CityView Magazine

Cit yV iewN C.com | 13 At this point in the story, a lot of folks might have to wonder how hope could still be sustained aer so many years of being dealt heart-breaking news. e Everetts persevered. ey approached the adoption process with their trademark tenacious optimism. e couple began official paperwork through a small non- profit agency in Ohio in January 2014, and by March, had their portfolio hand- picked by a local birth mother. On June 5 of the same year, Celia Everett held a little newborn baby boy and became a Mama. Brady's Mama. e next several years saw Celia and her new family of three through more highs and lows. Shortly aer Brady's first birthday, Celia's lymphoma reoccurred, resulting in another round of chemotherapy and a lumpectomy procedure. With an infant at home and more health woes for Celia, the Everetts understood the value of moving home to North Carolina, closer to her family. ey settled here in Fayetteville, where Scott joined Cumberland Anesthesia Associates, and Celia took an inpatient pharmacist position at the First Health Hoke Campus. And then, in midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, something miraculous happened. Celia became pregnant. e joy over this surprise twist of fate and excitement over a sibling for Brady was short lived, as this pregnancy resulted in a first trimester miscarriage. However, knowing that they could conceive gave Scott and Celia the hope they needed to seek advice from a fertility specialist once more. A new doctor in a new town gave them the same old odds: less than a 1 percent chance, even through IVF. Labs and an ultrasound confirmed that Celia had very few eggs remaining. e Everetts drove home that day and contemplated Celia's undeniable test results and the advisement of not one but two reproductive specialists. Although their situation was more complicated than many could understand, the answer to them was clear: they would not attempt a second IVF procedure. Brady was the miracle that they had longed for and he was enough. And that very weekend, they conceived their second child. Quinn Everett was born on June 30, 2019. She defied the odds and came into the world happily and healthily at 38 weeks with minimal complications. Her mama playfully refers to her as "e Little Egg at Could," but mostly likes to call her "Mighty Quinn. "My friend Celia, the protagonist of this amazingly true story, will celebrate Mother's Day for the first time as a mommy of two this year. She and her husband Scott have an adopted son and a biological daughter who they both love fiercely and equally. When Celia announced Quinn's birth on Facebook, she wrote, "our journey has been long and hard, but we are forever grateful for the paths that led us to both of our children. My love for and connection to my son is every bit as strong and present as it is for my daughter, and I wish for both of them to always know how much we hoped for and love them." Celia shares the details of her life humbly and openly, all because she knows they might provide encouragement for anyone else who may be struggling with one of the many obstacles she's overcome along the way. Like so many other women, Celia's journey to motherhood was not easy. It was marked by uncertainty, loss and grief. But for her, there was always faith. And her journey led her to Brady and Quinn, two precious little children who just might want a nibble of their mama's Mother's Day breakfast this year. On Mother's Day and every day, may we remember those who came before us, celebrate those among us and offer hope to those who just might one day be. Gates Four DISCOVER WHAT'S BEHIND THE GATES Visit www.gatesfour.com Call 910.425.6667 for membership information

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