High Hopes!

We are pretty excited for 2014!

Matt and I were talking about one word that described 2013 for us.

We came up with "perseverance." We thought it may sound a little dramatic, but it fits. We had lots of positive experiences in 2013 like vacations, making new memories with both sides of our families, and good health. But with the good, came the hard.

We were expecting to do IVF this month, like tomorrow actually. The billing department at our doctor in Utah said with all extra procedure costs, embryo freezing, etc, etc it was going to be about $4,500 more than what we budgeted and definitely couldn't afford. That was hard.

I have been researching like a mad woman different ways to get the word out about our adoption and to fundraise. This week, we created a profile with a company called "Adoptimist." It's a resource for birthmoms to help find adoptive couples like us. You can check out our cute profile here: https://www.adoptimist.com/adoption-parent-profile/7062

We are also signed on with an adoption advising company that takes our profile to pregnancy crisis centers, hospitals, adoption attorneys, and other agencies to help spread the word. Their average placement times are from 3-5 months which is really quick!

*Correction*

Our adoption fundraising page is:

                                                       www.adopttogether.org/thetaylors

All donations go directly to us, and the company does not take a percentage, which is way nice!

We are hoping we can raise at least half of the money for our adoption, and have the rest paid off by the time the baby is 5 ;) Jk.

We are hoping with these things going, we will get a baby soon! Please, please, please keep us in mind if you hear of anyone considering placing their baby for adoption. We are SO excited to be parents, and THIS will be the year our dream comes true. I just know it!

A friend of mine who is a social worker told me this advice which I have been literally clinging to each day, "You will be healed at the sight of your sweet baby."

This video is a testament to what my friend said. If you haven't seen it, it's truly amazing and very well done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLOgtobOWHQ

I love the part where the dad says, "Anytime I think of adoption, I think about my spiritual adoption--about how Jesus went to infinitely greater lengths to adopt me into the family of God. What a privilege it is to live out some of the truths of the Gospel."

When you think about adoption in this way, it doesn't seem so foreign. We are all here because Jesus Christ laid down his life for all of us to return to live with Him again.

Adoption connects us all.

And for now, we will persevere and keep smiling along the way. :)