I have a ridiculously large gap between my first two toes.  It’s big enough to grip heavy objects and was probably useful in a former life to swing between trees.  I’ve convinced more than a few people that I came into this world with an extra toe that was amputated soon after birth.

When Ian was born last week, one of the first things I did was count his fingers and toes.  He had the correct number (whew!) but what stood out to me were his feet.  Right there was my signature gap, like I was looking at a mirror of my own feet – only much, much smaller.

It’s a funny thing to bond with your newborn over their feet.  Those oddly shaped grippy toes were only the first of many melt your heart moments that first day.

I’ve thought of myself as a wanderer for the better part of four decades.  One of the advantages to putting off having children is that I could be part of the international vagabond community that perpetually roams the globe.

One of my biggest fears in finally having offspring was that it would handcuff our travels.  And yes, having a child-anchor is sure to slow us.  It’s certainly not going to be as practical to navigate the developing world or sleep in airports.

But during my time as a wanderer I’ve learned a very big life lesson: to embrace change, rather than run from it.  So few things can be controlled when you travel.  To fight change (and it’s cousin “the unknown”) is futile and exhausting.  So it’s better to run with it and look for the profound experiences that arise during change.

I’m trusting that change is just different.  Embrace it, run with it and good things will follow – like the cool gap in Ian’s toes.

We will be exchanging one style of adventure for another.  For a while at least, we won’t be taking marathon bus rides across India or tromping through bug infested rainforest.  But it won’t be long before we are exposed to a new side of adventure.

Connecting with locals who also have kids or seeing Ian’s reaction when he plunges into the warm ocean for the first time are experiences I’ve never had.  The first giraffe, the first camping trip, the first mango… we get to sample the world’s wonders through a whole new set of fresh eyes.

And I cannot wait!