Astonished…shocked…amazed!

Those are just some of the words that could accurately describe the love & support of our friends & family over this past year since we announced our plans to adopt.   

It was Mother’s Day weekend last year when we first let our news out of the bag and into the internet world of a blog and subsequent website.  We had grand dreams of getting our news out there, but deep down we were kinda flying by the seat of our pants and just hoping & praying.  Well here we are a year later and the numbers are astonishing!  The first number is 6,141.  That is the number of people that have viewed our blog.  Within the course of 1 year (365 days) that averages out to 16 views per day!  Our "approved" post (Nov 2013) surpassed our very first post (May 2013) by 117 views.  Evidence that…you all…our friends, family & readers…shared our news and got it in front of the eyes of many new people. 

Also back in November 2013 (6 months ago) we launched our website.  Since launching we have had 831 views which equals to an average of 4 views per day over that 6 month period.   

Since we are one year into this journey and clearly we have taken you all with us…we thought it appropriate to say thank you.  Thank you to the countless people who have generously shared our blog posts & website with their Facebook friends or via email.  Thank you everyone who has (and continues to) check in with us.  Knowing we have such a great group of supportive people in our corner cheering us on is tremendous!  Thank you!

 

Please continue to support us…by supporting others like us! 

Because truly…1 in 8 is someone you know!

If you do nothing else...Please share the link below on your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram page…or simply email it to friends & family you think may support this. 

http://familybuilding.resolve.org/site/TR/WalkofHope2014/WalkofHope?px=1617441&pg=personal&fr_id=1180 

Even a minor contribution will do!  We don’t see a dime from this.  This is NOT a fundraiser for us.  All the money contributed goes to RESOLVE to provide educational programs and provide support to more than 1.5 million women & men nationwide dealing with infertility.

RESOLVE To Know More & Walk for Hope!

This blog post is not going to be about our adoption journey or where we are in the process to (hopefully) bring a little one home and complete our family soon…instead this is going to go out to the millions affected each year with infertility.  Next week is National Infertility Awareness week (April 20-26).  National Infertility Awareness Week® (NIAW) is a movement that began in 1989. The goal of NIAW is to raise awareness about the disease of infertility and encourage the public to understand their reproductive health.  In 2010 National Infertility Awareness Week became a federally recognized health observance by the Department of Health and Human Services.

 

Infertility affects roughly 7.3 million people in the United States…or 1 in 8 couples. The chances that you know someone affected by infertility is HUGE. 

Only 15 states have passed laws requiring that insurance policies cover some level of infertility treatment. Virginia is NOT one of them.  Hence all testing & medical procedures relating to infertility must be paid at full price, out-of-pocket.  Offering a comprehensive infertility treatment benefit with appropriate utilization controls may actually reduce costs and improve outcomes by eliminating the inappropriate use of costly covered procedures and allowing specialists to use the most effective, efficient treatment for a specific type of infertility. 

Infertility has been the most painful thing that we have ever lived through (thus far).  And yet, it has also shown us how strong & resilient we truly are…not only as a couple but individually.

 

 

Which is why we have joined RESOLVE’s Walk for Hope!  Walk for Hope is being held in several locations across the country.  Funds raised from the Walk support local RESOLVE programming which includes support groups and educational events, public awareness initiatives, and advocacy efforts to ensure family building options are available for all!  We have pledged to participate in the June 21^st Walk for Hope in National Harbor, MD!  Please help me reach my fundraising goal by clicking here to view my personal page – look for the “Support Susan” button to make a fast & secure donation.  No gift is too big or small and ALL donations go directly to RESOLVE!  If you would like to walk with us...PLEASE DO!  It's free to participate!

Over the course of our public journey…many of you have mentioned how knowing of our situation has made you take stock in what you have.  That somehow we have helped you better endure the temper tantrums of your little ones, or the clutter they seem to leave behind in every room because you realize how lucky you are to have those little "toddler tornadoes".  Many have mentioned they don’t know what to say to someone dealing with infertility, or that our story has opened their eyes to the adoption process.  There are so many lessons to learn from struggling with infertility.  Infertility has taught me how to deal with disappointment and loss better by thinking and trying to remain positive, and by managing my expectations. 

I’ve learned a number of things that I’ll pass along to you in the event

you know someone struggling: 

Age doesn’t matter – Infertility can happen to anyone at any age.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, infertility does not discriminate! 

Emotional loss is worse than physical pain – Emotional pain is much worse than needles.  Black-and-blue bruises will eventually fade, but the longing in my heart will last forever.

 

You have to trust the process – Even if I didn’t fully understand it…ask questions!  No matter how ridiculous they may seem and you’ve got to put your faith in the team of experts that you have built around you. 

Don’t forget the men – Contrary to popular belief…Infertility is not a woman’s only issue; your male friends are most likely grieving silently.  Don’t push them, but it is important for them to know you are there. 

 

Communication is everything – This is a difficult time for a couple and some marriages cannot withstand infertility.  Talk through every single concern you have with your spouse and listen and respect each other’s different ways of handling disappointment, decisions about next steps, finances, how much you share with family and friends, etc.  You need each other during this time, more than ever! 

Mother’s Day & Father’s Day – Hands down the HARDEST day of the year for people battling infertility.  With all the activity on these holidays, people tend to forget about those who cannot become mothers and fathers.  Please keep in mind…there is a distinct difference in choosing to not have children than never being given that choice.  Remember those that you know are dealing with infertility on this holiday, trust me, they will appreciate knowing that you haven’t forgotten about them. 

Lean on friends that support your decision to stop treatment – No couple can endure infertility treatments forever.  At some point, they will stop.  This is an agonizing decision to make, and it involves even more grief.  What I’ve come to realize, is that infertility is like mourning a death…you’ve basically spent most of your life imagining your life as a “traditional” mommy or daddy.  This includes the exciting announcement to your friends, family and spouse that you are pregnant.  This includes identifying the characteristics of your child that resemble you or your spouse.  When you find out that you will not be able to have children in the typical fashion, this dream shatters…it dies and you grieve deeply.  Imagine losing a loved one and no one ever asks you if you are okay.  This is what many friends and family members do to people with infertility.  The silence is deafening and changes you and your relationship with those people forever. 

Please act interested – Now this is just my personal opinion, but something that doesn’t help is when people who know of your infertility NEVER ask how things are going or mention it at all…like it’s taboo or something.  You’re scared to ask questions for fear we cry or it brings up bad memories…we get it…we are just as scared of silence (or lack of interest).  Some women (especially ones with babies) actually seem to avoid you when you struggle/can’t have children of your own.  I’m not sure if they feel uncomfortable or if they think we can’t handle seeing them happy? 

Which brings me to another point…Let them know about your pregnancy.  Be mindful and deliver the news in a way that lets them handle their initial reaction privately – email is best.  A true friend will be over-the-moon excited for you, but may just need a little time to get her emotions in check.  Give her the courtesy of that time.  You’ll have tons of other people doating over you in the meantime.

 

Think before you speak – I have had people (surely without thinking) say things like, “That’s sad, I’ve been told by my family if I just stand next to a guy I can get pregnant” or those with kids say “It's just easier to hang out with people that have kids already.”  I realize these people aren’t intending to be hurtful, but they have no idea what lonely and painful experience infertility is.  Also, many people want to tell you stories of couples who have experienced a miracle despite a diagnosis of infertility.  Oddly, this makes you feel worse because the more stories you hear like these, yet still no pregnancy for you, you start to feel even more discouraged.   

What it boils down to is this: I know the above sounds like there are so many things NOT to say so it may seem easier to just not say anything at all.  But join us on the harder road and trust that we’ll ask you for advice, suggestions, etc. when we’re ready.  Until then, just ask us how we are doing, let us vent & cry.  We constantly hear parents complain about the struggles they have with their children, please allow us to express the struggles of NOT having children.  If you know someone dealing with infertility...reach out to them this week.  If you aren't sure, just be there for them.  Your presence (and general interest) will mean more than words.

 



 

Hanging in & onto hope!

Whoa!  Cannot believe it has been so long since our last blog post!  We have been busy working on continuing to get our information out there.  Thus far...we've mailed our fliers/postcards & business cards to over 250 departments/agencies, homes and shelters all along the east coast.  Many, many more to go...trust me that is only the tip of the ice burg!  We are also working on a dedicated Facebook page and new YouTube video that we hope to have done within the next few weeks.  We have had a few adoption leads that unfortunately have fallen through...but are so thankful for the experience and education that we have gained from them.  Everything happens for a reason and we truly feel that those babies were not meant for us.

Thank you to all our close friends & family that continue to think about us and check in with us along this journey.  Your support has been invaluable and does not go unnoticed! 

As we have said on numerous occasions...we have learned a lot these past few years.  You can't go through big challenges without it changing you.  When big challenges of any sort arise, when something or everything is on the line (it strangely doesn't seem to matter whether its infertility, adoption, a perplexing developmental challenge with a child, or illness) what most people do is panic.  Then fall into some version of victim mode: "Why me? Why not her? What did I do wrong?  Why is my life so hard?  What if it doesn't work out?"  Hopelessness, despair, freaking out, temper tantrums, getting mad at your spouse, etc...Believe me, I've done them all and then some.

I recently stumbled across a blog from someone who has successfully adopted 4 children and talked about her epiphany that I think...we are finally getting to.  This is what she said:

During my four adoptions, I was way too busy stressing out and worrying that I'd never become a mother to notice...When you've had your fill of panic and despair...when you've completely moaned and screamed yourself out...when you're so bored with your own sad story you can't listen to it one more time..That's when, if you're lucky, it slowly starts to dawn on you that there may in fact be something WAY bigger going on here.  You start to glimpse this kind of ass backwards, elephant-in-the living room opportunity sitting there quietly waiting for you to notice it in the midst of the gooey mess of your life.  I've interviewed and worked with hundreds of women who adopt and I'm here to tell you, most women who adopt never get beyond the panic mode.

But if you're reading this then you are probably not the average mom or mom-to-be.  And you may or may not have already started to figure it out for yourself: No woman comes fully prepared to be the mother her children need her to be.  We are made or broken in crisis.  It's not the easy times or the smooth times that set the course of our lives.  We are defined and shaped by uncertain times.  The kind of life we are going to have.  The kind of mothers and women we are going to be for the children we may or may not even have met yet.  People talk a lot about the pain of childbirth.  But becoming the mother you were meant to be...happens on so many other deeper levels.  And it isn't always pretty.

Below are the lessons I want to share with you from my journey to the uncharted wild lands of radical & rapid personal transformation.  Here are my three steps to handle setbacks and challenges with authenticity and presence instead of panic & victim hood:

1. Do it differently.  When challenges arise, ask yourself what most people would be doing in your situation.  Then do it differently.  If you want an extraordinary life, then don't follow the pack.  Give yourself permission to put yourself first, take the time to tune in, and screw what it looks like from the outside.  If you want to bring home your child by the end of 2014, in the current climate of adoption, you're going to need to make some fierce & creative choices.  The pack mentality will never help you in adoption.  If you haven't noticed, the women who adopt successfully and quickly often seem to be the exception to the rule.  Just breathing and giving yourself permission to do it your way is something 99% of women who adopt don't ever think of doing.
2. This is your moment!  Recognize through the tears and frustration: This is your moment.  Everything in your life has been leading up to your facing down this challenge.  It sounds so simple, but just noticing 'whoa! I'm having a big life defining moment here!' can pull you out of panic and victim mode and give you the awareness to turn fear into power.
3. Surrender to the wisdom of uncertainty.  There is nothing scarier than uncertainty.  We women don't like to feel out of control.  We like to feel competent.  But sometimes, like when you're doing something crazy difficult like adoption, you have to admit you don't have all the answers.  But if you can kind of be okay with the fact that yes; your life is never going to be the same (or like everyone elses).  YOU are never going to be the same.  And maybe it will work out the way you want and maybe it won't.  And maybe this is not what you planned.  When you stop holding so tight to your dreams & desires, you actually allow yourself to become bigger than you were before.  Because your past no longer defines you.  You open to new possibilities.  That's when cool things start to happen.

We know we have a long way to go still, but we feel that we are on to something bigger than ourselves...bigger than our family & friends and although scary...we are excited in the transformation our lives are leading us.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your support!  We will update soon with new information.

We're in the newspaper!

We are so excited (and blessed) that through the work of a select few of you…we were able to get our journey and story into the hands of a Virginian-Pilot freelance reporter.  She reviewed our blog and website and decided this was a story that she wanted to explore & help us promote, so she called & set up an interview with us!  Here is a link to the article if you would like read it:    

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/01/portsmouth-couple-trying-direct-route-adoption

As to what was eluded to in the article, we have had to learn a true life lesson of letting go.  We have had to let go of the idea of ever having a biological child…with my nose and Travis’s eyes, of having familiar pregnancy stories that close friends and family can easily relate to, etc.  The unfortunate (or fortunate) part of this experience is we have realized a greater meaning of true friendship.  Friendship is not just surrounding yourself with those who are experiencing a similar life event (i.e. having a child, children), but actually wanting to, and making the time to be there for those going through all types of experiences…even those you don’t feel comfortable with (i.e. our adoption, a friends divorce, family illness, etc.).  I whole-heartedly believe that everyone we meet, we meet for a reason.  We have encountered specific people in our lives that have truly and unselfishly been a rock of support for us over the last few days, weeks and months.  Many of you we haven’t laid eyes on in years…but through the wonders of social media, we have been able to connect/reconnect.  We have childhood/high school friends who remain wonderful supportive friends (those we talk to daily/often), we have friends that now appear to be too busy with their personal life responsibilities to inquire much, or for some reason don't feel comfortable doing so, and finally friends who have literally turned their back on us, and thus we’ve lost touch with completely.  There’s a quote that goes something like, “People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime,” which really resonates with us right now.

 

 

We always knew in our hearts, friendships come and go.  It’s just a simple fact of life.  But instead of dwelling on the pain of saying goodbye to a friendship, we look at it as a chapter that was filled with many memories and now life lessons that will forever live with us.  Sometimes we are welcomed by friendships that just aren’t meant to last forever, but are meant to teach us and help us grow on this journey.

 

 Life is mysterious and friendships (beginning, middle & ending) are just another addition to our journey.  Through the ups and downs we must appreciate it, for it’s all part of who we are today.  Not one of us goes through life experiencing perfect relationships; in fact, the only way to uncover life’s treasures is to experience them!

So to those of you who have been and remain a constant in our lives…THANK YOU!  Your friendship & support mean more to us than any perfectly chosen words could adequately describe.  To those who we have grown apart…we wish you best wishes and perhaps one day our paths will cross again!  But regardless of which side you find yourselves…we remain grateful for the memories & lessons we have learned through you & because of you!  Happy 2014!

 

 



As always, please keep us in mind and feel free to share our story via any means necessary.   Sharing our story, even by just a simple click on Facebook (liking, commenting or sharing) could connect two dots that might not have been able to find each other without your guidance.  So please…click away!

 

 

Website: www.anadoptionoption.com

Blog: www.patientlywaitingforourslice.blogspot.com

Email: susan_and_travis@yahoo.com

 

 

Approved!!

We are happy to announce…

OUR HOMESTUDY HAS BEEN APPROVED!  As I mentioned in this post…I was hoping to get it done in record time, but that was totally too ambitious.  But…it feels GREAT!  It is a huge weight lifted off our shoulders and now we can finally concentrate on what’s important…building our future family!

But this is the time when we need your help the MOST!  As we have said before…we are NOT listed/working with an adoption agency.  Let me say that again: WE ARE NOT WORKING WITH AN ADOPTION AGENCY.  What this means is…the advertising and spreading-the-word that we are looking to adopt...that responsibility falls entirely on us.  Although it might seem like the hard way…we chose this particular route because it made the most sense to us and allowed us to feel like we were finally in the driver’s seat of our future, for once!  After wanting a child so badly for 6+ years, we couldn’t sit idly by year after year waiting & hoping our adoption profile would be viewed and subsequently chosen by a birthmother using that particular agency.  We want to be doing something that feels like we are moving forward.  That is why we have retained an adoption lawyer and established a working relationship with a state social worker (also who helped us through our home study process). 

This is what we need your help with:

TELL PEOPLE ABOUT US!  Spread the word that you know this couple (umm...US!) that is looking to adopt.  Feel free to share via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), or simply shout it from a roof top!  We are not shy or afraid to have our story out there…it’s kinda the whole idea!  Gone are the days of adoption being a taboo subject.  We are excited and thrilled about it!  The more people we are able to get our message to, the more possibilities we may have to find that path to our potential future child.  You could very well play a vital role in our future family...and not even know it!  Even if you think you don't know someone looking to adoption...a friend of a friend, might!  Please share our story!

I want to help, but…HOW? 

Well, we’ve tried to make it easy…We are excited to launch our very own website!

www.anadoptionoption.com

This website will be the “go-to” place to send people, should you hear of anyone considering adoption for their unborn child.  This website is chock full of information on us, our home, our family and our beliefs.  It is a place that you can feel comfortable sending someone contemplating adoption and know that they are going to get the full story of Travis & I and our long journey that led us to adoption.  The pressure to explain us and our story is off of you…you can let the website tell the story!

 

In addition to the website we have postcards (a.k.a. “touch cards”) and flyers that we would like to distribute anywhere and everywhere that is allowable.  Flyers can be posted on bulletin boards at grocery stores, colleges/universities, military bases, doctor offices and the like…and postcards can be placed beside cash registers at local businesses such as your favorite coffee shop, hair salon or restaurant.  The information on both directs them to our website.  Again, this is where we need the help of friends/family/readers like you!    If you know of places and can gain their approval…please help us spread the word!  We can adopt across state lines (legally with our lawyer) so even if you are in another state, and would like to help us, let me know.  I have tons printed and can easily have more printed, if needed.  If you would like some please email me at susan_and_travis@yahoo.com with your mailing address and I will pop some in the mail to you to distribute as you see fit.

So…Wait…is this legal? 

Yes!  Totally! 

What’s the legal process?? 

Once a potential birthmother is interested, we put her in touch with our social worker so that she is informed of ALL of her rights & options (yes, even those that may not include us and may include self-parenting) and then she is helped through whichever process she chooses.  If that potential birthmother doesn’t want to self-parent and wants to continue to move forward with an adoption process, then our lawyer is called in and they discuss her legal options further and a potential birth plan (that includes us…YIPPIE!) is introduced & put into motion.  We feel this process protects us AND the birthmother.  It allows our lawyer & social worker to vet the person and their commitment to parent or adopt and then help them AND us navigate the legal waters that lie ahead.

I know we have said in the past and on numerous occasions the outpouring of support from our friends, family, coworkers and even complete strangers has been overwhelming & quite humbling…and believe me; we hate to have to continue to call on you for further needs and support.  However, all it takes is a little effort to share our story (via the website) and it will truly mean the world to us.  We have tried to be mindful NOT to post too often to our blog or fill your Facebook news feeds with too much in relation to our saga, and we will continue to do so.  Life does go on and we realize there are so many other important life events to celebrate and honor!  We hope, as we celebrate with you on your family's births, graduations, marriages, promotions and life changes that you, in return, help & celebrate with us, on ours!

Thanks again for all the love & support!

Susan & Travis

The home stretch?

Where we are now: in the home stretch…well sort of!

Over 90% of our home study paperwork has been completed and submitted and we have had 2 successful in-home visits from our social worker.  We have one more to go because the state mandates that it needs to be 3 face-to-face visits.  Our wonderful (and very supportive) social worker said we could have completed it all in just 2 visits…since my husband & I are talkers (go figure!)…but the state mandates that we have to have 3.  So the third and final visit will be a nice chat over coffee at a local coffee shop!

While this seems like a huge step…we realize that we have really just dipped a toe in the gigantic pool that is the adoption process.  As we have stated before…the home study is just the first step.  Once we are “approved”…meaning we, our home and literally everything in our background has been deemed acceptable to raise a potential child…we start to self-promote and continue to call on you fine folks to keep us in mind if you hear of someone thinking of adoption. 

However, through our short journey down this road, both Travis & I have reflected back on how we chose this path and what/who led us to it.  So many people urged us to adopt, saying…”why don’t you just adopt?”  As if it was an easier alternative.  Heck, we even said it ourselves a few times!  We said “once we have exhausted everything we can handle with fertility treatments – we will adopt”…as if to imply…we’ll be done with the hard stuff.  We had no idea, and really, why should we?  We didn’t really know anyone who had adopted or had been adopted…or so we thought…

Disclaimer: I thought I would take this time to enlighten our readers on some of the myths/thoughts about what we have experienced thus far in this process.  If this doesn’t interest you…feel free to stop reading now…absolutely no hard feelings.  However, if you want to know a little more about the process either because you, yourself were curious or want to be understanding or supportive of someone you know going through the process…read on, my friend.

First off, I would like to clarify…I am totally NOT complaining….I am astonished at what the process entails.  I am astonished, and quite frankly A-M-A-Z-E-D at the hoops and boundaries jumped & crossed by adoptive parents-to-be.  If you want a true testament of a loving parent…look into the face of someone that has adopted….and then look at that child…that child is loved beyond belief…many times because they had multiple people love and care enough for them to give them the best possible life imaginable. 

Although the paperwork process is grueling and intense…no stone left unturned and no skeletons in the closet...I can see the purpose in it.  For instance, we have had to explore our thoughts and beliefs of things (like parenting techniques) that maybe we wouldn’t have done prior to having a child the conventional way.  So many things & plans are in place now because of this process that I KNOW would not have been done otherwise.  Things like: a well thought out & written fire emergency plan that includes a working fire extinguisher and a fire ladder from the 2^nd floor story window to the ground, evacuation plans (that includes a “go” bag) and where we would go in the event of a community evacuation, selecting doctors for EVERYTHING…and by everything, I mean: pediatrician, mental health doctor, speech therapy doctor, physical therapy doctor, neuro-psychologist, etc.

Travis & I have said numerous times over the past few months that we feel we are finally in the right place.  All the crap (and yes, I mean crap…to refresh, refer to this post) that lead us to this decision had to happen.  The stars have seemed to finally aligned and are leading us down this path.  Over the past few months we have met many people that have adopted and are delighted to share their (very successful) story…which is important while going through this process because unfortunately you really only hear about the unsuccessful ones.  And we cannot keep count of the number of people that after hearing our news, have told us they, themselves are adopted.  From people we've just met to wonderful neighbors we've known for years.  It is truly heartwarming and further strengthens our determination that we are heading in the right direction. 

If you made it all the way to the end of this very long post…thank you & congratulate yourself…it was a long-winded one!  But more importantly, thank you for your continued support!  It means more than you will ever know!

XOXO

-Susan & Travis

A small victory!

Two months and 5 days ago (but who's counting?) we received our instructions for beginning our Home Study.  After two months of gathering papers and signing documents, we finally mailed (almost) everything off today.  We still have some educational classes to take, which we will receive a certificate of completion and our FBI background checks to go.  Once our information is reviewed we can get a Social Worker out to our house for interviews and get this Home Study done!  This whole paper chasing and Home Study process is predicted to last approximately 4-6 months.

 And so here we are:

2 months and 5 days into it.

So if you're curious here's what we mailed off today:

Individual 4-page biographies

Adult Physical Exams

Duty of Candor

Accuracy Statement

Guardianship Statement

Reference Forms & Contact Information (BIG thanks to those we have asked to be references!)

Residential History

Reading Agreement

Home Study Agreement

Home Study Agency Agreement

Home Study Post-Placement Agreement

Consent to exchange Info for Employer, Doctors, VA Registar, and References

Financial Statement

Statement of Monthly Expenses

Education History of Adoptive Parents

Work History of Adoptive Parents

Sworn Disclosure Statements

Photocopies of the following:

Birth Certificates of all household members

Marriage License

Employment Verification Letter

Copy of Driver Licenses

Copy of Medical Insurance Cards

Most Recent Tax Forms

Copy of Social Security Cards

Copy of most 2 recent pay stubs

Copy of Life Insurance Policies

Copy of Automobile Insurance Policies

Copy of Pet records (yes, even Beamer has to reach clearance status!)

So that's what we've been doing for the last two months. My original goal was to do it all at record speed and get it done in 2 weeks. Ha! Then my goal was 3 weeks, then 1 month. And well…here we are!

It feels incredibly good to have all that in the mail.  The last few days…Travis and I turn to each other and give a look like, "I can't believe we finally completed that!"

It. Feels. So. Good.

So good in fact…we are treating ourselves to a little time away…just the two of us!  Yippee!

Our mini vacay will start…ironically…where it all started for Travis & I…A Dave Matthews Concert.  We have always loved DMB and have followed him around to numerous shows over the years…NC, VA, NYC, DC.  8 years ago, Travis almost proposed to me at a Dave show…but he got too excited and couldn’t wait so he popped the question the night before....and the rest is history! 

After the show we will head to Cape Hatteras for a few days for some fun in the sun!  Can’t wait!

Thank you to those reading this blog post and following our story.  Please share our story and let anyone & everyone know that we have not given up on our dream to have a family and would love the assistance of our friends & family to help us spread the word, share stories, offer comfort and one day celebrate with us as we bring a little one home.  It has been a long road, but we are confident there is a reason for everything!  Feel free to share our story with others that may be struggling with their own fertility issues and/or those contemplating the toughest decision of their lives...allowing their child to be loved & cared for by an adoptive family.

Contact us anytime at susan_and_travis@yahoo.com