I have always been one of those people who thought abortion wasn’t for me, but who was I to judge other people or tell them what’s right. I was a “good catholic school girl”, with no life experience. I was with “Jake” for four years and had done little more than kiss him. He was a really good guy, but some of his friends were a little wild. At 19, we went to a party…

I have always been one of those people who thought abortion wasn’t for me, but who was I to judge other people or tell them what’s right. I was a “good catholic school girl”, with no life experience. I was with “Jake” for four years and had done little more than kiss him. He was a really good guy, but some of his friends were a little wild.

At 19, we went to a party and I drank for the first time, and needless to say got a little drunk. We ended up sleeping together that night. It was as if a whole lifetime of trying to be perfect had taken it’s toll on me. I just wanted to be young and have some fun once and a while. It seemed at the time like the friends we had who drank at parties were having fun.

We had crossed this invisible line and nothing bad had happened. I got on the pill, and we continued to be sexually active. We were in love, we were adults, and I still thought we weren’t doing anything wrong.

I think I knew I was pregnant at about two weeks, I was just in denial. Then three weeks later, “Jake” and I were in a car wreck. We were ok, but my back hurt, so we went to the hospital. When they x-ray tech asked if I was pregnant because of the health risks to the baby, I just looked at her and cried. The test came back positive, “Jake” was great. He was actually happier than I had ever seen him. He kept saying that we could get through anything together.

We told his family first, and I guess in our excitement at the idea of our little baby, we expected them to be happy too. Instead, his mother called me a whore and slapped
me. His father said nothing, just started packing his things into trash bags and throwing them out the window. His mother called my mother and by the time we got to my house, the only difference was my clothes were in suitcases on the front porch. Our parents threw us out like garbage.

“Jake” was undaunted. We have each other and our baby, “we don’t need anything else”, became his favorite thing to say. We stayed with my sister and her husband. They had three kids and were like angels. They stood by our choice to keep our baby. Then the phone calls started coming. Abortion, we were told, was the only way. Every family member, every day.

Then, when I was seven months along, “Jake ” was shot in a robbery at his work. He was in a coma and nobody knew what each day would bring. I lived at the hospital. For seven long and difficult months, he had been my rock, now it was my turn. All of a sudden, we weren’t stupid or sinners, but brave and strong, so said those stupid families who know
nothing of unconditional love.

I went into preterm labor at eight months, and had a beautiful son, “Jake Jr.” At one month and four days old, he lost his daddy. He never heard his voice, never felt his touch, never saw his eyes, but for thirty-four days he laid in his daddys arms, and he knows his daddy loved him more than anything.

Abortion is not a soultion. Once that egg and sperm meet, you have a baby, a life and a miracle. Nobody has the right to kill a baby, no matter if it’s your baby or not, if it’s in the womb or not. Please give these defenseless babies the chance to live. They deserve the chance to shine.

Jessica  | mookbear@sofnet.com

Dear Jessica,

I’m so sorry to hear of the death of your husband. I can’t even imagine the grief you must be going through. What a blessing little Jake must be to you, though. He is a living legacy of the love that you and your husband shared. Praise God for his life!

Luv,

Becky | dearbecky@standupgirl.com