July 4th is a very special day in our family. It’s the day our daughter was born, and each year her birthday brings up so much for me—gratitude, tenderness, awe.

Today she turned 13, and it’s hard to put into words how deeply grateful I feel to watch her step into her teenage years. We’re on Whidbey Island visiting close friends, and tonight she’s been welcomed into this new chapter of her life under a full fireworks show.

Becoming her mom was not a given—it almost didn’t happen. It was a challenging journey that reshaped me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. IVF made it possible (she’s quite certain she’s the embryo on the right!), and not a day goes by that I don’t feel the magnitude of this gift.

Big milestones like this remind me of everyone who helped us along the way—the village it took, not just to raise our daughter, but to conceive her. Our friends, family, health care providers… the quiet acts of support and kindness that carried us. I hold them all in my heart today.

This is the deeper “why” behind the work I do.

Why I continue to support others navigating fertility and loss.
Why I advocate.
Why I helped co-found the Pacific Perinatal Foundation and stay rooted in patient-centred care with the Full Circle Perinatal Care team.

Being held in compassion and support during the painful years we struggled with infertility made all the difference. And it’s truly an honour to walk alongside others and offer that same support.

Happy 13th, my love. Being your mom is the greatest joy of my life.
And to everyone still on the journey—wherever you are—I’m holding hope for you. Always.