Alexis

Ever since I was a young child I have dreamed of being a mom. Becoming a mom to Mason was my dream come true, he is my greatest joy in life and I am so lucky to be his mom. I always wanted more children. Adam and I tried for multiple years to have another baby and we were never successful, so we decided to try fertility treatment. Our fertility treatments were also unsuccessful. A month after stopping treatments, I got pregnant with identical twins. We were so excited! I felt like this was a miracle after two and a half years of infertility we were being blessed by two babies! We found out at 10 weeks that I was pregnant with the rarest type of twins, they shared both a placenta and a sac. They were very high risk but we were optimistic. In the first week of my second trimester, we were told that both babies had died. I ended up having a horrific miscarriage where I hemorrhaged and had to be rushed to the hospital for surgery. During surgery they found out that my uterus is misshaped and it is unlikely that I will have more children and if I do get pregnant, I am very high risk for miscarrying. 

Even before this news, Adam and I had talked about adoption. I have always wanted to adopt a child but it was never the right time. After my miscarriage, Adam and I both felt that it was the right path for us. We talked a lot and really felt that this was what we were meant to do. Neither of us have family that have been adopted and we did not really know where to start. But after we shared our hopes with our friends, coworkers, and even random people we talked to we were given so much input and advice we felt that we had a great starting point and resources. People were willing to share their adoption stories with us and help anyway we need.

I have been teaching for the past 7 years. I love it, I love being around students, I love taking them on field trips, and I love the relationships with them.  I never anticipated wanting to do anything else, but I recently decided that I have a few changes I would like in my life. I love teaching, but I love my family more. I am planning to spend the next few years at home with Mason. I want to be able to fully commit to his needs and the needs of any other children I am blessed with. I want to be on the PTA at school, I want to be a parent volunteer on field trips, and I want to be at every event he has. My family is the most important thing to me and I want to give them my dedicated time.

The other change I have made, is I am currently getting my masters degree in library sciences so I can eventually be a youth librarian. I love to read, it is my favorite hobby. I feel like reading is such an escape, I can walk the halls of Hogwarts with Harry Potter, or I can Party with Jay Gatsby, or even fight along side Katniss Everdeen. I love that my new career would let me help other people feel this way. 

But above everything, my most important thing is my family. I can not say how much I love them in words. I know so many people will say they have the best family, but I truly do. There is not a day that goes by where I don't think how grateful I am. My family is so supportive and they are always a phone call away. Adam is the best husband in the whole world, I love him more than I can even explain and Mason is the sweetest little boy in the world. My brother, Austin, has become one of my best friends, we share a love of Taylor Swift and he is the best concert buddy ever. My dad is hysterical, he seems like he would be such a tough man, but he is the biggest softie when it comes to his grandkids and kids. And my mom, there are not enough words in the world to describe how amazing my mom is. She is the mom that I aspire to be. She is kind, fierce, independent, strong, funny, and so loving. She is my absolute best friend. My mom has the most amazing relationship with Mason and I know she would be the best grandma to any other children. 

I know you don't know me, and it's hard to explain myself in writing but here are some other fun facts and things I love:

• I love the color pink.

• I absolutely love the Grinch. 

• Sunflowers are my favorite flower.

• After the death of my twins, my grandma told me that pink butterflies would mean that they were okay, now I see pink butterflies everywhere. 

• I have 16 piercings. 

• My favorite show is Gilmore Girls with Greys Anatomy as a close second.

• I was teacher of the year in 2020. 

• I love shopping.

• I love giraffes. 

• I love the Avengers movies, my favorite Avengers movie is Civil War.

• My favorite Avenger is Bucky Barnes (the Winter Soldier). 

• I am a Disney adult. 

• My favorite books are The Great Gatsby, Firefly Lane, and Harry Potter. 

• Adam and I went to Universal Studios for our honeymoon. 

• I am terrified of snakes. 

• I love to travel, Italy is my favorite place I have been. 

• I like bad TV like Judge Judy, Love is Blind, and Married at First Sight. 

• I love watching Dance Moms, but never want to be like them! 

• I was a volleyball player for many years and coached for years. 

From the moment we met, I knew that she was someone special. Her kindness, warmth, and sense of humor drew me to her, and I feel so fortunate to have her by my side. Alexis is kind, she wears her heart on her sleeve and wants to help everyone. A few years ago, she came home and asked if we could take in one of her students. Her student was 18 and living in a horrible situation, Alexis wanted to help her and didn't think twice about offering a place to live. That's who my wife is, she is the mother to her students and she cares deeply about people. Her students adore her, and she has a way of making even the toughest concepts easy to understand. 

 One of the things I love most about my wife is her incredible talent as a mother. She has an amazing way of connecting with Mason, and she always seems to know just what he needs. Whether it's a hug, a listening ear, or a gentle reminder to do their best, she has a gift for making Mason feel loved and supported. She is patient, loving, and always puts his' needs first. She is the best mom and I know she will be an amazing mom to any future children we are lucky enough to have. 

As for me, I feel like the luckiest man in the world to have her as my wife. She is my partner in every sense of the word, and we share a deep love and respect for each other. Whether we're exploring new places, laughing together, or simply enjoying each other's company, every moment spent with her is a treasure.