Gee Family Adoption Fundraiser
Donation protected
Hello, We are Brandon and Marianne! (By Marianne)
Thank you for taking the time to read the story of how we decided to grow our family through the beautiful gift of adoption. Our journey began six years ago when we decided we wanted to be parents, but faced the struggles of conceiving. We navigated through many winding roads and weathered the storms of doubt and fear due to unsuccessful IVFs, but never gave up. Through it all, we looked forward and upwards, trusting God and His provision for growing our family.
We're “Ready"
In May 2013 Brandon and I decided we were ready to start a family. At first we were filled with jitters and excitement, but as time passed those feelings faded and turned into anxiousness. Our friends were announcing pregnancies left and right, so it was only a matter of time for us, right? Six months passed -- nothing. Nine months passed -- still nothing. Yes, we both knew that it wouldn’t happen right away, but we also didn’t think it would take SO LONG…
Or Maybe Not…
After the one year mark, I made my first appointment with a fertility specialist. After several doctors appointments, blood tests, and procedures, it was confirmed -- I was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve. In other words, I was lacking in the egg department. "I’m only 31, how is this possible?!" I was beside myself with confusion and sadness. But with Brandon’s emotional support, we pushed forward and spent the next four years trying different fertility treatments.
IV -- F(ail)
Pardon the humor. But as the title implies, the in vitro fertility (IVF) treatments were unsuccessful. We tried 2.5 rounds of IVF and each resulted in devastation and further heartbreak. Had it not been for our faith, we would not have survived the exhausting and very emotional rollercoaster. The process is intense and not for the faint of heart. The hardest part was grieving over the loss of our hopes and dreams of me being able to carry our own child, a child that would look like me or Brandon.
With every failure we would cry and grieve for days. Then after months of healing and saving, we would ask ourselves… "Should we try again?"
The Decision
Most IVF stories you hear about are the couples who went through the hard times but had a happy ending; they had a beautiful baby to make it all worth it. We held onto this hope which is why we kept trying. But while some couples choose to keep going regardless, Brandon and I were faced with an emotional and financial decision--How much more could our hearts handle? Let alone how many more times could we afford this?
The Door Closing
Fall 2017. We firmly decided to not move forward with any more IVF treatments which meant the door for us to have our own biological child was closing. This was something that was very painful for both of us to accept, but at the end of the day we gave every option and treatment a honest good try -- we had no regrets. There was peace and closure knowing we had tried every method available to us.
A Desire to be Parents
With the strong desire to still be parents, we spent the next few months researching adoption. We contacted adoption agencies and attorneys, read books, listened to podcasts, and reached out to other adoptive families. What began as a spark would soon fan into a flame. With every resource, our hearts would tug and lead us closer to understanding God’s design for adoption. The show “This is Us” also resonated with us as it opened our eyes about the joys and struggles of adoption. Every week I would sob uncontrollably just thinking about what it would mean to adopt and thought "If Jack and Rebecca can do it, so can we!" (haha, if only, right?).
God continued to leave us in a state of uncertainty, and it wasn’t until we fully committed to adoption when we felt peace at last. We still have so many questions and fears but we know that our faith will guide us through this journey.
We’re officially “ACTIVE”
As of September 2018, we are “active” in pursuing an open domestic infant adoption through Adopthelp. This means we are waiting to be matched with a birthmother. “How long will it take?” The waiting period can take up to a few years so in the meantime, we continue to ask God to use this time to grow our faith in Him. We are praying that He stretches us beyond our comfort zones, trusting that He will bring us a child at the right time.
Ways to Support: Special Requests from the Heart
What we desire the most is for you to walk beside us in prayer through this adoption journey:
:: Prayer Requests ::
- Pray for the birth parents - for the birth mother’s health, safety, and emotional stability.
- Pray for the health and protection of the child.
- Pray for the Lord to heal and soften our hearts so that we are prepared to love the child God places us with.
- Pray for God’s wisdom, peace, and patience during the process.
If you feel led to help through other avenues besides prayer, we have set up an artwork fundraiser (featuring Marianne’s original artwork) and this GoFundMe page to help with some of the adoption costs:
Artwork Fundraiser : includes original artwork specifically created for our adoption fund.
Jewelry Fundraiser : Our friend, Megan of SaltRose Jewelry, has designed a pair of earrings called "Marianne". 100% of proceeds from the sales will go towards the Gee Family Adoption.
We thank you wholeheartedly for your support and for joining us in this journey!
Love,
Brandon and Marianne
**for updates and prayer requests visit our website Gee Family Adoption
Thank you for taking the time to read the story of how we decided to grow our family through the beautiful gift of adoption. Our journey began six years ago when we decided we wanted to be parents, but faced the struggles of conceiving. We navigated through many winding roads and weathered the storms of doubt and fear due to unsuccessful IVFs, but never gave up. Through it all, we looked forward and upwards, trusting God and His provision for growing our family.
We're “Ready"
In May 2013 Brandon and I decided we were ready to start a family. At first we were filled with jitters and excitement, but as time passed those feelings faded and turned into anxiousness. Our friends were announcing pregnancies left and right, so it was only a matter of time for us, right? Six months passed -- nothing. Nine months passed -- still nothing. Yes, we both knew that it wouldn’t happen right away, but we also didn’t think it would take SO LONG…
Or Maybe Not…
After the one year mark, I made my first appointment with a fertility specialist. After several doctors appointments, blood tests, and procedures, it was confirmed -- I was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve. In other words, I was lacking in the egg department. "I’m only 31, how is this possible?!" I was beside myself with confusion and sadness. But with Brandon’s emotional support, we pushed forward and spent the next four years trying different fertility treatments.
IV -- F(ail)
Pardon the humor. But as the title implies, the in vitro fertility (IVF) treatments were unsuccessful. We tried 2.5 rounds of IVF and each resulted in devastation and further heartbreak. Had it not been for our faith, we would not have survived the exhausting and very emotional rollercoaster. The process is intense and not for the faint of heart. The hardest part was grieving over the loss of our hopes and dreams of me being able to carry our own child, a child that would look like me or Brandon.
With every failure we would cry and grieve for days. Then after months of healing and saving, we would ask ourselves… "Should we try again?"
The Decision
Most IVF stories you hear about are the couples who went through the hard times but had a happy ending; they had a beautiful baby to make it all worth it. We held onto this hope which is why we kept trying. But while some couples choose to keep going regardless, Brandon and I were faced with an emotional and financial decision--How much more could our hearts handle? Let alone how many more times could we afford this?
The Door Closing
Fall 2017. We firmly decided to not move forward with any more IVF treatments which meant the door for us to have our own biological child was closing. This was something that was very painful for both of us to accept, but at the end of the day we gave every option and treatment a honest good try -- we had no regrets. There was peace and closure knowing we had tried every method available to us.
A Desire to be Parents
With the strong desire to still be parents, we spent the next few months researching adoption. We contacted adoption agencies and attorneys, read books, listened to podcasts, and reached out to other adoptive families. What began as a spark would soon fan into a flame. With every resource, our hearts would tug and lead us closer to understanding God’s design for adoption. The show “This is Us” also resonated with us as it opened our eyes about the joys and struggles of adoption. Every week I would sob uncontrollably just thinking about what it would mean to adopt and thought "If Jack and Rebecca can do it, so can we!" (haha, if only, right?).
God continued to leave us in a state of uncertainty, and it wasn’t until we fully committed to adoption when we felt peace at last. We still have so many questions and fears but we know that our faith will guide us through this journey.
We’re officially “ACTIVE”
As of September 2018, we are “active” in pursuing an open domestic infant adoption through Adopthelp. This means we are waiting to be matched with a birthmother. “How long will it take?” The waiting period can take up to a few years so in the meantime, we continue to ask God to use this time to grow our faith in Him. We are praying that He stretches us beyond our comfort zones, trusting that He will bring us a child at the right time.
Ways to Support: Special Requests from the Heart
What we desire the most is for you to walk beside us in prayer through this adoption journey:
:: Prayer Requests ::
- Pray for the birth parents - for the birth mother’s health, safety, and emotional stability.
- Pray for the health and protection of the child.
- Pray for the Lord to heal and soften our hearts so that we are prepared to love the child God places us with.
- Pray for God’s wisdom, peace, and patience during the process.
If you feel led to help through other avenues besides prayer, we have set up an artwork fundraiser (featuring Marianne’s original artwork) and this GoFundMe page to help with some of the adoption costs:
Artwork Fundraiser : includes original artwork specifically created for our adoption fund.
Jewelry Fundraiser : Our friend, Megan of SaltRose Jewelry, has designed a pair of earrings called "Marianne". 100% of proceeds from the sales will go towards the Gee Family Adoption.
We thank you wholeheartedly for your support and for joining us in this journey!
Love,
Brandon and Marianne
**for updates and prayer requests visit our website Gee Family Adoption
Organizer
Marianne Gee
Organizer
Poway, CA
