6 years ago today

Six years ago today, we said I do.
Six years ago today, we had no idea where we'd be.
Six years ago today, we began a journey that most will not even begin to imagine their lives would go.

Six years ago today, we began to plan our family.

We succeeded on the first try. Joe joined us August 9th, 2004. 7 weeks early. He was so small and perfect in our arms. We took him home on his 19th day. We watched him grow, and smile, and walk, and giggle.

We needed to expand on our family.

Again we succeeded on the first try. Kristen was diagnosed at 20 weeks gestation with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. There was a hole in her diaphram on her right side allowing her liver, and small and large bowel up into her chest cavity. We were given a 50/50 chance of survival. She joined us on Feb 12, 2006. 3 weeks early. We could not hold her. We did not even hear her cry. She fought hard, and succeeded. I took her home after 3 months in hospital, on my birthday! May 9, 2006.

After all of the therapy, feeding issues, hearing loss, constant worry...we decided that our family still wasn't quite complete.

Again, with not much time we succeeded after 2 months.

Courtney joined us 5 weeks early, on Feb 13, 2008. She too was so small and so perfect. This time we got to hold her right away. Gary got to cut the cord that provided her life inside of me. She stayed in hospital for 6 days.

When Courtney was just 5 months old, we got Joe diagnosed with ASD. (Autism Spectrum Disorder). It was hard to take at first. We knew that there was going to be complications with Kristen. And delay's, and challenges. With Joe, we were prepared and kind of knew something was off...but hearing it and reading it in a 15 page report was hard. We moved on, and have gotten Joe the help that he needs.

We thought that our family was complete...well someone else had a plan for us! :)

Without even trying we conceived again.

Before the baby came, we got diagnosis that Kristen too is on the ASD. It didn't seem to bother us so much this time...we knew that there would be even more supports in place for her too.

Kenny joined us 8 weeks early, on Aug 20, 2009. We thought the other's were small!! Yikes, not so much! Kenny was so tiny. But perfect. We waited for Kenny to come home and kept waiting and waiting. His Bradycardia (heart rate slowing) kept on going. So the Dr did a head ultrasound to find significant brain injury. Wow! This hit us like a ton of bricks. After we gathered ourselves, and got all of the information, we have moved on from diagosis, and have people in place to help keep Kenny on track. He came home on day 47 from the hospital.

Six years ago today, I would have never guessed that we would have had the ups and downs, the good the bad and the ugly. We are still in love, some days more than others...lol!! ;) But in six years, as a couple, I don't think that we could have been tested more in our relationship. We have become so strong because of our kids, and for our kids.

Six years ago today, I would have never guessed that my life partner, best friend, husband, and father of my children would have helped to create such wonderful children with me, and such a wonderful family.

Six years ago today, I married my Best Friend!