Jack’s Story: A love that will never end

A year ago, around this time, I was starting a new job. In the midst of that new season of chaos, I became pregnant. I didn’t realize I was expecting until around nine weeks, because I had chalked up all of my symptoms to working nights. As shocking as it was to find out, I was immediately filled with joy. My life dream has been to be a wife and a mom. What an incredible gift it was to carry a baby who was half me and half my now-husband.

I first saw my baby and heard his heartbeat at around ten weeks. Coming from a family of four girls—and with my oldest sister having two daughters of her own—finding out we were carrying the first boy brought a whole new level of excitement. We were blessed with the privilege of carrying a son: the first grandson, the first great-grandson, the first nephew. Every milestone felt like a dream.

Our son Jack was such an easy baby. Every scan was perfect, and my pregnancy was truly beautiful. I cherished every moment and I truly had never felt more beautiful in my life. We spent the months leading up to his birth preparing for him in every way imaginable. We bought all the things, had a gender reveal, bought a house, got married, had a baby shower, and took maternity photos. We did everything “right”—everything just as we were supposed to.