T Minus Seven Days

Yesterday was a magical day—I held my book, Mission: Motherhood, in my hands for the very first time.

It’s hard to describe that feeling. It reminded me, just a little, of the moment I first laid eyes on each of my children. Okay, not quite as joyful, but it came close. This book has been five years in the making. A true labor of love.

I’ll never forget the night I knew I had to write it. It was on the eve of one of the hardest days of my life.

I was preparing to go to court, where my estranged husband was suing to be named the legal father of my son—a child I had conceived on my own using an anonymous sperm donor. We had been legally separated and living apart for seven years. But because we were still technically married, he claimed rights to my child.

In court, they paraded legal experts in to argue that I had no right to pursue an independent pregnancy while married. WTH? As if he owned my uterus! The system demanded I hand over my son for visitation, even though he had never been without me a single day. It felt like handing my baby over to a kidnapper.

It was grueling. Torturous.

That night, I couldn’t breathe. I was having a full-blown panic attack. I had just learned that the amicus attorney—the person who was supposed to represent my son’s best interest—was planning to rule against me.

I crumbled. I sobbed. I asked God through choking tears, “Why is this happening to me?”

And then, in the middle of my collapse, a strange peace came over me. I heard an answer: “You’re going through this so you can help other women achieve their dreams of motherhood.”

That moment changed everything.

It didn’t erase the pain, but it gave my pain a purpose. I would use my story—my heartbreak, my legal battle, my hard-won victories—to guide other women navigating the road to motherhood, especially those choosing unconventional paths when the world tells them they’re not allowed.

Five months and $250,000 in legal fees later, I won. I retained sole parentage of my son.

And now, in just seven days, Mission: Motherhood will be officially born into the world. I hope this book will be a beacon for every aspiring mother who has ever felt alone, judged, blocked, or broken. May it remind you: you are not alone, your dream is possible, and your story is worth fighting for.

A special thanks to the team at Scribe Media for their partnership helping me bring this book to life. I am eternally grateful!