T&L's Story to Tell
Lauren and Tim
LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL
In marriage, you profess vows to one another in front of all your loved ones to see. In sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, you are vowing your life and true commitment to your love. Your close family and friends are present as both witness, but also as strength. While you bind your commitment to your loved one, you know that there will be trials and tribulations, moments of happiness, and moments of sadness. in the years ahead of you. You know that there will accomplishments along with hardships, moments of tears of sadness, and tears of happiness. What they don't prepare you for is the patience you didn't know you needed, the understanding you need to continuously seek, and the overall growth you will experience together.
From our very first few dates, we knew that growing a family was always something we wanted in our future. Upon leading up to our marriage, we took the necessary steps to begin planning our family. After months of continuous attempts with negative results, we decided to seek out medical assistance. It was during this time that Tim was diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome. As a couple we discussed the odds, and decided though the chances were low, we wanted a definitive answer on whether or not we would be able to create life together. Through months of tests, doctor office visits, and a surgery later, in December 2020 we were faced with the reality that we would not be conceiving a child on our own. We researched and discussed our options as we were not giving up on our dream of creating a family. Reviewing our options we decided that if the child could not be created by both of us, that we would want to adopt. We then began our next steps together into the next chapter of our lives.
You see, during those vows, you proclaim that in sickness and in health, in richer and poorer, you will stand by your love through all of life's trials and tribulations - though you have no idea what those scenarios may look like. You learn that the "picture-perfect" you had in mind may look a bit different than planned. You learn that you will grow a family together, but maybe not in the way you had originally planned. You learn that you are faced with these trials and tribulations to grow stronger together and appreciate the happiness and success that also comes along this journey. As we continue through this crazy thing called life together, we remain patient, continue to seek to understand, and embrace the growth as we transition through these seasons of change.
Daily, we discuss what our family may look like, names we would love to give, memories we hope to make. Frequently, we discuss with our loved ones closest to us what we are experiencing along this new journey of adoption, what we are learning, what we are nervous for, and what we are excited for. While this is unchartered territory for us and our family, we embrace every moment of it and continue to dream of the day we get to bring baby home and shower it will love and admiration while providing a life filled with people to love and support them.