This woman's inspiring story of acceptance and unconditional love is what we all need to hear today

Amanda Jette Knox, the author of “Love Lives Here,” has an incredibly unique story when it comes to her family dynamic. Both her daughter and her wife are transgender and though the road to their happy family came with challenges, it also came with many important life lessons that they all are extremely thankful for.

CHOOSING LOVE OVER LABELS

Amanda’s daughter Alexis struggled with depression and anxiety growing up and had a hard time making friends. After trying to make use of numerous resources such as therapy, doctors and routine changes, nothing seemed to improve. Eventually, Alexis took an incredible leap of faith and act of courage by sending a coming out email to her parents. They found her sobbing under her covers and while it was painful to see her so hurt, they reassured her that they accept and love her for who she is no matter what.

Not too long later, Amanda's spouse found inspiration in her daughter's vulnerability and also came out as transgender. Though her spouse was hiding behind an identity that didn't fit for a long time, Amanda could see the unhappiness. She asked as many detailed questions as she could and eventually it was time to come to terms with the full truth. Despite the stereotypes that come along with being part of the LGTBQ+ community, Amanda was determined to be as supportive and accepting towards her family as possible. Deciding to stay in a same-sex marriage was a big milestone in her life that allowed her to come to terms with her authentic self as a lesbian.

STAYING RESILIENT

To anyone that has been told a loved one is transgender, Amanda encourages you to learn as much as you can by making use of community resources. She says that being supportive and following their needs is crucial. Amanda also stresses the importance of asking what pronoun and name they would like to use. It's important to ensure them that they can count on you no matter what. If you need a moment to gather yourself and process the information, doing it in a positive way will make all the difference! Rather than staying silent, Amanda says to thank the person for opening up and let them know that you need some time to sort through your emotions so that you can say the right thing.

LOVE GROWS

Imagine living a life not feeling or looking like your true self or having to justify your gender to those around you. Being judged, ridiculed and belittled is common for members of the LGTBQ+ community, which is why Amanda started a blog to share her knowledge and words of wisdom to encourage a more accepting society. While she and her family received a lot of support, they also had to deal with being misgendered and treated poorly. Rather than avoiding school events, Alexis decided to volunteer with a mom that was judgemental towards her. While Alexis couldn't fully change the mom's outlook, she was able to earn her respect by asking to be called with the appropriate pronoun and name. 

As Amanda beautifully puts it in her blog, "love grows." Not only did Amanda and her wife Zoe renew their vows, but their family and friends were there to support them and continue to do so along their journey.