Emily and I have been friends since we were 16- though she would tell you that she didn’t like me at first. It’s because I’m the Mary…she’s the Rhoda! Recently, Emily and her wife, Danielle, made one of the bravest decisions anyone can ever make: they decided to have a baby. It is my great joy and honor to document them in this swell season- for they are both so ripe, so ready…

We were supposed to find out if we were pregnant through bloodwork drawn at our doctor’s office on the morning of January 12, 2021.  That afternoon, a nurse called with what we expected to be big news, only to find out their machine broke and they would have to send the sample off. That evening we tried to stay relaxed and watched TV. Around 10 P.M. Danielle started smelling something and asked me if I was cooking some kind of meat in the oven. I wasn’t of course, and this started getting our wheels turning that maybe this was the first pregnancy sign.  The next day the nurse called and said we were in fact expecting. We both initially felt shocked and thought, “Whoa, here we go.”

Parenting is going to be a new world for us and the unknown is a little scary. We are nervous about losing our flexible schedules.  We realize this little guy will soon take over all aspects of our lives- both good and bad.

Throughout this pregnancy, I’ve learned that Danielle is strong…

I have seen another depth of her commitment and willingness…

She is the inspiration and rock of our little family.

When I was on the struggle bus and helpless, I’ve been reassured that I can truly rely on Emily when things get tough.

Thank God Emily was around to prepare snacks and sandwiches during the morning sickness phase!

As a mother, I hope to provide a consistent and nurturing environment. I want our son to be able to find comfort and refuge with me no matter what is happening in his life. 

Emily will be engaging and playful!

I can see Emily and our son exploring in nature… they will have a lot to learn together.

We are very excited to share new adventures with our little boy. We look forward to traveling and taking him around the U.S., especially the National Parks.

We hope to see things through his eyes and learn from his experiences.

We hope that our son knows how much we love him and that he loves us too.

Our dream is that he has a well-rounded life of happiness, adventure and strong personal connections.  

We hope that he is healthy, full of wonder and gratitude and that he will have a good sense of humor.  

We want him to pursue his dreams.

Also, we never want to forget the special time we’ve shared with our Romey-Cat before being parents.

Feeling our little boy’s determined bounces and kicks in Danielle’s belly, and the little hints our son gives us all on what his personality will be…