Welcoming a child into the world is one of the greatest and most anticipated joys for many couples. Maxine and Jake Young had always dreamed of having a large family, but their dream turned into a struggle when they faced infertility. They never imagined that in just a few weeks, their lives would change in ways they couldn’t have foreseen.
Maxine and Jake married in May 2016 in Pennsylvania, excited to start a family right away. While Maxine wanted to have biological children, she also felt strongly about giving a home and family to children in need, which made adoption a natural option for them.
“Jacob was fully supportive and loved the idea of filling their home with love, laughter, and a little chaos!” says Jacob’s mother, Arlette Young, who created a GoFundMe page to help the family.
Just a few months after getting married, Maxine and Jake began foster care training in February 2017. After completing the training and other necessary steps, they were approved to take in placements by June 2017.
Four siblings needed a family
In July 2017, they received a call about four siblings—three children aged 4, 2, and 11 months, and their newborn sister who was still in the hospital. The couple was ready to welcome them, and they did just that.
It wasn’t an easy journey. Each child had their own set of challenges, including an autism diagnosis, trauma to overcome, and other hurdles that Jacob’s mother shared.
At the same time, Maxine and Jake didn’t give up on their dream of having biological children, but that journey wasn’t easy either. Maxine suffered several miscarriages and chemical pregnancies. They went through IVF and IUI treatments.
After much struggle, in October 2018, they were blessed with a son, Henry.
The family felt complete… or so they thought.
Not long after their adoption was finalized, Maxine noticed something happening in her body—she was pregnant again!
“I never thought I could get pregnant naturally after needing IVF and IUI to conceive Henry. I remember texting [my husband] and saying, ‘Oh my God,’” Maxine recalls.
The couple was overjoyed and surprised, but they had no idea that an even bigger surprise was ahead.
“When the doctor began the ultrasound, I could see her face change. It became clear that there were three pregnancy sacs, all roughly the same size, with yolk sacs and fetal poles. She looked at me and said, ‘Well, it looks like three babies are growing in there!’ I nervously laughed, in complete shock. I asked if everything looked normal, and she assured me it did—they were exactly six weeks along,” Maxine shared on Instagram.
It wasn’t just triplets—Maxine was expecting quadruplets.
On July 31, at 32 weeks pregnant, Maxine gave birth to four beautiful babies, each weighing between three and four pounds. They named them Silas Ledger, Theo Alexander, Beck Killian, and Cecilia Hudson.
“Meeting them was an indescribable moment. All the struggles from the past few months melted away. The pain and stress didn’t matter. In that moment, everything we’d been through was worth it,” Maxine wrote on Facebook.
“They’re all doing well, and we’re so grateful,” Maxine added.
This brave and loving mother, along with her amazing family, is about to face many challenges, but they have the most important thing to get through it all—love for one another and for their nine children.