We have BIG news!
We are adopting a child!
We are 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 a crowdfunding campaign. It may surprise you to hear that adoption related costs can easily total up to $35,000 or more. This is why we have set a goal of $35,000 to help ease the financial burden that often overwhelms adoptive parents.
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.
_ Backstory: _
Over the past year, my partner Jesse and I have tried to start a family on our own. The first time that we found out I was pregnant, the overwhelming joy was quickly shattered, as I sadly experienced a miscarriage. A few months later, we found out that I was pregnant again. This time around, everything was going smoothly. However, midway into my first trimester, I developed Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a very rare condition that some women can experience during pregnancy, which causes an extreme form of morning sickness that lasts all day and creates the permanent feeling of unbearable nausea. This condition causes the pregnancy to be high risk due to consistent dehydration and malnutrition, as one can barely keep down food and liquids, often losing a lot of weight as well.
I became so ill from Hyperemesis, spending countless nights in the hospital to receive IV fluids and nausea medication. None of the medication that I was prescribed to take helped, and I felt increasingly worse.
Ultimately, and unfortunately, I had to make the very difficult decision to not follow through with my pregnancy. I could not function; I could not eat, sleep, I could hardly walk, and could barely keep down fluids. The side effects from the slew of medications I was on, made me feel panicked, sick, and out of sorts in addition to what I was already feeling. I was a shell of myself, and because Hyperemesis can last for the entire nine months, I simply could not take the risk. I had to put my health and safety first. Together, Jesse and I realized that this had become too much. The joys of pregnancy were completely overshadowed by this traumatic experience.
Afterwards, while I physically felt better, I was left with sadness. Additionally, doctor’s informed me that because I had Hyperemesis during my first pregnancy, I would most likely get it again should we choose to try to conceive again down the line. For so long, all I have wanted is to be a mom, and now I had to come to terms with the fact that I physically cannot maintain a pregnancy. Despite having overall good health, my body simply is not designed for pregnancy, and although this initially was sad, there is always a silver lining.
In the blink of an eye, Jesse and I went from picking out nursery items to reevaluating what starting a family will look like for us.
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Through this experience, both myself and Jesse have come to realize that we are meant to adopt! I have always wanted to adopt, but wanted to try on my own first. There is always beauty that comes from tragedy, and we are excited to create a family in a way that feels completely right for us.
We so look forward to the day that we are able to unite with our child. Nothing would make us happier than to welcome a life into our home and our world, providing him or her with infinite love and happiness.
Any contribution helps us get that much closer to making our dream a reality.
