When I make it to her room a couple minutes later it’s filled with people, and she’s already changed into a hospital gown.

“Okay Dad, she’s already at a ten so it shouldn’t be much longer,” a nurse tells me as I walk to the bed and take Willow’s hand.

“I really did not want to have him on Thanksgiving.”

“Baby.” I laugh, leaning down to press my lips to her forehead. “He’s ready to come—you can’t stop that.”

“I know.”

She whimpers when another contraction hits and her hand squeezes mine so tight that I’m surprised she doesn’t break bones.

“Okay, Willow, I’m going to have you start pushing on the next contraction,” the doctor says from the end of the bed and Willow looks up at me.

“I’m so scared.”

“I’m here,” I whisper, and she draws in a breath, then over the next ten minutes I watch her work hard to bring our son into the world and then hear him cry for the first time before he’s placed on his mom’s chest.

“Did you guys have a name picked out?” the doctor asks, wiping him down a little more.

“Rowen,” Willow tells her, kissing our son’s head and I bend resting my hand on Rowen’s bottom while kissing his mom.

“You did good, baby.”

“We did good.” Tears fill her eyes. “He’s so small, and I’m already in love with him.”

“Me too.” I lean back, feeling humbled by what just happened and what I’ve been entrusted with.

Willow

LYING IN THE hospital bed with my mom lying next to me, Clay and my dad in the chairs next to my bed, and my siblings and Clay’s around the room and Leah holding Rowen, tears fill my eyes.

I have always been grateful for my family and my friends but looking around I know exactly how lucky I truly am. Not many people have what I do, the love of a good man who would do anything necessary to protect me, unwavering love from family and friends that are there anytime I need them, and people who are supportive when things get difficult.

I probably would not be where I am today without the people in this room, each of them have given me the strength to fight through my fear and face each and every day head on, even when I haven’t wanted to. Especially during Troy’s trial years ago before he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

And seeing the way everyone I love, my dad included, has accepted Clay and his family has made my life that much more complete because not only does Clay have me, but now he has dozens of people who care about him and his family the way I do.

I’ve been blessed beyond measure, and I don’t know what I did to deserve all the goodness I’ve received but I will never take any of it for granted.

Author Notes

I know this book touched on some difficult topics. More of them than I was even expecting. Getting to know Clay and his brothers was difficult but inspiring for me, given their past and the things they went through. The foster care system around the world is overwhelmed and far to often children are left feeling like they don’t have a voice. Or that they don’t want to rock the boat when they are in a bad situation because they know the outcome could mean they are left with no place to go. If you’d like to help a child without fostering, you can reach out to your local big brothers big sisters program and volunteer your time. Often kids just need someone to show up and show interest. If that’s not an option you can assemble welcome boxes for kids going into foster care, or donate to a foster care organization close to you.