About our Family
And so it begins.... Joe and I met in December 2008 and after dating for two years, we were engaged. During our engagement and after purchasing a home, Joe became gravely ill, being hospitalized for 2 weeks in an ICU unit. With much prayer and support, we got through and he is very healthy today. We were blessed to be married on September 17, 2011 and have been enjoying our time together as newlyweds ever since.
On February 21, 2013 I found out I was pregnant with our first child. Crying with joy and later sharing this wonderful news with my husband was the best day! We were on top of the world and excited to be parents. We were thrilled to share the news with our families and everyone has been looking forward to meeting our new addition to the family.
On June 5, 2013, at our doctor's appointment to determine our baby's gender, we not only learned we were having a sweet baby boy, but also that he has something called Anencephaly, a fatal neural tube defect.
It was something we had never heard of, but has all too quickly become part of our everyday vocabulary. We were given the option to terminate or to continue with the pregnancy, going full term, knowing when I deliver he may only survive for a few minutes or hours. We both supported each other in continuing with the pregnancy and our little baby boy is due October 24, 2013.
We would like you to meet Cullen Joseph Tusing, a growing and very active baby boy who loves to eat (which reminds us he is truly part of our family). He puts a show on for mommy, but gets shy when others, even daddy, put their hands on my belly. He loves his sleep and listening to Christian radio.
It was devastating learning Cullen has Anencephaly, a term which so harshly forced it's way into our lives. But we will celebrate his life each and every day; enjoying every moment we can with him.
My hope with Carrying Cullen is to touch the lives of other parents facing the diagnosis of Anencephaly, birth defects and losses. Please know that you are not alone and remember there is still a beautiful life to celebrate. We hope the stories of our smiles, struggles and sadness as a family help comfort you. Carrying Cullen is a journey we will go through together now and for the rest of our lives.
