For those of you who don’t know us or want to know a bit more, we are Kara and Chelbie! Kara is a Middle School Special Education Teacher and Chelbie is a Social Worker. We met in what can only be described as a real-life Parent Trap moment. In 2021, just as the world was beginning to open up again, a well-meaning coworker invited me (Kara) to dinner… and “accidentally” invited her sister-in-law, Chelbie. We never thought we’d get here. As two chronic pessimists, we never planned of dreaming for each other, let alone more. Taking a chance to dream is something neither of us has historically allowed ourselves to do very often. Dreaming opens the door to disappointment—and in this case, the possibility of immeasurable heartbreak. But here we are: dreaming, hoping, and asking. We have been trying to grow our family since July 2023. Along the way, we’ve faced a miscarriage, years of “no’s,” and the slow depletion of the savings we set aside for this dream. It’s been a journey of heartbreak, resilience, and love. Now, we’re working with a new fertility clinic that offers a promising treatment with a significantly higher success rate. We’ve managed to cover the cost of the procedure itself—$8,300—but we recently learned that the required fertility medications will cost an additional $5,000. We know times are tough. We know most families aren’t crowd-funded. But we also know that parents move mountains for their children — and if asking for help is our first mountain, we’re ready to climb it. If you’ve read this far, thank you. Your support — whether it’s a donation, a share, or a kind word — means the world to us. With love and hope, Kara and Chelbie