Issue link: http://lawtonfirst.uberflip.com/i/1263026
18 spring/summer 2020 I can think of endless adages, songs, and quotes that allude to the fact that we are better together. We know that "two heads are better than one" and "many hands make light work" and even that "one is the loneliest number." Humans are social creatures by nature. We are meant to live our lives in the company of others and our lives are richer, brighter, happier, and more beautiful when we have someone to share them with. As iron sharpens iron, we are meant to strengthen our souls by surrounding ourselves with like-minded, similarly- purposed people. It is through family, friendships, and community that I have established a support system that has bettered me on my worst days, supported me through my heartbreaks, and celebrated my success. These people, my support system, have shown me what it truly means to be better together. I am fortunate to have an incredible family, both the one I was born into and the one I married into. My family has been by my side through the highs and lows of my life, and I have weathered no storm alone. It is no secret that I struggled with infertility for years and my journey to becoming a momma was fraught with heartbreak, loss, disappointment, and more procedures and injections than I care to remember. It was during this struggle that I first truly appreciated what it meant to have the unrelenting and unconditional support of my family. Their prayers, empathy, and love got me through that difficult season and carried me through some of the darkest storms of my life. Thankfully, the infertility struggles resulted in the birth of both of my darling daughters, Molly and Annie. The years since I first became a mother have been the most beautiful adventure of my life. This season is precious, and I have loved sharing it with my family. My family never misses any of the special moments in my children's lives and those moments are made even more precious by sharing them. When my older daughter, Molly, was critically ill as a premature infant and needed brain surgery at only five weeks old, it was my family, friends, and community that I depended on to keep us going. It was the people by Ashley Ghrayyeb Photo by Jayme Stringfellow