For the last 7 years, our money has had only one goal: infertility treatments and adoption costs.
We’ve held yard sales, opted to rent instead of buy our home, sold off cars and larger household items, started companies and been incredibly blessed by family and friends. Almost all the furniture in our home is hand-me-down, was gifted to us or was a thrift store purchase that we’ve added some character to. I love it all.
But, something has happened to me this last year. I’ve had enough.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have more children in our family. It would be a dream come true. But, I am tired of having every financial decision be based on something so uncertain, totally out of our control and incredibly painful for all involved. I actually found myself giving myself the “You only live once!” talk. That’s right …YOLO, baby.
And so, when the opportunity presented itself for my husband and me to spend some time among the Kuna indigenous people, staying on an island about the size of a football field in a grass hut in the middle of the Caribbean, I was the first to say yes.
YOLO.
It is the most beautiful place I have ever been. It is the coolest trip we have ever taken together.
The dream of children lives on at R House, but we are embracing a little bit of the YOLO philosophy as well. It took some bravery to let go, but it was so totally worth it.
Be bold. Be brave. YOLO.
Lindsey Redfern is the creator and writer of The R House. It’s the story of her family who is living (and loving!) within three open adoptions. She offers help, hope and humor to others along the way. Married to a social worker (and foodie), she and her husband own an adoption consulting firm, The R House Adoption Consultants. She also creates sterling silver jewelry keepsakes and gifts of hope with her two best friends at .
Lindsey has seen first hand the heartache and joy that couples infertility and adoption. She chooses to seek the good. She has survived (is surviving) infertility, Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) issues leaving her stranded for 42 days on the other side of the country with her newly adopted baby, an 18-month contested adoption, several adoption scams, a failed adoption, a reversed adoption and lived to tell (write) about it. Although painful, the three successful adoptions their family has experienced has made it all worth it.
Additionally, Lindsey has been featured in countless magazines, blogs, newspapers, podcasts and television spots about her passion to bring sensitivity to the infertility community and advocate for open adoption. One of her favorite things to write/talk about are the monthly gifts she sends to her boys’ birth mothers–lots of photos, funky socks and an art project from their child. Her blog is full of birth parent gift ideas.
You can connect with Lindsey Redfern (she’d love it!) via The R House Blog, , , , , and on Instagram.
Comments
comments
