Valentines: Nick and Katie Curtis Bring Joy to Their Parents

Nick and Katie were nominated by their mom as her best Valentine in our Mom It Forward "Who's Your Valentine?" Photo Contest, and have been chosen as this week's weekly winner! This contest offers everyone a chance to show their love for someone who has made a special difference in their life, whether that’s a husband or wife, son or daughter, pet, friend, parent, or someone they secretly admire.

These two kids have been chosen as special, both by their parents and by us, but they might not have even existed if the Curtises had listened to their doctor.

Cori Curtis, their mom, says she and her husband were told they would never be able to have their own biological children when she had a miscarriage at six weeks several years ago, by an obstetrician who didn't investigate as to why or if that pronouncement was actually true. They refused to believe that it was and looked for a new OB/GYN, who referred them to a fertility specialist after two more miscarriages.

The specialist, after numerous tests, thought that she most likely had Thrombophlebitis, which is blood clots in the veins or the arteries during pregnancy, and PUPPPS, or Pruritic Urtucarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy, which is similar to hives. He started her on abdominal heparin injections twice a day and a baby aspirin once a day for the duration of her next pregnancy, until the 36th week. Because of these precautions, she was able to maintain the pregnancy, and their first child, Nick, was born in January of 2004.

Eleven months later, they were surprised to find out Cori was pregnant again. Knowing the injections and aspirin had worked the first time, they repeated that course of action, and their second child, Katie, was born in August of 2005.

Cori describes Nick, who is now eight, as very tender-hearted. Once, when they were listening to the pledge drive of a Christian, commercial-free radio station, and the station asked donors to help in providing water filters for people who didn't have access to clean drinking water. Nick asked if their family was going to provide a filter. His parents explained that they had already given to the radio station, but would consider increasing their donation. A few minutes later, Nick said, in tears, that they really needed to help give those people clean water. They called in the next day and increased their donation. Katie, who is now six, is very artistic and loves playing "mother hen" to all of her nieces and nephews. She loves music and going to concerts.

Many of us can relate to Cori when she says, "They have made a huge difference in my life. It may sound cliche but they have given my life meaning. I don't know how you can witness the miracle of the birth of a child and not have that feeling come over you." And may we all, like Cori, be fortunate enough to find and relish that kind of love, no matter how tough life gets.