As many in their community already know, Sarah and Sara have been working with an agency to adopt a baby for several years. They were elated when they received the call that they were selected as adoptive parents to a baby boy due in October 2025 and quickly began preparing for his arrival. They celebrated with friends and family and everyone rallied around them in their excitement for this next chapter in building their family.

Sadly, when the baby was born and without further explanation, the birth mother chose to terminate the adoption agreement and decided to keep the baby. They were heartbroken.

The adoption process is an emotional one but what isn't talked about as openly is the financial commitment involved in the process. Sarah and Sara had lawyers on retainer, were covering a variety of medical and living expenses for the birth mom to ensure she was safe and healthy throughout her pregnancy, they made modifications to their home, they toured daycares, restructured finances, and so much more.

Many people in their lives have reached out to offer support of many kinds and whether that has come in the form of providing meals, condolences, big hugs or a laugh when needed, we know it's all been instrumental in their healing process. While Sarah and Sara are still navigating the aftermath of this loss, we are starting a Go Fund Me for those who would like to contribute to helping them recover some of the tens of thousands of dollars that they've invested in this process.

With their permission, we are resharing something they've recently posted on social media below. So, if their adoption journey (or the power of adoption) speaks to you, and you would like to help them recover a portion of the financial loss they've realized, we hope you'll consider donating.

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We had waited years, battling health through navigating fertility complications and completing the invasive processes of adoption- interviews, references, fingerprints, classes, home checks, paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. We put all our energy, our money, and our hopes into expanding our family.

In June of this year, just when we were about to give up on our dreams of being moms, our social worker called us joyfully telling us we matched. Throughout the past months, we got ready. We told anyone in our lives who would listen, made a beautiful nursery, went to more parenting classes, read the baby books, got the support of our community, prepared for leave at work, packed the bags for Arizona, and researched everything to make sure we knew what we were about to embark.

This past weekend we learned that the birth mom who chose us to be parents- the same women who gave us so much hope throughout this process-had given birth without telling us and abruptly ended our agreement without explanation- ending our chances of becoming moms for this baby we already imagined a life with.

Today we continue grieving the loss of a baby in which the world never fully saw as ours. As we navigate this loss for ourselves, our families, and our community of friends, please give us grace. Losing a child you never had a chance to watch grow is confusing and so sad. We are learning that none of the parenting classes, the baby books, or the research could really prepare us for this grief and the loneliness this nursery holds. We are heartbroken.