THE PUZZLE CAMPAIGN 2014


Puzzled by Infertility...
 
My husband GQ and I got married in March 2011. 

We both knew then that we wanted to have kids but I also knew that getting pregnant might be a challenging for us. I've had problems since I was 12 years old and have had multiple surgeries for various "girly" issues over the last (nearly) two decades. I knew my odds would be low but I had a sprinkle of hope we could do it, you know, make it happen! 

Needless to say, nearly three years into our marriage, we haven't been able to have a baby.  

We have everything else. My husband and I have great careers we love, we both have Master's degrees, I'm working on my PhD and GQ has big dreams and plans for himself, as do I. We are such a happy, silly, loving, joyful, giddy, madly-in-love couple, and I'm not just saying that--we rock as a couple! :)



BUT we also know we are missing someone!

While we have NO PLANS to cut short our dreams and goals, our biggest dream (of being parents) is one we aren't ready to give up on either. We are more than ready to make that dream happen despite the obstacles in our way; that biggest obstacle being money. 

Infertility is EXPENSIVE...so, so expensive! Every option left is EXPENSIVE!!!


So this is where we need YOUR help. 

First it might help to know what we are facing, so here are a few quick facts on our situation:

1. We are aiming to try In Vitro Fertilization, it is indeed the most expensive option but allows US to have a baby from both GQ’s sperm and my eggs. 

2. We do not qualify for the less-costly, Artificial Insemination, you can read our personal reason why here, although you may have heard other couples who have tried it we are not candidates.

3. My baby-making stuff has always been a little "off." I have had problems since I was 12 and I'm worried my body isn't suited to carry a baby. Because of this, we may go the route of having a surrogate carry our baby. In order to determine whether this will be the best option for us, we first have to come up with money to create an embryo and then test both me, and said surrogate, to see who has the best "oven". My AMAZING little sister has a pretty sweet oven and has offered to do this for us if we need a surrogate. How amazing is that!?! Ambree, and my brother in law D-Hatch, are incredible for ever offering this to us! (An incredibly enough, they are not the only one's who have offered--I'm baffled by people's love and generosity).


4. If the above options do not work, we will consider adoption. GQ and I both feel strongly that we want to try to have a baby of our own first, but adoption is not out of the picture....

Needless to say, no matter what we decide to do (have me carry the baby on our own or have my little sister), we have to fork over quite a lot of money.

HERE IS WHERE WE COULD USE YOUR HELP!

We have THEE most amazing family and friends in the whole universe. I can't begin to tell you how many kind and encouraging emails, phone calls, letters, text messages and Facebook messages we've received and SO many people have asked how they can help us raise the money...we can't over-emphasize how lucky we are!

We have purchased a puzzle; it’s a puzzle of a starry night (because I’ve always wanted a star and moon themed nursery). Each of you can help put our puzzle together by sponsoring a puzzle piece.
 Each puzzle piece is $20 (although if you can even donate $1, we would be so grateful) and there are 1,000 puzzle pieces total.
With each donation of $20 (of course, you are more than welcome to donate multiple pieces) we will put our puzzle together. By the time our puzzle is put together, we will have raised the $20,000 needed to do IVF!
(FYI, totally stole this idea from a friend of mine).

For each puzzle piece you sponsor, your name will be written on the back of that puzzle piece so we can always remember who helped us make our dream a reality. The finished puzzle will be framed and hung in our nursery for baby to see every day.
 

Here’s how you can sponsor a puzzle piece:

1. Go to the PayPal link on the right side of this blog, or at the bottom of this email, and make a donation to the Atkinson Infertility Fund. PayPal works with all major credit cards and you can even link your bank account. In the subject line, be sure to write the name(s) you want on your puzzle piece!
2.     You can send a check written out to Deja Powell OR Lucas Atkinson (just email us at deja.powell@gmail.com if you need our address to send the check to).
3.     You can make a cash or check donation at Dance Biz in West Valley City.
4.     If you have a business, or company, that might want to help, please consider doing so and we will add your company/business logo to our blog page, right here!
5.     If you have any great fundraising ideas, in addition to our puzzle, please let us know!

Our goal is to have plans set in motion by next Christmas, 2014!
If you can help us reach our goal, even if you can just donate a little each month, you will help make one of our dreams a reality. In turn, we will keep you updated on our infertility journey right here on this blog. We will also post monthly photos of our puzzle in order to show progress and so you can see how we are getting closer to our goal.

We love you all for all you do for us & thank God every day for each other and an amazing support group who is ALWAYS behind us all the way!

Cheers to 2014, Oh, baby!

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