We’ll always be right here. It’s my job as a dad to make sure you are taken care of, but I can’t do it by myself this time. The doctors are going to have to fix you, but we’re going to be right here waiting for you to come out of surgery and start recovering so we can take you home. You’re going to love your room. It’s filled with decorations of my favorite things, which are hobbies I’ll get to pass on to you and your brother as you grow. Hunting and fishing. We’re going to have so much fun doing man stuff!

So it’s time for me to face my fears and for you to face perhaps the toughest test of your life, but I know that when you beat this you’ll be able to conquer the world.

I hope you know how much mommy and I already love you and that love is only going to grow exponentially with each passing second. We can’t wait to see your precious face.

See you soon Rhett Parker Wyatt Spangler, I’m out here waiting for you.

Love, Dad.