When I introduce the conception and prenatal unit to my students in a few weeks, I will preface it with my story about miracles. It always makes them red in the face initially and then the red turns to a warm glow of thankfullness. The story is told by first reminding the teenagers that they are the combination of one sperm and one egg. I digress by tallying up how many sperm their father may have excreted before their personal sperm came to pass. I then say, "Now what are the chances of your personal sperm (half of you) arriving at your personal egg (half of you) just at the right time to make you, a one of a kind individual?" We talk about the grandparents meeting up and the great grandparents and all of those folks before who did it at the right time, so they are. I then use a little Mr. Roger's quote regarding the fact that there is nobody else just like them. We talk about all of the variables in play and what a miracle they truly are to be. (I then tell them to show some self-respect, since the odds were stacked against them and pull up your pants, because your underwear shows) Just Kidding.I am thankful this thanksgiving that my parents met and their parents met and their parents met and so on and on and on. I am thankful for the woman smiling at me through the glass while my eggs were being taken and transferred to the petri dish in wait of a sperm, for she is the one that picked the sperm and egg that fertilized. I am thankful for Klaus who grudgingly handed over the sperm for the petri dish. And for his parents and ancestors who all did it at the right time, so my little Adam could be.
And tomorrow he will be three. Hee Hee Hee
