Jessica Miller has always had a strong desire to be pregnant.
"We got married in 2015 and we wanted to have a child, but we struggled to conceive," Jessica shared.
Jessica and her husband, Jeff, decided to join adoption wait-lists.
"We were waiting, a lot of families were waiting, actually, it was during COVID," Jessica said.
So, the Millers decided to explore other options and learned about Snowflakes, a program through Nighlight Christian Adoptions.
"That's when we learned that there was actually a reverse waiting list on the other side of families who had placed their embryos for adoption," Jessica said.
"There are a lot of couples who have infertility issues that are going through IVF, which can be very expensive. Snowflakes offers them a different option to adopt an embryo and carry it to birth," Sonja Brown, Executive Director of the Indiana office for Nightlight Christian Adoptions, said. Embryo adoption can cost between $12,000 and $16,000, according to the Embryo Adoption Awareness Center.
Nearly two months after joining Snowflakes, the Millers were matched with donated frozen embryos from a couple who completed their family and wanted to donate their embryos instead of destroy them.
"I had never gotten a positive on a pregnancy test, until with her," Jessica said.
Jeff and Jessica welcomed their baby girl, Joy, into the world on May 31, 2023.
"I've always loved the name Joy and then after just such a long wait, we did have some sorrow with the infertility, she has just brought us so much joy," Jessica said.
Nightlight Christian Adoptions provides services in 10 states.
By the end of 2024, Snowflakes will reach over 1,300 babies born through the program.
"There's so many embryos that are waiting for a family to adopt. Our daughter was in frozen storage for 10 years, waiting for a family before we finally were able to give her a chance of life," Jeff said. "Now, she's born and so there's countless other embryos still waiting for that family as well."
"For me to go through the whole experience of pregnancy and actually give birth was an amazing experience. It was a real gift," Jessica said.
Nightlight Christian Adoptions also offers a wide spectrum of services, including domestic and international adoptions.
The Indiana office just started foster care services at the end of 2023. Brown says they are finding people are very hesitant about the process.
"If your heart is for children, these are children who have been through abuse, neglect, abandonment. I think a lot of families are frightened by that. They need homes too. They need love, too. These are future members of our society," Brown said.
"The first requirement to become a foster parent would be that you can offer a safe and nurturing home. Then, there are background checks that you would need to pass, as well as a home study," Savana Rowe, Foster Care Advocate, said.
Rowe walks with families throughout the entire process of becoming a foster parent. She says currently, there are not enough homes for the near 13,000 kids in Indiana in the foster care system.
