I was excited to vote for the first time and to move out of my parents’ house. I had been with my boyfriend for 2 1/2 years when we found out I was pregnant. Almost immediately my boyfriend insisted that I have an abortion. I had barely had time to process the fact that I was pregnant. Deep down I knew it was the best choice for us, but I was torn. I talked to him about keeping it, but ultimately we decided on abortion.

My boyfriend made the appointment and brought me to the clinic. They performed an ultrasound and counseled me about my options. There was a mandatory 24 hour waiting period and the procedure was scheduled for the following day. I cried a lot the night before, but in the end I knew it was the best decision for me. I was grateful that the clinic was in a quiet area of town and I felt like I had complete privacy. That day, I voted in my first election (a presidential election) and later had an abortion. My boyfriend was not allowed in the procedure room. I was scared and the procedure was uncomfortable. He was kind and did his best to comfort me afterward. I went back and forth between feelings of guilt and feelings of relief for some time. However, when I look back on that time, I am glad I made that decision.

My boyfriend and I were married 4 years later and 10 years after our first pregnancy, we became pregnant again. We have 3 healthy children and a strong marriage.