A Motherhood Story: Meri Willard

When Meri first reached out to me about her daughter Rose’s story, I felt instantly drawn to her and her family. I’m so honored to be able to share a small part of their journey here today.

Some women dream of becoming mothers long before it happens.

For Meri, motherhood felt deeply woven into who she was long before her children arrived. Even as a young girl navigating learning disabilities and the feeling of being “behind,” she kept moving forward with the incredible love and support of her mother and family.

Young adulthood was busy with college, work, and all the stress that comes from learning to be “grown up”. Wanting to be mom was always in her heart, yet circumstances did not align.  Part of her heart longed to “grow up faster."  Seeing others excel and meet goals while she worked on her educational goals, then professional goals, she often felt something was missing. When would she get to be a mom?  

But over time, she learned to stop measuring her life against everyone else’s timeline.

That path eventually led her to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, then a Master’s degree in Counseling, and finally become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist — just before her first son was born.

“My dream career and lifelong hope of being a mother aligned,” she shared. “What a beautiful experience.”

But motherhood didn’t unfold the way she expected.

When her oldest son was just over a year old, her high school sweetheart and husband filed for divorce. Suddenly, she found herself navigating heartbreak, uncertainty, and single motherhood all at once.

“It felt tragic,” she said honestly. “It was not anything I wanted.”

Still, she moved forward the only way she knew how — slowly, intentionally, and with the support of family and friends who helped carry her through.

Instead of holding tightly to the life she thought she was supposed to have, she began building the life that was actually in front of her.

And somewhere along the way, she realized it had become a beautiful life.

Today, Meri and her husband are raising seven children together — four boys and three girls, ages 22, 19, 14, 13, 11, 8, and 3.
Years ago, when they were dating, they used to sing the song “It’s Gonna Be a Good Life.” Back then, both of them felt a little unsure about the future.

Now, they smile at each other and change the lyrics when it comes on:

“It IS a good life.”

That gratitude runs through everything about the way Meri mothers.

There’s joy in her home, but also perspective — the kind that comes from walking through things you never imagined you’d face.

When she was pregnant with her daughter Rose, doctors discovered early signs that something was wrong. At just 12 weeks pregnant, testing showed a high likelihood that Rose had Trisomy 18, a rare chromosomal condition often considered “incompatible with life.”

As more testing and scans followed, the prognosis became increasingly devastating.

Meri was told Rose would likely die in utero. If she survived birth, comfort care would most likely be the only option offered.

Then came another diagnosis: complex congenital heart defects.

At one appointment, she remembers being told plainly that Rose would not be a candidate for heart repair surgery.

“No one would repair her heart,” Meri said.

But something in her refused to stop there.

Instead of accepting that there were no options, she began researching. She connected with other families raising children with Trisomy 18. She studied medical journals, searched for surgeons, and learned that many children who survived had one thing in common: they had received medical intervention.

So she fought for it.

She changed doctors, changed hospitals — even changed her entire birth plan in order to get Rose closer to a children’s hospital that might give her a chance.

Even then, the road was anything but easy.

After Rose was born, Meri spent weeks advocating for care while also facing pressure to move toward comfort care instead of aggressive treatment. Hospitals across California declined to perform the surgery Rose needed.

Then a surgeon in Omaha, Nebraska called her back.

He said yes!

At just six weeks old, Rose was flown to Omaha by medical transport while fighting for her life.

When they arrived at the hospital, Meri remembers seeing a “Welcome Rose” banner waiting for them.
“It felt like heaven,” she said.

That Monday, Rose underwent open heart surgery.

Today, Rose is eight years old and thriving.
The experience completely changed the way Meri sees motherhood — not as perfection, but as presence. As advocacy. As loving your children fiercely and fully, especially when the world underestimates them.

“I learned that fear cannot lead in life and death choices,” she shared with me. “Love must lead.”

And maybe that’s part of why moments of beauty matter so much to her family now.

The dresses. The twirling. The pictures that capture these moments. The slowing down together in the middle of hospital visits, therapies, school schedules, and everyday stress.

“We LOVE celebrating life,” Meri shared. “We pause and enjoy self care. Then we twirl, dance, and capture this moment of time we will never have again.”

For her, dressing up with her daughters isn’t really about clothes at all — it’s about savoring these moments while they’re here.
“Every time I get to dress up and twirl with her, it feels like a dream. We savor it all.”

And maybe that’s a little bit of the heart of motherhood too — knowing the days are long sometimes, but also knowing they won’t stay this way forever.

Support Meri and her family and vote for her for Super Mom! https://thesupermom.org/2026/meri-willard

All photos courtesy of Meri.