Six years ago, when Kevin and I married at sunset on a beach in Roatan, we were surrounded by family and friends. To “send us off,” they’d come with us, by taxi, then airplane, then seaplane, on a journey that connected the unlikeliest sorts of people in ways we couldn’t have anticipated.
I knew this was the case when we were standing in the New Orleans airport, and a college friend who’d traveled from Africa was chatting animatedly with Kevin’s sister-in-law, a country girl from Plaquemine, Louisiana, taking pictures together because they’d both worn black and white to travel.
The auspicious start pervaded the entire event, from the festive atmosphere on the airplane to the narrow strip of hotels and eateries that lined the Caribbean beach, as our loved ones made connections, dinner plans, and scuba dates on the dusty unpaved road.
On the day of the wedding, family flew in from the Honduran mainland and stood next to us, barefooted, voices trembling, as we began this incredible adventure together.
And since that day, so much has happened. We have parented three beautiful children, 5, 3, and 3 months. Our son Elliot was diagnosed with a congenital condition at age 4 months, when we returned from evacuating Hurricane Katrina. Kevin works nights, and shuttles him to speech, occupational, and physical therapies each day, now with our youngest child, Oliver in tow.
My work with a non-profit childcare center started by parents supports families rebuilding our great city. It’s rewarding work that consumes any energy I might have left from juggling three children under 5. That leaves little for my husband and me. With our opposite schedules, sometimes days go by when I feel like I haven’t seen him.
Having never met Elliot, all my family in Honduras knows of our son is that he was born with a disability. They’ve never been put under his spell and don’t yet know we’re the luckiest people alive to have him. I’d love the opportunity to share my beautiful family with them all.
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