BILLINGS — Haley and Jeff Morales have always wanted to be parents, but nature always got in the way.
After a long fertility journey, the two decided to choose surrogacy. Then, a miracle put them in an incredibly unique situation.
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The Billings couple have been together for 13 years and married for seven.
Both wanted to be parents, but the journey was easier said than done.
"Kids are just always something we talked about and wanted, for sure," Jeff said earlier this month.
"I did always want to have a family and raise my own kids," Haley said.
Throughout their marriage, Jeff and Haley experienced many events that prevented them from achieving their dream.
In 2020, Haley received news she was pregnant, but lost the baby shortly after due to an ectopic pregnancy.
The couple then began an IVF (in vitro fertilization) and IUI (intrauterine insemination) journey, resulting in another pregnancy in 2021.
Just a few weeks later, Haley suffered another ectopic pregnancy and lost one of her Fallopian tubes in the process.
After several months of IVF treatment, Haley had a successful pregnancy and birth in 2023. Because of the long journey to become pregnant, the two named the baby Journey Morales.
Journey Morales was born on June 22, 2023, and then died two days later on June 24, 2023.
"After we lost him, I was like, 'Okay, I'm done being pregnant. I'm not really enjoying this experience,'" Haley said earlier this month.
During her fertility journey, Haley's cousin, Taylor Kuntz, offered to be a surrogate.
Kuntz told MTN Friday she had two successful pregnancies and births and wanted to help the Morales family.
"Just, being able to help out someone I love, and help them grow their family with something they deserve and have been wanting (has been my favorite part)," Kuntz said.
About a year after Journey's birth, Kuntz became pregnant as a surrogate.
"I'm more than happy to do this and give them their baby," Kuntz said over a virtual interview.
Just a few days later, Haley found out she was also pregnant. She and her husband say it was a miracle and an unexpected surprise.
"It was a shock to be honest... With what had happened, and everyone telling us the likelihood of it actually happening was kind of a shock," Jeff said.
"(I was) terrified. I actually cried. I was not ready. I didn't think I was ready, you know, still trying to grieve the loss of my first child," Haley said.
The delivery dates for the two babies were only two days apart.
"It was weird at first. I didn't know how I felt. I was happy for them, but I was also taken aback. I didn't know what was going to work out," Kuntz said.
"I'd like to move on from the trauma we've had and make some new memories," Haley said.
Haley found out she was pregnant with a girl, and Kuntz found out she was pregnant with a boy. They refer to the babies as "miracle twiblings."
The Moraleses decided to name the babies Rome and Remi.
"The deal was if we could find an R name that was for a little girl, then I could have the name Rome for the boy," Jeff said.
Haley gave birth to Remi on Feb. 23. She said she will meet Kuntz about two weeks later for Rome's birth, which will be an induced labor.
"We didn't get a lot of (memories) with Journey, and he was tied up to a lot of machines and monitors, and stuff. So, just to have a totally different hospital experience is exciting to me," Haley said.
As the couple is entering this exciting life chapter, they hope to include Journey and inspire other parents going through fertility complications.
"Just support as much as you can. Be there. You know, tough times... are inevitable. There's good days, there's bad days. You just have to be there," Jeff said.
"Don't be silent. I have been very vocal about my whole infertility journey. I just have felt the need to share and be honest and open with people... Having somebody to talk to is really important," Haley said.
