Dear Prospective Surrogate,

We are extremely thankful for your grace and generosity in helping us on our journey to become parents. Our path through infertility has been long and painful, filled with moments of devastation, self-blame, and a profound sense of loss. But your extraordinary gift of surrogacy has renewed our hope. You have given us something we struggled to hold onto—optimism that our dream of growing our family and welcoming a baby will come true.

Mutual friends set us up in 2013. At the time, I lived in Tampa and A lived in Ormond Beach. The plan was to keep things casual, because, let’s be honest, who wants to drive three hours for a date. But against all odds, we kept seeing each other. Somewhere between the road trips, phone calls, and text messaging, things got serious. Eventually, we realized we’d rather spend a lifetime together than spend another minute explaining to people why we were “still doing long-distance.” So we got engaged, got married, and the rest is history—sweet, slightly chaotic, and full of laughter.

I was born in Illinois but raised in sunny South Florida. I’m the oldest of three siblings, which meant I naturally stepped into the “big sibling” role early on. When our parents divorced while we were still in elementary school, life shifted in a big way. I found myself growing up quickly, learning to be more responsible and mature than most kids my age. As the oldest, I felt a strong sense of duty to set a good example for my younger sister and brother—whether that meant helping with homework, being a sounding board, or just trying to keep the peace. 

I blossomed into a driven and goal-oriented young woman, which propelled me to earn my undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, followed by my law degree from Florida State University. Today, I work as a trial attorney for a personal injury law firm, where I advocate for clients with passion, precision, and purpose.

Outside of work, I love indulging in a few guilty pleasures that help me decompress from the demands of my profession. We take real pleasure in dining out for special occasions—whether it’s a high-end steakhouse, our go-to local sushi spot, or a laid-back beachside seafood joint, we’re always up for a good meal. One of our favorite traditions is weekly movie night. There’s just one rule in our household: the movie must have a high critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes (this is more of an A-enforced rule). We love everything from horror and drama to action-packed thrillers—basically, if it keeps us entertained, it’s on the list. Of course, I can’t resist reality television—it’s my go-to way to unwind and escape into someone else’s drama. When it comes to music, I gravitate toward pop and rap, while A proudly reps his “dad rock” playlist—with a side of rap we can both agree on. We also enjoy live concerts, and most recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, so I could fulfill a dream and see Taylor Swift live in concert.

A’s dad hails from the rugged landscapes of Maine, and his mom is from a charming town in Germany. A’s parents’ love story began when An’s dad was an Army helicopter pilot stationed in Bavaria and met A’s mom at the officers’ club. They’ve now been married for over 54 years. As for A,  he was born in Saudi Arabia, where his parents were working at the time. Growing up with one foot in the U.S. and the other abroad, A became fluent in both English and German.

For college, A traded the international life for the beautiful campus of Elon University, where he majored in History. Afterward, A moved onto Stetson Law School, where he sharpened his legal skills before earning a master’s degree in Political Science from Florida State University. Andrew always knew he wanted to be a lawyer—not just for the intellectual challenge, but because it’s a profession where you can make a real difference in people’s lives. Andrew started his legal career as a public defender, advocating for those who needed it most, and now he has spent almost a decade as a prosecutor, fighting for justice every day.

When A is not in the courtroom, you can find him on the tennis court, catching a soccer match, or getting lost in a good book. Whether it’s sports or reading, A is always looking for new ways to stay engaged and curious about the world around him.

From the moment we first met, we were both clear that having children was a top priority for us. However, our path to parenthood was not easy or straightforward. We spent two years trying to conceive naturally, but when that didn’t work, we turned to a fertility specialist. We started with several rounds of IUI, but unfortunately, we didn’t achieve the results we hoped for.

In 2022, our fertility doctor told us that IVF was the next step. We had one embryo, a little boy, but the transfer failed in January 2024. It was a devastating blow. Yet, despite the heartache, we resolved to try again, holding onto hope for a brighter outcome. In May 2024, our hopes were met with the most wonderful news: we were pregnant! We were overjoyed to learn we were expecting a little girl. Our happiness was beyond words, and our families and friends shared in our joy, celebrating this new chapter with us.

Just after my birthday in August 2024, when I was nearly twenty-one weeks pregnant, I fell gravely ill with severe preeclampsia. The situation became life-threatening, and my only chance for survival was to give birth to our precious little girl—knowing that our daughter, so small and fragile, would not survive. What had been a summer of joyful anticipation was suddenly overshadowed by the most unimaginable sorrow.

On August 31, 2024, our baby girl entered the world, silently, too soon. The six days we spent in the hospital were a blur of doctors, nurses, sleepless nights, and tears—an endless cycle of grief too profound to fully express. Our hearts were broken, and our pain has not eased since.

One of the hardest parts of losing our daughter was discovering that I cannot carry a child. Our grief became twofold—mourning the loss of our daughter and realizing that in order to have a child we would need a surrogate. Yet, through all the heartache, we remained an irrepressible force. Together, we carried each other through the dark days of autumn 2024. Even from the depths of our despair, we knew we had to keep moving forward—our hearts filled with hope for the future. In November 2024, we began fertility treatments once again. After two additional IVF cycles, we were blessed to have three viable embryos, a new chapter of hope that continues to carry us.

Surrogacy is now our only option for having biological children. While the fear of another loss weighs heavily on our hearts, we remain positive, knowing we still have embryos and that hope is never truly lost. Every night, we pray for a surrogate who will help us take this next step in our journey. We will be forever indebted to the incredible woman who brings us the gift of raising our own child, and we look forward to the day when we can share the love and joy we’ve carried through every challenge.

Thank you for taking the time to read about us. We can’t wait to meet you!

With Love,

J + A