My name is Renee. My husband and I are newly married and have been trying to have a baby for over two years. As a very private person, I have not been ready to put our struggles out in the world. We have endured so much struggle and heartache. I am finally in a place where I feel like I shouldn’t hide behind the dark cloud of infertility anymore. We have tried everything under the sun- read the books, listened to podcasts, used all the natural remedies, cleaned up our diets, and transformed our home by removing all toxins. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s earlier this year, and have been working with multiple doctors to get my thyroid levels optimal for pregnancy. We have sadly never seen a positive pregnancy test. We have simultaneously been fighting a three year long (and ongoing) custody battle to get more time with his daughter. The system does not favor fathers, which has been stressful and emotionally draining to both of us. The lawyer fees and expenses have  eaten up all of our savings and any extra money we start to save. My husband is a veteran who served our country in the Air Force for 18 years. I have been a special needs teacher for the last 13 years. We do not have access to fertility coverage through our insurance. All fertility expenses would be out of pocket for us. We want so badly to extend our family. I want nothing more to carry my own baby and become a biological mother. I recently turned 39 and fear that our time to make it happen is only getting shorter. As the season of giving approaches, please consider helping our family grow. We wouldn’t ask if we had another option. Thank you in advance for supporting our dream. We are eternally grateful.