Bruno and I first met in high school when a mutual friend introduced us. I remember being intrigued by his colourful shoes and thinking, "How on earth did he get away with that here?" as Catholic schools were very strict about dress codes. It wasn't until years later, at age 21, that life brought us back together at that same friend's birthday party, and the rest, as they say, is history.
When we started dating 20 years ago, we often dreamed about our future: how many children we might have, what they would grow up to be, and which quirks they might inherit from each of us (hopefully my endless curiosity and Bruno's sense of humour).
One of the very first questions I asked Bruno was whether he would ever be open to surrogacy. He looked at me as if I had four eyes (not including my glasses). He thought | was a little crazy and maybe he wasn't entirely wrong. I mean, who brings up surrogacy in the early days of dating?! But that was me — honest, perhaps a little too honest.
Deep down, I had always felt that pregnancy might not come easily for me, and I wanted to make sure my future partner was open to all the ways a family can be built. What matters most to us isn't how our baby comes into the world, but that they are deeply loved, cherished, and raised in a home full of warmth, cuddles, and laughter (and probably covered in cat hair thanks to Vinnie).
Looking back, it feels almost like that young version of me was already preparing my heart for this journey. And now, 20 years later, here we are, walking hand in hand with a renewed sense of hope. Every now and then, I still smile thinking back to those colourful shoes in high school — never realizing the boy wearing them would one day steal my heart.
