Since first grade, I knew I wanted to be a mom.  I would tell myself little things like, “when I have a daughter I will give her everything she wants, start her name with the letter “A” so she will be first in line for everything at school.” As I grew older, my ideas of being a mother expanded. In high school, the dream was still about giving material things to my “someday little girl” but then those materialistic ideologies began to fade with age.  

In my 20’s and 30’s I had the opportunity to help raise and love two children from different relationships. I learned about patience, the healthy boundaries children crave, unconditional love, and what it was like to play and have fun. When I was no longer in their everyday life, it was heartbreaking.

When I met the love of my life Eli, we had no issue getting pregnant but being able to carry a baby past the first trimester seemed impossible.  Together, we embarked on a long journey of meeting with fertility doctors, hematologists, acupuncturists. We never stopped being our own advocates, asking endless questions until we finally found a doctor in Chicago who gave us the answers we had been searching for.  This doctor specialized in autoimmune disorders and infertility.  It was a difficult process, but the hormone shots, blood thinners, handfuls of medications and endless amounts of blood work kept my body in balance throughout the pregnancy.  

In December of 2019, our Everly Rose was born.  I still can’t believe that God chose me to be her mom.  All the unconditional love, protection, giving, patience, teaching, and strength comes without hesitation.  I am honored to be her mom.  I strive to help her be a wise, strong, and PowHERful woman.

— Melody