Asking for help is not easy for us. We are usually the ones who try to figure things out, keep moving forward, and make things work. But this journey has taught us that sometimes it is okay to allow others to walk beside you. Our IVF story actually began years ago. After struggling to grow our family, we turned to IVF—and six years ago, IVF gave us one of the greatest gifts of our lives: our daughter, Amelia. Amelia is our IVF miracle. Every appointment, injection, procedure, worry, and sacrifice that came with that journey was worth it the moment she became part of our family. Today, she is the center of our world, and watching her grow has only made our hearts want one more child to love alongside her. We have always hoped that someday Amelia would have a little brother or sister. So we began the journey again. Unfortunately, this time the road has been much harder. We have experienced pregnancy loss, unsuccessful attempts, countless appointments, medications, procedures, waiting, hope, disappointment, and the emotional and physical toll that comes with fertility treatment. There have been moments of incredible hope and moments of heartbreak. And yet, we are still here. We are preparing to move forward with another IVF cycle because we want to give ourselves one more real chance at completing our family. Time is especially important in our situation, and we felt we couldn't afford to lose valuable months waiting until we had saved the entire cost of treatment. Our upcoming IVF treatment costs $33,550. Rather than give up on this opportunity, we made the incredibly difficult decision to borrow against our home through a home equity line of credit to pay for treatment. It was not a decision we made lightly. Taking on that debt allowed us to keep moving forward with IVF, but it also placed a significant financial burden on our family. That is why we created this fundraiser. Our goal is to raise $15,000 to help offset a portion of the IVF expenses we have financed. Every dollar raised will help reduce that burden and allow us to focus more of our energy on what matters most: giving our family one more chance. Writing that number—and asking other people for help reaching it—is incredibly difficult for us. We understand that everyone has their own families, responsibilities, and financial challenges. There is absolutely no expectation for anyone to donate. But if you are able to contribute, no amount is too small. Every donation helps carry a little bit of this journey with us. And if donating isn't possible, sharing our story, sending encouragement, or simply keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers means more than you know. We also understand that IVF does not guarantee another baby. We know that better now than we ever have before. But when we look at Amelia, we are reminded of why we are willing to try again. IVF gave us Amelia. And we are holding onto the hope that it might give us one more miracle. Our dream isn't about having a perfect story. It's simply about having the opportunity to try one more time—to hopefully give Amelia a sibling and welcome one more little person into our family. One more baby. One more little hand to hold. One more person for Amelia to grow up beside. One more chance to complete our family. Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Whether you donate, share our fundraiser, pray for us, or simply cheer us on from afar, thank you for being part of our journey. With all our love and gratitude, Sandy, Fidel & Family ❤️