Marybeth blots away the moisture from her eyes as she beams at Father Mathias standing in the pulpit. It seems like only yesterday he was sitting in her parents living room, telling them that their baby was about to have a baby. Her father exploded and her mother cried. For a 16 year old, it seemed like the world was closing in. That was until Emma was born.

Marybeth spent years struggling to keep food on the table, while Derek spent years stumbling out of bars. Derek finally drank his liver into oblivion. His death nearly destroyed Emma, but Marybeth’s parents were the foundation that kept them grounded. Their love and support were invaluable. After high school, Emma went on to college. She graduated with honors and enrolled in med school, where she met Jason, the love of her life.

Now, nearly 25 years after meeting Sister Miriam, tears stream down Marybeth’s face as Father Mathias baptizes Emma’s daughter.