A career-driven 25-year-old living in New York City was initially terrified and scared to discover that she was pregnant. However, she was more shocked when her doctor defaulted to offering an abortion. Seeing her fully formed baby at 12 weeks, the woman was sure she wanted her baby and believes it to be her best decision so far.
Hannah Finn, now 28, is a senior recruiter in the healthcare IT industry. She lives in Orlando, Florida, where she was raised, with her 3-year-old daughter, Tara Mary, husband, Matt, and a dog named Nash.
However, when Hannah found out she was pregnant on Feb. 21, 2019, life was different.
The Lord’s Armor
“I was really focused on advancing my career, but also on my social life. I lived in a beautiful apartment, had some great friends, and selfishly, was pretty focused on myself,” Hannah told The Epoch Times.Hannah was “terrified, shaking, and scared” upon reading the result of her pregnancy test. “But this inkling of joy that came over me was much more powerful,” she said. “I looked out at the twinkling New York City lights and could feel my life and body changing ... I felt as though the Lord was putting armor on me, preparing me for the journey I was about to embark on.”
That evening, Hannah broke the news to Tara’s biological father.
Four days later, Hannah and her baby’s biological father attended their first OB appointment. As soon as Hannah explained their situation to the doctor, her demeanor changed and she began to suggest options.
“I was shocked and confused when she started talking about the ‘ladies uptown’ who could perform an abortion for me, and how nice they were, and how I could go today,” Hannah said.
Upon hearing that Hannah thought she was eight weeks pregnant, the doctor had yet another suggestion: the abortion pill.
‘The Most Beautiful Sight’
Hannah’s ultrasound revealed that she was already 12 weeks pregnant. She recalled her doctor’s hesitation to show her the screen, but eventually, she spun it around.“I saw the most beautiful sight I had ever seen,” Hannah said. “My baby was a fully-formed, heart beating, fingerprinted, legged, and armed human being. At the end of the appointment, [the doctor] noticed the tears in my eyes and saw my dedication to the baby, so she started pointing out the little wave Tara gave us, prescribed me prenatal vitamins, and finally said, ‘Congratulations.’”
The suggestion to abort her baby had been hard for Hannah to hear; she grew up pro-life in a Catholic family and always believed that life begins at conception.
She said: “I was looking at the screen and there was a perfect, waving, living baby moving around ... I loved her so much, I couldn’t fathom just ripping her life away, a life with potential and beauty. God created her and sent her to me, entrusting me to take care of her and hand-selecting me as her mother.”
‘Faith Was Everything’
The then-expectant mother found pregnancy physically challenging. She was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, an intense morning sickness lasting all day. This meant that she could barely eat.Throughout her pregnancy, Hannah enjoyed the support of her loving friends, attended confession, and spoke with priests. Then, at her younger sister’s suggestion, she made contact with a group of women that provided the ultimate sanctuary.
“She told me to contact the Sisters of Life, the community of Roman Catholic women who take a fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life, aside from the typical three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience,” Hannah said.
Although they were in New York City, Hannah was hesitant to contact them at first. She thought to herself that she didn’t need anything from them since she had a job, family, and friends.
“It wasn’t until I realized that my heart was in need, and that’s what mattered,” Hannah said. “I remember when I visited their website, in the upper left-hand corner there was a tab that read, ‘Pregnant? Need help?’ and I clicked on it.”
Hannah then met up with two Sisters and, over tea, poured out her heart and soul. She felt seen and heard like never before.
“They immediately loved me and told me that I was worthy ... they told me none of this was accidental and they were proud of me,” Hannah said. “As the next couple weeks went by and I met with some of the other Sisters at the convent, where a few single moms and their babies lived, I realized this was the perfect step for me to take for my motherhood.”
The convent had one room available. Hannah moved in there for a transformative experience and took the time to become friendly with the Sisters and help them with other moms, who already had babies, at the house. She also accompanied them on other activities and attended mass with them.
Hannah strongly believes that “faith was everything” during her pregnancy journey.
“I had always been a faithful person, but now I really understood it,” Hannah said. “I was literally experiencing a miracle within my own body.”
“In the hustle and bustle of the city, I needed that peace at this time of my life, as much as I was trying to fight it and prove that I could make it in the city alone as a single mother. I finally pushed my pride aside and replaced it with faith.”
After three weeks of peace, Hannah felt that she was taking the place of someone who really needed it and thus moved to her parents’ house in Florida.
While her parents were shocked and worried for her future, they supported Hannah in choosing life for their baby granddaughter and readily took care of her.
Owing to complications, Hannah was induced and after a four-day induction gave birth to Tara Mary on Aug. 22, 2019. Her baby girl was not breathing at birth and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck.
Desperate, Hannah turned to prayer once again. A midwife calmly called for urgent assistance and the team set to work, eventually resuscitating Tara and placing her in Hannah’s arms.
“Again, through my faith and pleas to God, she was given life,” Hannah said. “Holding her for the first time was surreal ... I had seen her face in a dream while I was pregnant, and she was exactly who I had dreamed. It was such a deep love at first sight.”
More Happiness
Tara was whisked to the ICU, but a pediatrician–incredibly, Hannah’s husband’s former pediatrician–told her the baby would be just fine.During this time, Hannah’s mother became her rock. She recalled: “During my postpartum journey, my mom was my chef, my friend, my cleaner, and my confidante. She made me go on walks and drive to Starbucks for my ‘breaks,’ and I would not have done a good job without her those first few weeks.”
Hannah counts herself lucky to have spent lockdown in Florida with her parents, sister, and baby girl enjoying sunny walks, pool time, prayer, and cuddles. Hannah became healthier and happier than ever before and she and Tara, her mini lookalike, became inseparable.
Little did Hannah know, there was more happiness just around the corner.
“I always knew it would be somewhat challenging to date as a single mom,” she said, “but I had faith that God would send the perfect person for our family to us in His perfect timing, and my goodness, did He do just that!”
Around Tara’s first birthday, Hannah met Matt through a mutual friend. They had attended the same Catholic high school but never met. Meeting as adults, the spark was immediate.
“Matt and I blended, I landed my dream job, and eventually recruited Matt for his, too,” Hannah said. “Matt proposed to me about a year later, right after Tara turned two, and we got married this past October with Tara as our flower girl.
“I have always felt that Matt truly embodies the heart of St. Joseph, and he and I were brought together through divine intervention. There is no other explanation,” she said. “He is the perfect dad to Tara, and their bond is truly so beautiful.”
Choosing Life
Three years on, Hannah remains in touch with the Sisters of Life and was delighted to introduce them to Matt. She also can’t imagine life without Tara, now 3 years old and “just the most beautiful, delightful, happy, and spunky child.”“My love for her is so deep, I’ve worried about having other children,” said Hannah, who is currently pregnant. “When my husband and I saw our baby on the screen, I cried the same way I cried when I saw Tara for the first time, and, just like Tara, our baby waved at us.”
Hannah and Matt are expected to welcome their second child in the summer of 2023. Hannah also holds firm that “choosing life for my daughter was truly the best decision I have ever made.”
“Choosing life for her not only led to her existence, but it led to my marriage, our family, our careers, quality friendships, and stronger faith,” Hannah said. “When I look into her bright blue eyes every morning, at her smiling, happy face with her curls bouncing, saying, ‘Good morning Mommy!’ I sometimes think, ‘I can’t believe she could have not been here.’ We are so excited to see her as a sister!”
