“We're not gonna have kids when we can't have our own kids, which, you know, there was there's a a real mourning there because especially get coming in and even with that maybe getting married and you have this vision for what your life's gonna look like, and you're like, we're gonna have this beautiful family, and we're gonna have all sorts of kids running around, and we're gonna homeschool, and, you know, we're gonna raise them in this way. And even even things like, you know, what traditions do we wanna set up around Christmas for our family, or where are we gonna go on vacation together? And when you're not able to have your own kids, all of that just sort of, like, disappears, and it just, like, kinda slips away really quickly.” ~ Zach

“...the Lord was like, you signed up for marriage. You signed up in partnership together to be to be fruitful. And that's still here, and that's still present, and that's still part of the future that I have for you. ~ Zach & Teresa

“I just needed to cry because I was sad and mad and hurt and lost. And me also just sometimes allowing Steve to be angry about it because I didn't want him to be angry, but sometimes he had to be.” ~ Annie

“…the cross is always gonna bear fruit. It can. It will. I mean, that's God's plan. Mhmm. If we assent assent to it, and and Christ's yoke is the easy yoke. Right? It's meant to the yoke is meant to help us shoulder the burdens of life. It's not meant to tie us down if we go with Christ's yoke.” ~ Eric

“I think the piece that I didn't realize that would be helpful to know that is, like, normal and okay is the, like, random things that, like, bring out sadness. I think an example for me is, like, when I see Zach playing with kids. Sometimes that'll just, like, make me really sad, or, like, the sometimes the the lies that the evil one will tell me of being, like well, I think one, especially for me, was that I wouldn't be a good mom.” ~ Teresa

“…verbalizing those [false, self-critical thoughts] to your spouse is so helpful, because they can be the voice to refute that. Because it's hard to do that for yourself. And it's hard to, like, combat some of those lies and some of those sadness and some of those, like, triggers on your own. Say it out loud, and it, like, loses half of its power.” ~ Teresa

“…it's this a moment when my heart was broken and healed at the same time. And I don't know what to do with that sometimes.” ~ Lori

“In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.”

• Ephesians 1:4-6

“Talk to your priest. Talk to your family. Talk to your spouse.” ~ Annie

“His plan is good, and he's delivered, and he's trustworthy. And his plan for me is good even if it's different than what I expected.” ~ Teresa

“…being honest with yourself and boundaries are so good, but boundaries that still maintain community and connection and intimacy with people and not shutting those down. So practically, that can look different for everybody. But for me, that was so important is knowing myself well enough to know what what do these boundaries need to be and how can I communicate them well to maintain relationship?” ~ Lori