terri and family
We met at an anti-valentines day party about 14 years ago. We hung out the very next day and were inseparable from that point on. Within 4 months, we were engaged. Then 3 months later, we were married,
I was graduating college and we were moving cross country to his next duty station with the Marine Corps. Everyone thought we were crazy. Just 3 months after getting married, we were expecting our first son. Looking back, we may have been a bit crazy, but it worked.
Over the years we would tackle many obstacles. From complicated births, to include a second son, the stress of being a military family, field training, deployment, and another cross country move. We seemed to move through all of it with ease. It wasn’t easy by any means, but we did it gracefully, I think.
When Jerry got out of the Marine Corps, we took a chance and moved here to beautiful Washington state. He had a contract job at the base originally but he felt a pull to be a public servant. His goal was always to feel like he was making an impact, helping people. And with that, we transitioned to a law enforcement family.
I feel fortunate that I already had the experience of being a military wife, because being a law enforcement wife is just as hard. In typical us fashion, we decided to add another son at an already stressful time in life. He came into our life with loads of excitement. He needed emergency surgery at just 2 weeks old. I swear that made this kid tough as rocks.
A year later, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I went from being very active and full of energy to struggling each day. MS is a complicated disease because no one can see what the person is going through. The majority of symptoms are invisible. Today, I’ve added 2 more auto immune disease to my list and most would never know. I look fairly healthy and fit, but inside, my nervous system is going crazy.
Some days I can walk miles, others, I need mobility aids. It also took us many years to get a diagnosis for our oldest son, who is on the autism spectrum. It is amazing to see the world through his eyes. His brain works in such a unique way. Sometimes I wish more of the world would see things his way.
Our life is crazy. It’s busy. It’s stressful. It feels isolating at times. Many people are not fans of law enforcement officers. Even these photos feel a bit vulnerable. It’s not something we usually share right away. It’s no secret that his job is dangerous.
We tend to try and shield our children from the hate that can be thrown towards our family, purely because my husband chose to serve his community. I hope that people will see, we are just a normal family, doing our best to make this world a better place...
- terri
