The couple met on October 5, 1997 at a picnic. They were married on June 12, 1999.
The Gosselins' desire to start a family was met with infertility. Kate underwent medical testing and was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. The couple turned to fertility treatments and immediately began intrauterine insemination. In February 2000, Kate became pregnant with twins. On October 8, 2000, Cara Nicole and Madelyn "Mady" Kate Gosselin were born, six minutes apart.
They began thinking of having another child and, according to Kate, a biracial infant of a teenage girl became available to adopt while Kate was an obstetrics nurse. They decided not to adopt the baby, but instead returned to fertility treatment. In October 2003, Kate became pregnant again. Five weeks later, (after being hospitalized for over-stimulated ovaries) at the initial ultrasound, the doctor announced that there were six sacs with seven yolks (embryos). According to Kate, this was emotional news for them. The doctor suggested selective reduction, but the couple was strongly against it.
The sextuplets were born on May 10, 2004 at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. All six children were delivered via a Caesarean section within a span of three minutes with more than fifty doctors, nurses, and other specialists involved. Since the sextuplets were born in Hershey, they were called "Hershey Kisses" by the nurses and doctors who delivered them. In late 2008, the family moved from their Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania home to a larger residence in Wernersville, Pennsylvania.
Twins - born October 8, 2000
In birth order:
* Cara Nicole
* Madelyn "Mady" Kate
Sextuplets - born May 10, 2004
In birth order:
* Alexis Faith
* Hannah Joy
* Aaden Jonathan
* Collin Thomas
* Leah Hope
* Joel Kevin
Jon & Kate Gosselin Divorced!
By Stephen M. Silverman
Update Friday December 18, 2009
It`s over: Having filed the papers in June, Jon and Kate Gosselin have received the judge`s signature to make official the finish of their 10-year marriage.
The divorce was announced midday Friday. Earlier that morning, a source close to the situation told PEOPLE that "the divorce papers are sitting on a desk, waiting to be signed."
"I am very relieved that our divorce has been finalized, and I look forward to the New Year, focusing on the children," Kate said in a statement. "On behalf of myself and my legal team, I want to express my deep appreciation to the Judge and his staff, as well as to the arbitrator, for resolving this case."
She added: "This has been a challenging transition for all of us, but I am confident that we will move ahead with the important task of restructuring our lives."