CM and I have each wanted to adopt or foster for almost as long as we can remember. After we were engaged I went to a few doctors about a rare disorder I have called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and I was told that I should not have children. Because of my specific set of symptoms the risk was described as a 25% mortality rate just during pregnancy, not including childbirth.
I feel this is important information to share first because some of my blogging will be about infertility and adoption issues. Second, we will be using both earned and fundraised dollars walk through the steps of building our family, and I feel the need to be open about use of any funds we might accrue through any fundraisers I might post.
Our first step in building our new old fashioned family will be on a permanent sterilization procedure. While we are extremely careful, nothing is careful enough when we’re looking at a one in four risk, so we decided to make permanent safety our number one priority. There’s no better way for me to be a good mother to the children I might receive than to do everything I can to ensure I’ll always be there for them. This step will not be paid for using any fundraised dollars.
Our second step will be adopting an infant either through using a surrogate mother and IVF, or through traditional adoption. Our third step (hopefully sometime laterJ) will be adopting a sibling group, because sibling groups are the least adopted demographic in the United States.
I am hopeful that others are understanding and supportive through our process. So far I have mostly run into overwhelming support and some unawareness, which I’m incredibly grateful for. It’s hard for couples choosing IVF or adoption because there is some stigma associated, but it’s such a painfully sensitive time for people to size up your priorities! I hope that you enjoy the ride with us, which will certainly be a wild one!
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The Lord heard our prayers and showed us His mercy and love by bringing about something amazing that now, on this side of the story, we can see that He was planning all along. God is so faithful and so good.
Introducing Baby S.
Our happy little boy was a summer baby, a blessing given to us by the Lord and by a wonderful woman who we are continuously blessed by. Baby S will be raised knowing both his adoptive and his natural families all as loving influences in his life.
