A few months after we got married we went out for dinner while visiting family, to Cracker Barrel, don't judge, the mac n cheese is just like my mom's! While wandering through the store aftwerwards we came across this little plaque with the quote Difficult Roads Often Lead to Beautiful Destinations, I had the overwhelming urge to buy it. Shortly thereafter it went up on our wall. Little did we know that the difficult road we would be starting on was infertility and the beautiful destination it would eventually lead us to was embryo adoption.

We have tried multiple IUI's, been through a slew of tests, weathered COVID and the passing of my father and we finally come to the conclussion that while we would love to have biological children, there are embryos out there in the world that need a womb, need a home, and a family to love them. So, after much thought and prayer, many conversations and research we came to Embryo Soulutions. We are thankful for this time of waiting, while it has been extremely difficult it has given us space in our relationship to figure out how to love each other well and how to have difficult conversations in a healthy and productive way. We are by no means perfect, so if you're looking for a perfect family I can tell you we are not it. What we are, is an authentic, loving, fun, sometimes quirky couple that enjoys drinking coffee in front of the fireplace on a snowy Sat morning, dancing in the kitchen to our favorite song, supporting and loving our friends and family in difficult times, traveling internationally, going on road trips, hiking in the mountain, and shopping at Costco together. In the summer we fish, kayak, and explore the outdoors. In the winter we spend a lot of time visiting friends and family, go cut down our Christmas tree in the woods whenever we can, and take snowy walks through the forest. I am a part-time pediatric nurse as well as a wedding photographer because I like to balance out my science and artistic sides. My husband is a food and beverage manager at a lodge, summers are busier so we stay closer to home and then travel more in the winter. We are provided a small house through his work with room for us and the couple kids we will hopefully have someday soon.

We have learned that holding on too tightly to the expectations of what life was "supposed" to be like robs the joy out of the beautiul moments of truth and beauty we have. Grief has given us a different insight into comfort and love. What I would say is, it hasn't always been easy, this journey we have been on, but it has been worth it. The relatiosnhip we have built through the trials and tears has been so much better than I ever expected, we desperately want a child, and feel a deep void in our lives from not being able to have one. I have always wanted to carry a baby, and nurture that growing life inside me. However, whether or not we ever get the opportunity to have a child we would still choose each other again and again because we have learned how to love each other well in every season.