An 11-Year Update: Rediscovering Myself After a Life of Fertility, Family, and Fighting Through It’s been 11 years since Gabriel was born—and today, I’m finally sitting down to write something just for me. Not a to-do list, not another doctor’s note, not a reminder for one of the kids’ activities… just me, checking in with me. This journey has been long, beautiful, painful, messy, and meaningful. But if I’m honest, it’s taken its toll—on my body, my mental health, my physical health, and my marriage. I became pregnant at 16. That experience shaped the trajectory of my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined back then. My world quickly became about fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood. I became fluent in charting my cycles and listening to my body in ways that most people never need to. It became who I was. Over the years, I had 8 beautiful children of my own and carried 2 more as a surrogate. Ten children. Ten stories. Ten miracles. For so long, my identity was deeply rooted in th...
The Journey of a Fighter: My Son’s Story of Growth, Grit, and Greatness Today, my son is 11 years old. He’s full of life, confidence, and energy—the kind of kid who wakes up ready to fish, swim, ride his bike, throw a football, and dominate in Fortnite (he’d want you to know he’s in the top 0.5% of players—yes, he's that good). But behind his bright smile and love for adventure is a story of quiet resilience, strength, and an extraordinary journey that I feel so honored to share. When he was a baby, he experienced about a six-month delay in his physical development. We brought in an occupational therapist weekly to support him. Week by week, we watched him grow stronger, steadier, and more confident. His spirit never wavered—he just needed the time and support to bloom at his own pace. Before he entered kindergarten, I homeschooled him. Those early days are some of my most cherished memories. He would sit with his pencil, so careful and proud of each letter he wrote. When he fi...