In 2008, I was in eleventh grade when a friend and I decided to try out a new church one random Sunday, a place that eventually became our home for the next few years.

A few weeks in, I noticed a girl my age leaning against the wall. Normally, I wasn’t the type to approach new people, but something seemed off, and I’ve always had a spark of bravery when someone looks like they need help.
I walked up to her and learned that everything was fine, except for the fact that her skirt had ripped, and she didn’t want to move for fear of making a scene.

At that time, Chloé and I couldn’t have been more different; no one would’ve ever paired us together. But thanks to that perfectly timed moment, it opened a door, and she’s become more like a sister to me than I ever could have dreamed.
Since 2008, our stories have continued to intertwine. Like a well-written book that only makes perfect sense as the chapters pass by.

They helped me face multiple devastating losses, sort out life decisions, and even ended up introducing me to my husband, Rich.

For years, Rich and I navigated life with Caleb and Chloé right beside us. We traveled the world, sorted through adulthood, and continued to push each other toward a higher standard.

One of the wonderful places we traveled to was an incredibly special location for Caleb and Chloé: Scotland. The land holds generations of lineage for Caleb and, even more importantly, history within our Reformed faith.

During one of their trips through the Highlands, they decided on the name of their firstborn. Knox, named after the great reformer John Knox of Scotland.

What started as a whisper of a dream grew heavier with meaning year after year.

My husband and I were blessed with our first child in 2020. From there we were continually blessed until we had Ridley, Amara, and Lucy, all within five years. As our home grew and flourished, we were constantly waiting for the wonderful news of Knox’s arrival. Always wondering what God’s design was behind the delay and constantly waiting with bated breath.

Finally, on February 24th 2025, Caleb called to ask if they could come over on behalf of church business. It was something rare but not unheard of, as he is one of the pastors of our church. So we continued with our regular routine, not batting an eye. I went outside to feed the horses in anticipation of Caleb’s arrival to meet with Rich.

When the car drove past the barn, I met their eyes and saw excitement. Instantly a memory from 2020 popped into my head. Chloé had told me that the day she got the positive test, she would be at my door to tell me personally.

I thought about all of the years that had gone by since that first conversation. I thought about all of the unexpected events and life altering challenges of their last 8 years, and how perfect the timing might be.

And then I immediately pushed the thought from my mind and headed back to the house. But for some reason, I had just a little bit of a quickness in my step.

When I came inside, I couldn’t breathe. We made eye contact down the hall, and I heard the words I had been heavily praying for and waiting to hear for over 5 years.