My name is Alexa, and I am Erin's cousin by marriage. As you know, Russell and Erin are very, very special people. Their unwavering faith in God as well as their commitment to family and community does not go unnoticed. Please read below where Russell explains the purpose of this fundraiser:

"We are writing to you all today as we face one of the most arduous decisions of our lives: starting IVF treatment to have a child. As many of you know, we have been trying to conceive for most of our marriage including a round of IUI. Last year, we received miraculous news that Erin was pregnant. Due to circumstances out of our control, we lost our Joanna earlier this year. Erin also lost half of one of her reproductive organs due to Endometriosis, which lead us towards this decision.

Even then, we’ve wrestled and prayed if we should go this route, but sensed this was the correct course of action we should take.

We consulted with a fertility clinic a few months ago and because of events listed above, we are now in the process of proceeding with IVF. Much of the cost has been covered by insurance, but we have found ourselves coming up short to get started and for the medication. You might be thinking that we started too late, but this timing was not ours to choose. I can say we still have a lot of hope of having a child before it is too late. Our hearts’ desire is to hold our little one in our arms, to experience the joy of parenthood, and to give our love and energy to someone who needs it.

That's why we're reaching out to you today. Your kindness could be the difference between accepting we may not have a child of our own or going forward and doing what we can to taking that next step towards building our family. Every dollar counts, every share matters, and every prayer is a reminder that there are people like us, fighting for this dream.

Here are some details about our situation:

* Our estimated medical costs for IVF treatment are $4400 for financial clearance to start.

* We're aiming to raise an additional $8000 to cover the costs of medications and costs not covered by insurance.

* Any additional funds will go directly towards covering follow-up treatments and making our family a reality.

We understand that not everyone can give financially, but your support, thoughts, and prayers means the world. If you can't contribute money, consider sharing this post with friends and family who might be able to help us out.

Your kindness will bring us one step closer to holding our little miracle in our arms. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or want more information about how to donate.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us.

So sincerely,

Russell and Erin Rhodes