What are our other options?

Over the last month or two I have started thinking what our other options could be other than this fertility treatment.

One option is IVF. It's very expensive and not guaranteed. While it is still an option, I'm not sure our likelihood of going through with it.

Another option I've thought about is adoption. In the past it has crossed my mind, but I never really considered it - especially since Hubby is really not for it at all. Well, the last few weeks I've been thinking about it more and more. On Monday night my friend invited me to a bunco night with her friends. One of the girls there actually went through infertility treatments, then decided to adopt. They have one child they adopted. About a month ago, a couple (maybe three) more kids were brought into their house through our state's foster to adopt program. Anyway, I heard her talk about her kids a little bit that night. The friend that brought me (hi R!) had given me A's contact information a while ago. I was inspired last night to finally e-mail her. She e-mailed me back a few hours later. She said she'd love to get together and talk more about the process. *yikes!* I'm such a chicken. I feel like agreeing to this meeting would be like committing to start looking into adoption (ridiculous, I know).

I was looking at our state's Web site last night at the process of going through them to adopt and they had links to other Web sites. A couple of the sites actually listed the available children and their pictures. One of my biggest hang ups - and please don't judge me, I'm just being honest - is that most, if not all, of these children have mental or physical disabilities. I don't know if I can handle that. I think it would definitely be a different situation if I gave birth to a child with a disability, I obviously would love that child unconditionally and take care of whatever needs it had. But choosing a child with a disability...I just don't know. Like I said, please don't judge. I just don't think we have the resources (like $$$), for one, or the patience to take a toddler we don't even know and try to help.

I know not all children who are up for adoption have a disability, I'm sure most of these children did because they were through the state and DSHS probably took the children away from abusive parents or drug/alcohol environments. I also feel so bad for the other children who are older. The 12 to 14 to 16 year old kids. I know most folks who are looking to adopt are looking for younger children. Plus, for me, I feel like since I'm only the ripe old age of 27, that I have no skills to try to finish raising a teenager! I was a teenager only 10 years ago!

Anyway, moving on...those those are our two biggest options when we decide to move on from what we're doing.

Obviously out last option is to not have children period. Hubby and I have talked recently about a trip of a lifetime we'd love to take: visiting Seal Island in South Africa. And I figured while we're in SA, we might as well do a safari! These trips aren't cheap! The airfare alone for the two of us to get there is like $10,000. How cool would that be though to save up and every 5 years or so go on a huge trip like that! We definitely couldn't do that with children!

We are also HUGE dog lovers. We've daydreamed about having a house with a lot of property and breeding dogs, or maybe being a foster home to dogs...something like that. This is also something I don't see us doing with children...at least not young ones.

Okay,well this post turned out WAY longer than I expected it to be. I just thought I'd get my thoughts out into the universe.

I hope you are all enjoying your Thursday!