I am writing in response to “Get Married Because You Are in Love, Not Because of a Child Conceived Through Wedlock.” I have never responded to anything before, but this article hit home.It was the summer of 1999, and I had just finished my first year of college at Sam Houston, and one day out of the blue, one of my ex-boyfriends called me. We met up for lunch that day and talked about old times, new times and everything in between. We began dating again only to find out a month later that our life would be drastically changing; we were going to be parents. Talk about “Oh my Gosh, What are we going to do?”Well, I will tell you one thing, getting married was the last thing on my mind. Here I am, 19-years-old and in college, I am supposed to be continuing my education to find out what to do with my life, not changing diapers and cleaning house. I didn’t even know how to be a mother, much less a wife. Did I really want to marry a man just because I liked him a lot or wait until I find out for sure if he is the “One?”I had to think about my child. Did I want to raise her in a family where her mother and father just got along so they could all live together? So I thought to myself, let me learn to be a mother first.My daughter will be two years-old on April 11, and I will marry the love of my life on March 23. In my personal opinion, I think everything happens for a reason. Luckily for us, everything fell right into place. I could never love someone the way I love the father of my child. He has given me the two greatest gifts of all time. And if for some reason things didn’t work out the way they did, I could never have lived with myself knowing I married him because it was “the right thing to do.” I wouldn’t have been able to fully give him the love and care he deserves.We had nine months of pregnancy and 23 months of having a baby and being a family together before we finally decided to pledge our love to one another. I knew he was the one when he began looking into my eyes the way he does our daughter.I know that a lot of people don’t agree, and that is fine, but for the ones that do, I am thankful for living in the generation I do. I am a 22-year-old woman, and I have a choice. I had the choice and freedom to decide what to do in my situation, and I will always be thankful for that. Many women didn’t have an option. Even after it is all said and done, I am able to still continue my education so I will be able to raise my little girl to the best of my ability and have the family I have always wanted. A family with a lot of love to give!
Sections