We are adopting a baby!
Thank you for visiting our site. As many of you know, we have been dreaming and praying for a child for many years. After two pregnancy losses, we drained our savings and retirement on several fertility treatments in attempt to get pregnant again. Finally we came to the realization that what we desired was not a pregnancy, but rather a child to call our own. It is no surprise that our journey has led us to adoption.
We always thought adoption was a beautiful way to create a family even before trying to conceive. Erin’s love for children that were not of her own “DNA” started at an early age. From babysitting on a small Navy base in Spain, taking care of her Dad's coworkers' children, entertaining kids as a Disney character, becoming a nanny in Los Angeles, to her current career as a teacher, hundreds of children have now personally touched her heart and helped mold her into the mother she is ready to be. Michael’s fondness and love for his niece, Olivia, and the desire to be a father means the world to him. He's already setting up the crib, painting and decorating the baby's "mid-century modern" room, and researching the most nerdy tech-savvy baby-cam out there. We are truly beyond excited and are doing everything we can to be prepared to welcome a beautiful new life into our home.
As part of our adoption process, we have started this crowdfunding campaign. AdoptTogether is a project of Hoping Hearts Foundation Inc, an IRS approved 501c3 organization and therefore is tax deductible. It may surprise you to hear that domestic adoption related costs can easily total up to $35,000 or more. This is why we have set a goal of $20,000 to help ease the financial burden that often overwhelms adoptive parents. After speaking to our adoption consultant and friends who have recently adopted, they suggested crowdfunding. They said their family and friends would have preferred the funds go directly toward the adoption and not to unnecessary trinkets. We are open to other fundraising suggestions or ideas. Selling homemade dog cookies, eBaying off our belongings, babysitting, tutoring, teaching Saturday School, and a yard sale are all in process.
As much as it is difficult and awkward to ever ask for money and show this kind of vulnerability, we hope you got a little glimpse of our journey and the importance and love this child already has in our lives. We hope that by inviting you into this process, you will see yourself as part of the community we hope to build around our child as he/she grows up. Any contribution is greatly appreciated from the bottom of our hearts and from our baby that is already growing in our hearts.
All our Love,
Michael and Erin ####
