Team Charles. Trent & Jeanne.
We met in the Spring of 2002, fell in love in the Winter of 2003, and married in the Summer of 2006. Our love of adventure moved us to Chicago and our love of family moved us Home. Shortly thereafter, our love of adventure and family inspired us to grow Team Charles.
We have spent the last four years trying to grow our family. It has been difficult. We have had eight pregnancy losses (yes, eight!). We’ve had multiple tests, many ultrasounds, and countless blood draws. There have been many mornings and late nights full of Jeanne’s tears and Trent’s frustration. We’ve lost hope and regained hope. We’ve relied on you, our friends and family.
We are now faced with the daunting medical procedure and expense of IVF. We created this page to share our story, so you can walk alongside us, if you’d wish. Our path to a family has been hard, and we’re not sure where it will ultimately lead, but we’d love you to be here with us.
how you can help
hoping together
In these last several years, we have struggled. Following her emergency surgery in March 2018, Jeanne was in a dark place. She was lonely and hopeless. Trent has had dark days too. Darkness can seem easier than choosing hope. Hard hearts can act like the answer to brokenness.
With the help of our loved ones, we have decided to hope. To lean on those who share our broken hearts. To fight when we don’t want to.
We hope you’ll hope alongside us.
Unfortunately, IVF is not covered by either of our insurance plans. Based upon Jeanne’s age and our history of repeated miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies, our doctor has recommended more in-depth treatment, including ICSI, frozen embryo transfers, and specialized testing. The doctor’s current estimate of our costs is $19,500 for one round of treatment. This cost could go up if we aren’t successful the first time.
In order to make IVF a real possibility for us, we decided to ask for help.
Please donate.
Donations of $50 or more will receive a digital download of
Atlas: Year One by Sleeping at Last.
how art has helped
Over the last several years, the music of Sleeping at Last has walked alongside us, helping to give voice to our circumstances:
The song West when we moved home to Ohio; the song North when we purchased our first home; and the song In the Embers when each of us lost loved ones. Now Snow, Sorrow, and Saturn, have comforted us as we’ve grieved the loss of our pregnancies, adjusted our expectations, and hoped for the future.
Sleeping at Last is graciously offering a digital download to anyone who donates $50 or more to our cause.
saturn
you taught me the courage of stars before you left.
how light carries on endlessly, even after death.
with shortness of breath, you explained the infinite.
how rare and beautiful it is to even exist.
i couldn’t help but ask
for you to say it all again.
i tried to write it down
but i could never find a pen.
i’d give anything to hear
you say it one more time,
that the universe was made
just to be seen by my eyes.
i couldn’t help but ask
for you to say it all again.
i tried to write it down
but i could never find a pen.
i’d give anything to hear
you say it one more time,
that the universe was made
just to be seen by my eyes.
with shortness of breath, i’ll explain the infinite-
how rare and beautiful it truly is that we exist.