There’s Snow Place Like Home
Matt and Michelle
Lafayette, Indiana
After caring for little ones the last year and a half, our desire to be parents has snowballed!! Through the joy, trials, and heartache, we have firmly kept our eyes on Jesus and our hands open in faith, praying the Lord would bless us with a child.
Late one evening, I stumbled across an article on embryo adoption. Instantly intrigued, I shared with Matt. Might this be the path the Lord wants us to take?
What is embryo adoption? It’s a life-affirming way to care for the tiniest of babies that are left over and kept in a cryogenic state after in-vitro fertilization. Sadly, many embryos are destroyed and others, frozen indefinitely. However, some families choose life for their embryos and give these snowflake babies the opportunity to be grafted in to another family. Matt and I unwaveringly believe that life begins at the moment of concepetion. We know that God, the Creator and Sustainer of all life, is decidedly pro-life. We feel this is a wonderful way to tangibly walk out our faith.
Think about this excerpt from an article from The Gospel Coalition, “When God Became an Embryo”. “Jesus didn’t leave his throne for a manager, at least not directly. He first left his throne nine months earlier for a womb.
How much grander is the story of the incarnation when we realize the Son of God went from ruling the universe to becoming the smallest, most dependent, most microscopic form of human life. The God who authored a world that can’t be measured, humbled himself into a form that can’t be seen.
And this same God who became a human embryo to save sinners would have his church stand up for the many human embryos regularly discarded or frozen indefinitely. Consider how you can expand your pro-life passion toward the littlest lives by championing the cause of embryo adoption.”
Wow, oh wow!!! Yes and amen!! It feels like we are on the edge of something big and beautiful!
As most of you know, I have Cystic Fibrosis and am unable to carry a baby. How will the Lord work this all out? Selflessly, a dear friend came forward and offered to be our altruistic gestational carrier. We were astounded by her faith and the Lord’s clear answer to prayer. Next, we matched with an awesome couple in Texas that wanted to gift us with their remaining embryos. They wanted their precious em-babies to have the chance at life.
So here we are, standing at the precipice of parenthood and asking you to join with us on this journey of adoption to bring our snowflake baby home. Matt and I are self-funding two-thirds of the adoption expenses (legal, shipping, medical fees, etc) and are offering others the opportunity to come along side us in this life-affirming way to raise the remaining one-third needed.
Here’s how: We have 125 snowflake ornaments, each numbered 1 – 125. Ornaments can be purchased for the number they represent (1 = $1, 50 = $50, 122 = $122, etc.). If all ornaments are purchased, we will raise over $7,000 for our embryo adoption!
Follow the steps below to purchase your ornament:
- Select a number from 1 – 125. (This page will be updated regularly to show which numbers are still available.)
- Click on “Make a Contribution” and donate that amount.
- Email me at westhuisml@gmail.com with your ornament number and I will bring/mail it to you.
Thank you snow much for helping to bring this dream to fruition!
Numbers remaining:
No numbers remaining! PTL!!
0 Family Updates
Donors
David/Marney Rausch
What wonderful news. We are so excited and will be praying for you. ❤️
Mary Ann Oppy
This baby will be surrounded by lots and lots of love! I am one excited Aunt to be! Prayers for everyone involved. Beyond blessed and so happy to be there to support you both! Love you so much! Your favorite sister! ❤️Mary Ann
Linda and Jim Mueller
Matt and Michelle, we are so thrilled for your parenthood journey. You are an exemplary loving faithful couple who so deserve the wonder of a child. Blessings! ????
makayla oppy
So excited to have a baby cousin! Love and praying for you guys❤️
Wendi & Brian Tomcheck
Michelle and Matt, Congratulations! We are happy and honored to support you in your journey. We love you❤️
Kelly Chandler
❤❤❤
Lucas Oppy
So happy for you! Can’t wait to have a baby cousin! Love you!
Courtney Shipman
In my heart I am still the first. Love you.
Phil & Patsy Lewandowski
So happy to be a small part of this wonderful blessing to come!!
Julie Brouwer
Beth Westhuis
Nicole Ratcliff
Jo Brewer
Michelle and Matt- so happy and excited for you! God bless you! Jo Brewer
The Null Family
Michelle, So happy for you all and the way the Lord has provided! I will be praying for all involved and for a smooth pregnancy, delivery, and happy healthy baby!! Sarah
Jennifer Weber
Terry Clute
Congratulations
Tracy Locke
I’m so happy for you Michelle!
Tyrel & Samantha Wagner
May you be blessed and be a blessing
Amy Sanders
So happy I can be a part of your journey!! Can’t wait!!
Jamie Johnson
Praying for you along this amazing journey!
Marty Utley
I can't hardly imagine the blessing that this will be to our family. We all know that God has a plan and we are very thankful. Praying for our little angel and good health and well being of the surrogate mother. God's blessings!
Sarah Chaney
I'm absolutely thrilled for you two and I will be keeping you in my prayers as you embark on this amazing journey.
Samantha Kincaid
All of the Kincaid family is sending hugs, prayers, and happy happy thoughts out into the world that your dream becomes real as soon as possible. What a lucky and loved baby yours will be...love to you both!
Holly Elliott
I'm SO excited for you two! You will be awesome parents!!! Congratulations on this exciting journey! Much love and prayers to you all! Love, The Elliott Family Holly, Chris, Emma and the Ducks
Sarah Christy
As an adoptive mother, my heart swells with joy and love as you travel this adventure. God will richly bless you!
Logan Oppy
Congratulations, so happy for you. I can’t wait to teach my new cousin how to play basketball! Love you, Your nephew; Logan Oppy
Barb and Dean Budde
Sara Dixon
Dianne OKane
We are praying for a beautiful, healthy baby for you.
Jill Kessler
Congratulations! You will be wonderful parents. I can’t wait to meet your little sweet bundle of snuggles. Lots of love and prayers!!
DENISE GAUCK
Oh Michelle and Matt, what a wonderful story. I will keep you in our prayers and of course your little snowflake. God is so good and I think this is an incredible journey. Love and Prayers, Aunt Kelly I would like to select number 8 - that is the number of my family and double my own. I would have gone with 12 (my birthdate) however, it was already taken, so 12 - 8 = 4 !
colleen hibbett
Congratulations Matt and Michelle!! You will be the best parents ever!
Trisha Folden
We love you guys! We are so excited for you!
Miriah Mershon
❤️❤️❤️
Annette Bahler
April Arthur
David Westhuis
Hope this is helpful in making dreams reality
Greg and Annette Baer
Pamela
Matt and Michelle, We’re so happy and excited as we know this is a dream come true for you. You will be wonderful parents! Love and prayers, Uncle Pat and Aunt Pam
Wendi Tomcheck
Ho, Ho, Ho........Merry Christmas :)
Mike and Beth Oppy
So excited for you both! Praying for a healthy baby!
Ken and Jennifer Clarke
Lauren Shannahan
Kristen Bremer
I picked 94 since that’s the year I met you. Good luck reaching your goal. I’ll be praying for you!
Thomas Chandler
Good luck and hope it goes well! - Thomas
Hannah Chandler
I can't wait to see your new baby! - Hannah
Lindsay Gilmore
So excited for you! ❤????
Natalie Fleming
So exciting! Praying with you!!!
Susan Williams
May God bless you and in your endeavor!
Renee Petrie
So very excited for you. I am donating $47 in honor of our Sweet Caroline who was born with 47 chromosomes. All life is precious and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for you, Michelle and Matt. God Bless all of you.
Elizabeth Stamper
I am so excited for this new step that God is leading you in your lives.
Wendi Tomcheck
Love you guys. We are praying for your family :)
Holly Loughlin
I love your faith! May God bless you!
Dinah Lamberson
Sarah McPherson
So excited for you and those little babies who will have a chance because of you!!!! Amazing! Praying for you and the little babies!!
Jake meyers
Sara Herter
We love you guys!
Courtney Shipman
Can’t wait to meet your precious little one!
Kelly Marshall
Praying for your sweet family!
Kelly Filipiak
We are so thrilled for you both! Thankful for this opportunity God has entrusted to you. You are going to be amazing parents!! ❤️ Love, Chad and Kelly Filipiak
Tom Oppy
So happy for the both of you. You both have showed this past year and a half how great you are with the kids you had. Love you both Tom and Sue
David Balling
Uncle Michael, Aunt Lani, and Ryan Klinker
David and Susan Bratcher
Daniel Krodel
Good luck Matt and Michelle on your journey. Nancy and Dan
Bonnie Gillespie
We did $25 for each of our kids. We hope and pray you will be blessed with your own child through this process!!
Daniel & Rachel Yoon
Allison Holden
Sara Brown
I am sooo excited to hear about this, and will be keeping the babies and you all in my prayers! Great news!! May God be magnified!!!
Rex and Sue Shipplett
We are so excited for you!! You will be in our prayers!
Wendi Tomcheck
Happyyyyyyy New Yearrrrrr. I can't wait to see what 2019 brings to your family. Love you :)
Lorri Wiegand
We love you guys! You are going to rock this parenting gig! How fun that we get to be a part and see who God’s created to be a Westhuis! We call first dibs on holding the little one!!
Chad Welch
Remy Waffles
Does this mean I’ll be a big brother soon? ????
Stephanie Cassidy
Such a BEAUTIFUL picture of God’s grafting us into His family - thank you for your example and for inviting us to be a small part!
Jeff and Karalee Brand
Prayers!!!