#1 The Wilson Family

Welcome to our story! They say that life has a way of bringing people together when they least expect it, and for us, that journey began in the most modern of ways.

How It Started

Heather and Zachary’s paths first crossed on the internet in 2019. What started as a digital connection quickly blossomed into something much deeper. At the time, Heather was already a devoted mother to two wonderful children, Davis and Lilah. From the very beginning, Zachary didn’t just fall for Heather—he fell in love with the entire family.

Building a Foundation

The bond between the four of them grew stronger with every passing month. Despite the world feeling uncertain in early 2020, our family’s future became very clear. In June of 2020, Heather and Zachary officially tied the knot, blending their lives together in a celebration of love and commitment.

Growing Together

The excitement didn't stop at the wedding. Just one month later, in July of 2020, our already thriving family grew once more. We introduced Joshua to the crew, marking the start of a busy, joyful, and beautiful new chapter. Watching the older children embrace their new sibling has been one of the greatest joys of this journey.

Our Greatest Test and Our Brightest Rainbow

In my last post, I shared how our family came together in 2020. We were thriving, happy, and felt complete. But as time went on, we felt our hearts pulling us toward expanding our family once more.

A Season of Hope

By December of 2022, after a lot of hope and hard work, we received the news we had been praying for: Heather was pregnant. We were overjoyed, imagining the future and preparing our home for another little one to join the Wilson crew.

Walking Through the Valley

However, our joy turned to heartbreak in April of 2023. We learned that we had lost our baby boy, Matthew, due to a rare blood-clotting disorder.

The grief of losing a child is a weight that is hard to describe. Matthew is a part of our family and always will be, but the pain of his loss led us to stop trying for a while. We spent the next year healing, leaning on one another, and eventually coming to a place of total peace with the idea that our family was finished growing.

Our Rainbow After the Storm

Just when we had let go of the idea of another child, life gave us one more incredible surprise.

In February of 2025, Heather gave birth to Leah. She is our "rainbow baby"—the bright light that appeared after the darkest storm. Leah is a true blessing, a reminder of hope, and the official final addition to the Wilson family.

"A rainbow baby is the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm."

Looking Forward

Our family has navigated seasons of rapid growth, profound sorrow, and unexpected miracles. This blog will be a place where we honor all of it—the hard days and the joyful ones.

Thank you for being part of our journey and for honoring the memory of Matthew Hayes with us as we celebrate the arrival of Leah Grace.