We were done having kids after our last (4th) in 2009. In 2015 we both lost a ton of weight (me, just over 50lbs).

2016 came with a surprise...we were not done. Exciting. Unexpected. But exciting.

Then at 20 weeks we found out something was wrong. Very wrong. At that point, and until 8 weeks later, the doctors were preparing us for what seemed the inevitable: the baby would be born into a hospice situation, and not live long.

At 28 weeks we finally got the firm diagnosis of spina bifida. We were elated when comparing to the previous expectation.

We spent 5.5 weeks in NICU, and she had 3 surgeries during that time. Then came home.

Half our family went halfway across the country in Jan 2017 for treatment. Then came home.

In May, the shunt draining excess fluid from her brain failed. Replacements are generally one- or two-day stays...we were in PICU for 2 weeks because the replacement shunt failed almost immediately, and she developed severe sleep apnea during this time. Then she came home...with more equipment, more concern, more risk.

It's been a difficult year and a half. But despite it all, not only did we grow, we could not imagine our world without her.