The Universe knew that I would love her. That I would fight for her, advocate for her, and be everything she needed from a mother. I felt like my entire life had led up to this, had prepared me for this: to be Ivy’s mom. Maybe that’s why I’m such an empath. Maybe Ivy will need a mom who is empathetic, compassionate, and loving. Maybe that’s why I’ve advocated for others in the past— it was all practice for Ivy. But then things shifted again. And instead of thinking that Ivy needed me, I started to realize that I’m the one who needs her. She saw me and said “Yes. She needs me. She needs me to be her daughter.” It’s not Ivy who needs me. I need her because she completes me, completes my family, in ways I never realized. She’s a balm to my soul, a salve to past wounds. Ivy will teach me things I didn’t think I needed to know, or maybe didn’t want to know.

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