Operation Baby Bowling

Dear Village,

Chris and I met in October 2013. After our first date, we knew we had a very special connection. Over the next four years we shared a lot of laughs, had a ton of fun, and overcame some tough circumstances. Through it we developed a strong and devoted love and friendship, and we knew we wanted to be together forever. We were married on July 1, 2017 at Wrightsville Beach, the same place we had our first kiss and where Chris proposed. Chris and I are dedicated to our marriage, and as such, we have an immense desire to grow our family.

My whole life I knew I was called to be a mom. We love being aunts and uncles to the best nieces and nephews in the world, but there is nothing like having one of your own. It is not only a dream of mine to carry, birth, and raise a child, but I know it is a purpose God has for my life. Before Chris and I met, Chris decided to have a vasectomy after having 2 kids in a previous marriage, not knowing the direction his life would take. Because of our shared passion and desire for our own children, Chris had a vasectomy reversal this past January. The procedure was pricey and painful, but it was of the utmost importance to us.

After almost a year after his reversal, with no luck of conception, we sought answers from a urologist. After a few months of medical intervention through testing and prescription medication, it is determined that sperm count levels and motility are too low to conceive naturally. We were referred to a conception specialist in Raleigh where we had our first appointment on November 2nd. The doctor in Raleigh informed us that our only chance to conceive a child is through IVF.

The news brings a mixed bag of emotions – we are devastated, overwhelmed, but also hopeful. We want to pursue IVF, and we know it will be a long and uneasy journey, but it is a journey and a risk that we are willing to make.

It is a well-known fact that IVF is an expensive and burdensome process. We are putting forth our best efforts to save money to move forward with IVF, but the more time that passes, the lower our chances are of success. It takes a village to raise a child, but it can also take a village to have one. We are reaching out to our village to help fulfill our calling as parents. We are asking for your support through prayer, encouraging words, and donations to help us toward our goal. If you find it in your heart to make a monetary gift, big or small, know that every little bit helps, and we appreciate your generosity from the bottom of our heart.

In total, we need to raise $8,000 between our own savings and the support of our village. Because Chris is a veteran, we have received a military discount. Here is a financial breakdown of the IVF process and procedure:

- $75 for an educational class on the process

- $6,540 including the procedure to find and extract the healthiest eggs and sperm, perform the fertilization and implantation for the resulting embryo

- $700 to preserve the embryos produced for further attempts

- $400 for anesthesia for the procedure

- $250 for fees to help optimize the IVF cycle

- $4,000 - $8,000 for medications (we are hoping insurance will cover a portion of this)

Thank you for being our village. We appreciate your love, support, and prayers as we travel through this journey.

Much Love,

The Bowling's