Hallmark's Jen Lilley Opens Up About Her Emotional Road to Motherhood

From Country Living

Jen Lilley is starring in the Hallmark Christmas movie Mingle All The Way, where she plays a tech founder who’s horrified when her own dating app matches her with a man whom she’s had several disastrous encounters. The pair decide to stick together for their holiday engagements for appearances’ sake, and—wouldn’t you know it—start to realize they may have a real connection.

In real life, the 34-year-old actress has been married to her husband Jason Wayne for more than a decade. Here’s everything you need to know about their sweet love story.

They’ve been together for 14 years.

Jen and Jason met in 2004, and married three years later on May 26, 2007. During an interview with Parade earlier this year, Jen made it clear that the couple are as much in love as ever. Asked whether her husband ever gets jealous because of her numerous male co-stars, she replied: “No, my husband Jason is the sweetest, kindest, most secure man I know. Jason knows he’s had my heart for over 14 years, and it’s his forever.”

Jason and Jen devote much of their time to charity work.

The couple are heavily involved with Childhelp, a charity that provides support, mentoring, and education to victims of child abuse. In an interview with Aleteia last year, Jen spoke about her passion for the charity, which helps, “children who have been so abused and neglected that the government renders them [unable to be rehabilitated]. They’re at their last stop before they go into Juvenile Hall. And I’m talking Juvenile Hall at eight years old.” She added that after receiving the right support and therapy, “these kids go on to become teachers and senators and amazing people.”

The couple are adopting a son.

Jen and Jason’s experience with Childhelp led them to a major personal decision: In 2016, Jen announced to her fans that they were preparing to welcome a foster child into their home.

“Not the world’s fastest pregnancy,” Jen explained on Twitter, “but I got my foster license tonight, and I’m picking up a four-month-old little man on Saturday.”

Jen has been open about the emotional journey of being a foster parent, and just last month she shared the news that she and her husband had finally been able to begin the process of adopting their son. “I have so much peace in my heart knowing that this time, when I come back, he won’t be my foster son, he’ll be my soon to be adopted son,” she wrote in a touching Instagram post. “Yes. We are officially on the road to adoption.”

Just days after that post, Jen confirmed in another emotional Instagram message that she and Jason were "cleared to start the official adoption paper signing!"

She continued, “Being mommy to this little boy for the past 2 years and some odd weeks has been the most wonderful and transformational experience of my life."

In the same post, Jen also revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage. “When it happened, I was devastated and felt so alone. I was 12 weeks along, just a week from telling my family, and beyond excited,” she wrote. She went on to thank her fans for their support, and to reaffirm her commitment to foster parenting and helping “these sweet innocent children I love with every drop of me but have zero say over their legal fate until adoption presents itself.”

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