19-year-old Stephanie had just started enjoying her newfound freedom as an adult and attending community college when an unplanned pregnancy changed the trajectory of her life.

“I had no future plans. I was just living in the moment. I was having a good time, and then suddenly I was pregnant,” Stephanie says.

She took a pregnancy test with her then-boyfriend, and even though they didn’t know how their future would unfold, they knew they wanted to choose life and keep their baby.

“We knew we were going to do this. There was no question in our mind. I was pregnant, and we were going to figure this out,” Stephanie recalls.

Stephanie during her first pregnancy.

The scariest part about facing an unplanned pregnancy was for Stephanie to share the news with her dad. He raised her for most of her life and had certain expectations for her. As if dealing with that guilt was more than enough, a family friend criticized Stephanie for getting pregnant and how that would affect her dad.

“The one big problem I had about being pregnant was disappointing my dad, so the fact that she came at me with that was pretty devastating,” Stephanie recalls.

Stephanie with her daughter, Phoenix.

Stephanie continued living with her dad during her pregnancy. Her father did his best to show his support but struggled to acknowledge the fact that she was pregnant. That all changed once Stephanie gave birth to her daughter.

“My dad instantly loved Phoenix. Whatever he was holding on to during the pregnancy that made him not be able to really enjoy the journey, it all went away once that baby was born,” Stephanie says.

‘I KEPT GOING’

The first year of motherhood was easy for Stephanie as she received tremendous support from her family. However, her relationship with her then-boyfriend started to fall apart. She became pregnant again and knew that her then-boyfriend wouldn’t be able to give her the support she needed to go through her second pregnancy.

“I knew I was going to be on my own taking care of my kids and being responsible for them,” Stephanie says.

Stephanie with her daughter, Alexis.

Stephanie didn’t want to be pregnant again. Abortion was not an option for her, so she considered adoption as a possibility. But in the end, she decided to keep her baby and do her best to enjoy her pregnancy as much as possible.

“I did not know how I could love another child as much as I love Phoenix, and that was a real struggle. I loved her so much. I thought there was no way another human being could come into this world that I could love as much as I love Phoenix … But Alexis was born, and suddenly my heart grew and I had as much love for her as I did for Phoenix,” Stephanie says.

Stephanie with her daughters.

After Alexis was born, Stephanie became a single mom of two under two. It was difficult for her to raise two children on her own, but she found the strength within her to overcome obstacles and be the best mom she could be for her daughters.

“They became my joy. I would go through every single struggle again to have them,” Stephanie says.

As a single mom, Stephanie juggled many responsibilities simultaneously. But she kept going. She continued to attend community college during both pregnancies. Giving up on her education was not an option.

“I did continue. I did end up graduating. It took me a little bit longer, and I ended up just graduating maybe a month before Alexis was born. I looked like a whale in my blue graduation gown, almost nine months pregnant, and I had a one-year-old Phoenix walking around,” Stephanie recalls.

Stephanie with her children.

Watching her dad prioritize his family inspired Stephanie’s parenting style. No matter what happened, she did all she could to prioritize her children. They became her motivation when she graduated from college and invested in her career.

“It just came very naturally that they are my priority. They are my life. They really did keep me going,” Stephanie says.

Stephanie with her oldest daughter, Phoenix, who is now 23 years old.

Stephanie was able to navigate life as a single mom by taking the time to invest in her life outside of motherhood. 

“I kept going because I wanted to make something of myself for myself, but then also to show the girls that we were not going to always be super broke. As a single mom with two kids, sometimes money was tight. But I just wanted to keep improving myself as a parent for the girls,” Stephanie recalls.

‘IT IS ALL WORTH IT’

Stephanie on her wedding day with Phoenix, Alexis and her stepson.

Stephanie has been working as an insurance agent for over 20 years — a job God blessed her with that has allowed her to prioritize her family over her career. With her job’s flexibility, she was able to volunteer in her children’s schools and serve on the Parent-Teacher Association.

“Looking back, I can just see God’s hand in my life protecting me as a person and opening doors constantly,” Stephanie says.

Stephanie has been married to her husband, Jesse, for over 16 years. They got married when Alexis and Phoenix were age 2 and 4, respectively, and when Jesse’s son was age 3. 

Stephanie’s encouragement to the expectant parent facing an unplanned pregnancy:

“It’s going to be tough. There are going to be days when you are just going to want to sleep and hide under a pillow. But it is all worth it. Life’s going to be hard no matter what … That baby is going to bring something that you cannot understand. You cannot fathom it until you experience it. I would say hang in there. Life is so beautiful and precious, and you’re going to be OK.”