This post could go a lot of ways.
I could talk about how adorable of an outfit that Baby B’s grandmother crocheted:
Or I could talk about how loving of a father Baby B has:
Or how awesome of a friend his mother, Andrea, is: 
Instead I’m going to talk about how much of a miracle he is. You see in the photo above Andrea, his mother, has a small scar on her chest. That’s where her port went when she was receiving treatment for two different forms of leukemia. She kicked cancer’s ass but not without a fight.
I’ve known Baby B’s parents since I was a teenager. Andrea & Bill have been sweethearts since high school. Sure, there were ups and downs but one thing I’ve always known is that these two are meant to be. Of course, I’m a little biased because I’ve known them so long. But seeing how strong Andrea is, how strong their relationship is, begs to start a dialogue on the true test of a relationship, love, devotion, and family.
When Andrea got sick, she was sent to one of the most amazing hospitals in the world: Mass General. She still talks about how wonderful her care was there, how loving and genuine the nurses and doctors were. When I went to visit her (at nearly 4 months pregnant with my own daughter), she had Bill by her side. She was bald, tired, and probably scared as hell but my God, this woman’s spirit and resolve to get through this was unlike anyone I’ve ever seen.
The short time I spent at the hospital with her that day was enough for me to know she was in good hands. My own mother went through Mass General when she had breast cancer and I will tell you, they are the best in the world. But all the doctors and nurses and research in the world can’t replace what Andrea really had: positivity and love. (Remember joking about the blue pee?)
Bill was by her side nearly her entire stay at Mass General. He loved her and took care of her and probably saw things that no man wants to see the woman they love go through. The day I visited them, Andrea had to be wheeled off to a treatment at one point. Bill and I went to grab lunch but before we did, he said “Can I show you something?”
He pulled out one of the most beautiful engagement rings I’d ever seen. Cancer-be-damned; he was going to marry the love of his life.
With her uncompromising spirit, the support of her fiancé, her family, and the entire island of Nantucket behind her, Andrea kicked cancer’s butt. She came home after months of battling this horrible disease, continued at-home treatments, and has been in remission since 2013.
Bill & Andy tied the knot in June of 2014. (Boy was that a FUN wedding!)
Here’s some shots my friend and AMAZING wedding photographer Amy Ortiz from Tickled Pink Photography took of their wedding:
They always knew they wanted to have a family, but with her medical history things got complicated. After trying for nearly two years after they got married, Andrea called me one day and said “Liz, I have some news.”
I still joke with her that I nearly got into a car accident because I couldn’t stop crying tears of joy for her. Out of all the women I’ve ever known in my life, Andrea is the surefire one who was always meant to be a mother. She is kind and loving and nurturing, full of zest for life and completely selfless. Bill is an exemplary man who is a model for a devoted and supportive partner, and I commend him for standing by her side during the most difficult battle of her life. He is an amazing father. Together, these two are unstoppable.
Andrea and Bill didn’t just have a miraculous baby, they have miraculous love for each other. Their marriage continues to inspire me every day. I am grateful to call them my friends.
Here’s to a thousand happy years and even more happy memories for Andy & Bill. I freakin’ love you guys.
Cheers,
