“She called from the hospital to let me know she would try to be well enough to make that trip down here. She had COVID. She helped in every way possible for me to navigate widowhood. She was on the ventilator eight days. The one I leaned on my whole life.”
“Once Avery was born, I stayed with Zach and his girlfriend (now wife) Bailee. I still remember going to an appointment and Zach having to work, so Bailee came to the appointment with me. As we checked in the nurse said, ‘Oh! Is this your sister?'”
“I will never be the woman I was before the morning of July 4th, when we tried translating a Spanish pregnancy test in the morning light along the Mexican coast.”
“Before Casey left the state with me, before he promised me forever and before we said ‘I do,’ I explained the mental weight I carried. Somehow I knew it would be an added challenge. I wasn’t wrong.”
“You have a 2% chance of ever conceiving a child.’ I didn’t know when or how it would happen, but I felt it deep within my soul.”
“‘Prepare yourself. I don’t know what’s happening with your baby.’ His size confused them. The moment we waited for finally arrived.”
“I struggled going to work to take care of babies. All I ever wanted was to be a mom. ‘Are you okay, sweetie?’ I absolutely lost it. Infertility affected every aspect of my life.”
“I felt this desire for another baby. Without a doubt, I knew I couldn’t give birth to him. My brother’s wife said, ‘I could have a baby for you.’ I was dumbfounded.”
“There it was, a lump that certainly didn’t belong. It was only about the size of a pea. I kept telling myself, ‘It’s just a cyst.’ The lump continued to grow, and the pain never subsided.”
“A newborn in my arms, logic and reason screamed no. Yet, here we sat, unable to deny any longer the way our hearts were pulled toward these children. All we had to do was say YES.”
