Chris and I first met back in 2002 when we were just teenagers. We dated through high school and college, growing up together in many ways. On June 21, 2008, during my last year of college, we finally got married. Our wedding day was beautiful, and we started off our new life together with a beach honeymoon.
Those first years of marriage were full of work, studies, and dreams. I had always wanted to go to law school, so once college was over, I poured myself into preparing for that. Taking the LSAT, filling out applications, and waiting for responses filled my days. In June 2010, I got the letter I had been hoping for—I was accepted into law school. But that same week, I also found out something that changed everything. Standing in the bathroom, I saw two pink lines on a pregnancy test. I was shocked. I called Chris before he even got home from work, and his reaction was the same, complete surprise.
We had always planned to have children, but we didn’t know when would be the right time. Law school didn’t seem like the ideal moment, but life doesn’t always follow our plans. Soon after, I went to see the doctor because I had some bleeding. They thought I might be having a miscarriage, but told me to wait until six weeks to check again. That waiting period felt endless. When I went back, I held my breath as the tech did the ultrasound. Then we saw it our baby’s heartbeat. That strong little thump-thump sound filled the room, and my doctor literally jumped for joy. I nearly came off the table with relief.
From then on, the bleeding stopped, and the pregnancy seemed normal. Chris and I watched my belly grow and dreamed about our baby. We were especially excited for the anatomy scan halfway through, when we would learn if it was a boy or girl. That day finally came in September, and we were giddy with anticipation. As the tech showed us all the tiny details, we learned we were having a boy. Right there on the table, I told Chris his name would be Christian. We called everyone we knew to share the news.
But just days later, our joy turned into fear. My doctor had left several messages asking me to call her back. When I finally spoke with her, she explained that they suspected something was wrong with the ultrasound. They thought Christian might have a cleft lip and palate. More scans confirmed it, and they also noticed other concerns they couldn’t fully explain. They recommended I transfer to a larger hospital with a children’s unit, where doctors could better handle complex births.
From then on, we went for regular ultrasounds, but answers never got clearer. The doctors worried Christian might not even survive birth. They scheduled a c-section to give him the best chance and prepared to intubate him if needed. They told me, “Listen for his cry crying means breathing.”
On February 18, 2011, at 9:32 a.m., Christian was born. To our joy, he came into the world crying on his own. I was so heavily medicated I could barely move, but I remember swinging my arms in happiness and catching a glimpse of his beautiful little face.
Then reality hit. Christian’s cleft was very severe so much that he couldn’t take a bottle. At just four days old, he had surgery for a feeding tube. He was connected to machines, and we couldn’t hold him much. Soon after, we learned the hardest news of all: Christian was completely blind. His clefting had affected his eyes, and amniotic bands had damaged parts of his face.
We left the hospital weeks later feeling overwhelmed and unprepared, but determined. We learned how to manage the feeding tube, got him into therapy, and celebrated every milestone. His first smile, his first time sitting up, his first step, they were hard won victories that meant everything. Balancing law school and caring for Christian was exhausting, and I eventually had to quit my job to keep up.
Two years later, we welcomed our second son, Chandler. He and Christian became inseparable. They fought like brothers but were best friends at heart. Chandler helped Christian learn so many things, and his presence lit up our lives.
Life was often messy and difficult. Long days of therapy, late-night studying, and marriage struggles tested us constantly. But even in the chaos, there was beauty, hugs from my boys, Chris waiting up for me after class, small reminders of why we kept going.
In 2016, I graduated law school. Seeing my boys cheering for me that day made every hardship worth it. Today, Christian is 11 and plays the violin. Chandler, who is almost 9, plays the piano. They invent games together, explore outside, and share an incredible bond.
Recently, I started working at a local law firm, and Chris now works from home. In 2020, we moved to a farmhouse in the country, where we spend quiet days with our kids, pets, and plenty of porch coffee. Life isn’t perfect, we’ve faced health scares, financial struggles, and tough times, but I am deeply thankful.
Looking back, I realize I nearly gave up many times. But I didn’t. The struggles shaped me, and the joys carried me through. Life is hard and beautiful all at once, and I wouldn’t trade ours for anything.
