Parenthood is something all couples look forward to. It is a sacred journey that multiplies happiness within the family. However, for some, it can be a long, tiring journey. Kelsey shared how, after three miscarriages turned a happy home into a place full of heartbreak and disappointment, joy returned with the birth of the couple’s third daughter, Summer.
Looking at the beautiful baby for the first time was special, and the presence of their oldest daughter, Brooke, increased the joy in the delivery room. It is a memory to be cherished that heals hearts previously filled with sorrow. Brooke had recently turned three when the couple got the news that Kelsey was expecting again.
They did tell her the news, and the thought of how she would soon be an elder sibling made her smile. However, things did not turn out the way the couple had planned, and the pregnancy ended with a miscarriage.
Losing a baby was not easy for the couple, but what made it even more difficult was how crushed Brooke was. To keep the child at ease, the couple reassured their daughter that the other baby was too precious to be sent on earth, so God chose them for him. Every time she heard that, it seemed like she did feel better, but the silence in the house, how no one talked, how much pain they were going through, was harsh. The grief of losing the baby lingered.
The next four years felt like a test from God as no matter how hard the couple tried, somehow, although what the two were left with was disappointment and heartbreak; two more miscarriages in the next four years, however, the couple chose not to tell Brooke that early as it could have resulted in further heartbreaks for her and turned out, it was a wise decision!
In 2015, the pregnancy test was positive again. Although the couple wished to expand their little family, they feared how this would end. However, once things seemed fine, the couple broke the news to Brooke. She couldn’t contain her excitement hearing the news. This time, the couple was much more cautious, as they did not want this pregnancy to turn into a heartbreak again.
The pregnancy made them welcome another beautiful baby girl, the family’s son’s daughter, and their smiles and happiness returned with her. The couple named her Ellie. When Kelsey was in Labour, Brooke stood beside her, giving her mom the courage and love she needed, and the baby, at such a young age, witnessed birth, too! In 2017, when the couple found out they would soon be a family of five, it was the most exciting thing ever.
After witnessing birth the last time, Brooke again wanted to be there, and this time the couple told her that she could also play a role in welcoming her baby sister, i.e., to help cut the umbilical cord or help deliver the baby. After her due date passed, Ellie was induced on the 7th of January, and after suffering intense Labour pain for over 36 hours, the family welcomed the baby.
Brooke did a fantastic job. She was not only present in the room but also massaged the mother’s feet, danced with her to the rhythm of the monitor, and welcomed Summer on the final push while tears rolled down her face with happiness. With teary eyes, Brooke whispered, ‘She is beautiful!’ It was an incredible moment for the couple to witness pure sisterhood and the beauty of having a family.
The couple is glad that they made Brooke a part of the entire journey, as it will surely be something she will cherish forever. Kelsey feels proud to call Brooke her daughter and for being an extraordinary elder sister every single day!
