ESP: What’s your secret to a successful and lasting marriage?
Melissa: I don’t know if there is one secret to marriage, but I believe it comes down to faith, commitment, communication, and choosing each other every day.
Marriage isn’t always easy, and there have been seasons when life has challenged us in ways we never expected. Through it all, we have learned the importance of giving each other grace, love and respect, listening to one another, and remembering that we are on the same team. Our faith has given us something to hold onto during difficult seasons and reminded us that marriage is a commitment, not just a feeling.
We have also learned to laugh together, celebrate the little things, and not take each other for granted.
ESP: How did your journey to becoming Micah’s mom shape the way you parent her?
Melissa: My journey to becoming Micah’s mom changed the way I look at parenting. From the very beginning, I knew she was a fighter. She was born three months premature at just 27 weeks and weighing only two pounds. From those first days in the NICU, I learned not to take any moment or milestone for granted.
Most importantly, becoming Micah’s mom taught me that sometimes a child simply needs someone who refuses to give up on them.
ESP: What does being an involved mom look like for you?
Melissa: Being an involved mom means being present—not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and in every area of my daughter’s life. For me, it means showing up for the big moments, but also for the ordinary ones that often become the most meaningful memories.
ESP: What is one piece of advice you’d give to other moms heading into senior year with their own children?
Melissa: My biggest piece of advice to other moms entering senior year is slow down and enjoy it! Take lots of pictures!
ESP: You work in Special Education and with the Rotary Youth Club. What do you love most about working with kids?
Melissa: What I love most about working with children is watching them discover that they are capable of more than they sometimes believe. Every child learns differently, and I have learned that sometimes the greatest impact we can make is simply believing in a child and giving them the encouragement and patience they need to grow.
Working in Special Education has been especially meaningful to me because I understand how important it is for children to have someone who sees their strengths instead of focusing only on their challenges. As Micah’s mother, I have experienced firsthand the difference that support, advocacy, and encouragement can make in a child’s life.
Through the Rotary Youth Club, I have also had the opportunity to work with younger children by helping with reading, homework, arts and crafts, and outdoor play. I love seeing their personalities develop and knowing that even small moments of encouragement can make them feel valued and confident.
I believe every child needs someone in their corner. That is what I love most about working with kids—the opportunity to be a positive influence during a time when they are learning not only about the world, but also about themselves.
ESP: As you enter this next chapter with Micah, what are you praying most for her and for yourself?
Melissa: As Micah enters this next chapter, I am praying most of all that she continues to trust God and believe in herself. I pray that she will have the courage to pursue her dreams, the wisdom to make good decisions, and the strength to keep going when life does not go as planned.
I also pray that God places good people in her life—people who will encourage her, challenge her, and genuinely care about the woman she is becoming.
Most importantly, I pray that she always knows how deeply she is loved and that she never forgets that she has a mother who will always be in her corner.
For myself, I am praying for the strength to let go while still being present. That is not always easy for a mother. I have spent her entire life protecting, advocating for, and guiding her. Now I have to trust the foundation we have built and allow her to spread her wings.
Rapid Fire:
- Early bird or night owl? Night Owl
- Planner or go-with-the-flow? PLANNER!
- Cook it or order it? Depends on the night of the week!
- Favorite family tradition in one word? Cruising
- One word Micah would use to describe you? Honest
Melissa Reed and her husband, Michael, are high school sweethearts and have been married for 21 years. Michael has worked in Customer Service for two decades, while Melissa works with the Special Education Department at Fairhope Middle School and teaches at the Rotary Youth Club. The couple are proud parents to one daughter, Micah (18), a senior in high school. As a family, they enjoy going on Carnival cruises. When she can, Melissa loves to bake cream cheese pound cakes and make red beans and rice for her family.
