What Does Family Mean To You?

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲. Had to choose between loving a woman and having a family. As if I couldn’t have both.

They were wrong.

The process isn’t quite what I envisioned when I was younger. There are tests and monitoring that need to be done. There are nurses and doctors involved. I’ll be the first one to admit, it’s not as easy as I thought it would be. (Check out my stories on IG for how we picked our donor).

Kim and I started trying to grow our family in March. Sadly, both of my IUIs were unsuccessful. On June 1st we decided to switch to IVF.

My company’s insurance changed and I no longer need to try IUI six times before insurance would cover IVF. Yep, you read that right, if you are a same sex couple, most insurances make you try IUI SIX TIMES! Keep in mind, every IUI can cost THOUSANDS of dollars! I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am. Or frankly how thankful our bank accounts are.

Because I have always wanted to be a mom. I have always wanted to carry a child. We are just like any other couple struggling to conceive. I don’t deserve to be a mother any less just because I married a woman.

𝗦𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤+ 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗺:

Your love is valid.

Having a family is possible.

No matter how you chose to grow one…

Your family is valid.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

by the amazing LGBTQ+ photographer and BFF @jodijhutton