meet the birth mother

She's 5-foot-10 with a very sweet face. She's big-boned and beautiful. Her dark hair is mostly straight but seems to want to flip just a bit as it grows back. She likes pink, just look at her tennis shoes.

Growing up in a Midwest family, she's the youngest of three. She loves sports and plays card. Even though Christmas is her favorite holiday, she chooses to be outside in warm weather. She likes pizza, chocolate and root beer.

Her middle name, by the way, is Catherine.

She could raise the baby growing inside, and truly I have no doubt she's be a fine mother. But she's 19. She thinks about going to medical school, or at least pursuing a career in the medical field. An occupational therapist, perhaps. Somehow she'll end up helping people. Maybe that's why she battled and survived Hodgkins disease. She wears a yellow Livestrong bracelet.

And she's giving Greg and me part of herself -- literally. A thank-you note and the biggest card package ever will never do the trick. I can tell her time and time again I appreciate what she's doing -- not just for herself and her boyfriend, but for us, for Cate. I only hope our baby has part of her determined spirit and positive attitude. And then I can say it's in the genes.