Blended With A Twist

   A blended family is usually defined as one in which there are children from another marriage.  However, there can be different renditions of a blended family.  A unique situation is one that involves a teen pregnancy.
   Elizabeth Ludwick became a single parent at the young age of 17.  Madison was born on June 8, 2001, and thanks to the support of Elizabeth's parents and sisters, she was able to raise her in a loving environment.
   When Madison was 3-years-old, Elizabeth began to date Tom, who is now her husband.  Tom accepted Elizabeth and Madison with open arms.  Madison grew up calling Tom, daddy, and at the age of seven he legally adopted her.  Elizabeth and Tom also have a 3-year-old son, Jayden.
   When asking Elizabeth how she feels about how her situation turned out, she says, "I feel very fortunate and blessed.  I made a mistake when I was really young, but I found a way to carry on and provide for my daughter.  Madison is a smart cookie and she knows that Tom is not her real dad, but the bond that the two of them share is beautiful and they love each other.  I wouldn't trade my family or life for anything."
   Elizabeth faced her situation head-on and received her high school diploma and college degree.  According to pregnantteenhelp.org, only one-third of teenage mothers complete high school and by the age of 30, only 1.5 percent have a college degree.  For more information on teen pregnancies and statistics click here.

Tom, Elizabeth, Madison & Jayden