10/13/2026
I don’t think I ever understood what standing on this side of motherhood would do to me.
Holding my newborn while planning for my oldest’s entrance to high school.
Or changing a diaper as I book plane tickets for her first out of state track meet.
Or talking about PSATs while making a bottle.
It’s not common for there to be a 14 year age gap. I mean not unheard of but not the norm, you know?
I was so nervous about having two kids so far apart in age. To be honest teen parenting is brutal—it’s even harder when your child is healing from wounds deeper than they can explain.
We tried so many therapists to help her heal but it just didn’t work. I felt lost trying to navigate the trauma and pain left behind from years we never were her parents.
But then he came along. And while I had no idea what to expect I kept remembering words a friend told me, “But what if it’s good? What if he is the healing piece you all need….she needs?” And I clung to it.
And somehow here we are. He’s her safe space, her emotional regulation, her comfort when she needs one. She smiles when he smiles, and laughs when he laughs. She’s let her guard down, and built up her walls with love.
And I’ve realized, this work isn’t just for the families we serve—it’s for our families, too. 💜
