Her Side, DADsquared Shares a Surrogates Beautiful Story.

One of the most amazing gifts I get from working with DADsquared is the building of relationships.
I read and share stories daily from families all over the country.
We hear of their struggles, their triumphs, the stumbling blocks on the road to parenthood and some of the tools that led to success.

One voice I do not share often enough is that of the surrogate.

Many of us have have become parents with their help.
Some of us maintain these special relationships in so many different ways.
They may be our child's special "aunt" or a close family friend.
Some of our children know them truthfully as their birth-mothers and yet others may never know them at all.

Regardless of what place they may hold in our hearts they are undeniably magical, special and for many.. mysterious women.

I often hear..
"how could a woman do that?"
"I could never carry a baby and then give it up."

I will say that I have learned that for some surrogates it is a calling and for others, bringing a child to a gay family, is a calling that has even deeper meaning.

I recently got to know Tina Galletti, she lives in Idaho with a loving husband and her two children.
Tina has helped create four families, and three of them were for gay couples.
I asked Tina To share her story with us and here is what she had to say...

It all started 8 years ago while sitting with my new baby. I remember like it was yesterday saying to my husband from across the room, " how would you feel about me being a surrogate?" His exact words were "whatever you want dear."

Little did he know his words would be the beginning of four pregnancies ultimately leading to the birth of 5 boys with one more (final) one on the way.
Even better, none of us could know how full our lives would become after carrying for some really fantastic couples three of whom are same sex daddies.
I often joke about all the great men in my life and how some day my dream is to have us all together in one room.

 My first surrogacy was wonderful resulting is in an amazing little boy. I carried him for a straight couple, a lovely couple yet something was missing, In the end I didn't have the feeling I had hoped for, 

I can't really explain it but I had a sense that carrying for two men would be what I was looking for and I was definitely right.

I remember the first phone conversation I had with a potential gay couple, the feeling was like I just had a blind date. I felt kind of giddy with the idea they were the ones.
We worked well together from the get go and through it all I have gained an amazing and special extended part of my family.
The respect they had for us through everything was wonderful and continues to this day with frequent phone calls.
The day their boys were born and I witnessed them holding their sons for the first time was amazing, I felt that "feeling" I was hoping for I knew that I was done making babies.
I laugh now thinking that there was no way I was done,  I wasn't even close to being done.
I had hoped that first gay couple would have wanted more kids because I just could not imagine carrying for anyone else.
When I was ready to get started again I remember feeling like I needed their blessing and I got even more than that,  I got whole-hearted support from them.

I was matched with another great same sex couple and went on to carry two more boys and have once again gained another wonderful experience. My husband and I are called uncle and auntie and my daughter knows them as her cousins. She loves that they all came from her mommy.
Surrogacy has been part of my 9 year old daughter’s life since she was 1 and this is all she knows.
If asked about surrogacy she will tell you exactly what is involved and how these babies are created with love.

I am currently 20 weeks pregnant with one little boy and I can say without hesitation this is my final pregnancy, lol!
I am enjoying every minute of babysitting this little guy for his wonderful daddies.

Tina and her family.

I am looking forward to the next phase of my life with my husband and children.
I can’t emphasize enough without the wonderful support of my husband I would have never been a surrogate.
He is a wonderful and giving man who loves all of these families and the boys as if they were his own.

Being a surrogate for these wonderful families has enriched my life beyond belief.
There simply are no words that can explain how blessed and happy I feel.