Help Joe & Mary Prepare for Preemie Twins

It’s been four years now since Joseph LeSage and his family moved to Northern Kentucky and, from the start, it has not been an easy journey. From having most of their earthly possessions stolen or misplaced by the moving company, to their new home needing far more extensive work than anyone realized, Joseph sustaining a broken ankle from a work accident and being out of work for 6 weeks, Mary suffered from Covid and needed Joseph home to care for the children-again causing him to miss work, the number of links in the long chain of life-lessons that this experience has been seem to be unending.

The home had hidden mold and structural problems, including old electrical needing replaced, windows rotting and needing replaced, porches needing rebuilt to make stable, the HVAC system was considered "newer" and broke. All problems were carefully concealed under the guise of “move-in ready” and the home's year "warranty" covered nothing. Money had to be spent on new furniture and appliances that had been lost and, though the house had potential to be a unique fixer-upper, it was far from a safe or healthy environment for their young child with another on the way. Friends and family chipped in to make temporary upgrades, hunt down and haul free furniture, temporarily house them while work was being done. You can imagine the maddening process all of these discoveries were and continue to be. They did attempt to back out of purchasing the house after realizing only some of the issues but the previous owners were prepared for this and threatened to sue if the buyers backed out. This left the young couple feeling like they were backed into a corner.

So, here they were hundreds of miles from his family and over a thousand from most of hers, thinking they had found a place where life would be more affordable for their family and finding no financial respite whatsoever.

Through all of these trials, their Catholic family has grown. Their oldest child is ready to start school, which will mean tuition and supplies should they provide a Catholic education. The only bathroom in the hose developed leaks and mold from old piping leaving them without a working bathroom for two months during spring of this year. The new addition to the family due this coming fall surprised them by being two new additions. Double the babies, double the love they say, but also double the cost. The twins will need more clothes and diapers than any of their previous siblings needed and may, because they are identical twins, have complications at birth that would keep them and their mother in the hospital. The other three children will need to be watched and cared for during this time and childcare certainly isn’t cheap. A hospital delivery and time spent there in recovery isn’t cheap. Any large family can tell you that financial difficulties present themselves even in best case scenarios with a lot of communal support and proper living conditions, but to add these trials to a situation that had already reached its breaking point has truly been a mental, emotional and financial burden that this loving family couldn’t have prepared for.

If you have experience in dealing with such financial or legal problems (referring to the home purchase debacle), your advice is more than welcome. Keep in mind that this family is one of practicing Catholics. This means that any addition to their family is welcomed as a Child of God, no matter the timing. They understand that this is a difficult concept to grasp, especially in our modern age, but please be considerate of their beliefs should you choose to reach out. Any and all financial help is truly appreciated, no matter how small the donation may be. The due date for their children is fast approaching so spreading the word swiftly, even if you personally are unable to donate, helps more than you know. Thank you for considering them in their need; your thoughts, prayers, time and any donation are much needed. May you be rewarded for your generosity!

Here is a link to their baby registry if you feel inclined to help in that way. https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/maryandjosephtwins-lesage-october-2024-florence/YHSK0NU5X7ZE

Thank you and God bless!