Kat + Jo's Adoption Fund

Hi!  We are Kat + Jo Rodriguez .  We like to say we live in New Jersey but are New Yorkers :)   We have been together for 11 years, married for 5.   Like most couples, we had our goal plan -

Kat + Jo Goal Plan:
1. Get married.
2. Expand our family.
3. Buy a home.

In 2012 after being together for 6 years, we  were finally able to become legally married after NY State voted to recognize gay marriage.  This was a milestone we never thought would be possible in our lifetime.  Yay for us!!! Goal 1 - Check!

Goal 2, is the reason why we are here.  We have a daughter (Jo's biological child) which is now an adult and has started a family of her own.  For a couple of years we attempted IVF and IUI, but none were successful.  For anyone who has never gone thru the IUI/IVF  process - OMGosh this was the most emotional, physical and financial strain in our relationship.  After all of the meds (2 women on hormones at the same time - no bueno!), exhausting our savings and the emotional ups and downs the process caused we decided to shift our focus on buying a home.  After rebuilding some savings we were able to accomplish this goal in 2015. Goal 3 - Check!

So here we are.... married, with a home of our own and a loving dog Bailey...  but still something missing.  Our friends and family always ask "When will you girls have kids?"...it hits me (Kat) in the pit of my stomach everytime - sometimes I give the history ("I have scrambled eggs"), sometimes I say we love our lifestyle and a kid would restrict that (even though I don't mean it), or the truthful answer "we would like to  adopt but can't afford it YET". 

Jo and I have looked into adoption agencies.  On average, the cost of a domestic adoption is upwards of $40,000.  We don't get it, there are so many couples that want to be parents, and so many waiting kids and to think finances get in the way of matching the two is just mind boggling.  If not for my scrambled eggs... it would be free to have a newborn baby (just my deductible).  We both make decent incomes, however we do not have finanances available to pay all of the fees at this time.  

 We are at a point in our life where we are not getting any younger and if we are going to expand our family now is the time.  Adopting a child is Jo and I's greatest wish. We have a great support structure of  family and friends, plenty of other children around us for a child to bond with .  We ask for your help to help us achieve this goal in our lives.  We will be forever grateful in any assistance offered, thank you in advance for your help and support.

Kat + Jo