Celebrating ConceiveAbilities Military Spouses, and Their Calling to Build Families through Surrogacy
2024-05-10
Be a surrogateAt ConceiveAbilities, we have the honor of working alongside military spouses, every day, who dedicate themselves to serving others. Meet four of our military spouses: Tayler, Vanessa, Laci, and Ash. These ConceiveAbilities employees have supported their military spouses’ call to serve. Now, they are answering their own call to serve, by helping build families through surrogacy.
This Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we celebrate these ConceiveAbilities employees who have served their communities in more ways than one. Read more about these incredible women below!
Please tell us a bit about yourself:
Tayler: My name is Tayler and I am a Surrogate Advisor at ConceiveAbilities. I have two beautiful children of my own and I proudly delivered a surrogate baby in 2022. In this season of my life, I am still discovering who I am beyond my roles as a spouse and mother. I'm a licensed skydiver, a former veterinary technician with a decade of experience, an avid adventure seeker, and, at my very core, I am an empath. My empathetic nature gives me a deep understanding of the emotions and experiences of others, which drives my desire to support and uplift those around me.
Vanessa: My name is Vanessa. My husband and I have three amazing kids: Bradley (9), Arlyn (7), and Adler (2). As a family, we love to stay active by skiing or hiking as much as we can here in beautiful Colorado Springs, our favorite duty station. Ever since the birth of my first child, I have had a strong passion for birth. I quickly became a childbirth educator and doula to help serve other expecting moms in the cities we were stationed. Ultimately, my love for pregnancy and birth led me to pursue a surrogacy journey which I just completed in October 2023. Now, I have the joy of helping other women begin their surrogacy journeys as a Surrogate Advisor at ConceiveAbilities.
Laci: My name is Laci Compton. I have been a surrogate through ConceiveAbilities and now work as a Surrogate Advisor! I live in New York State with my husband and our two daughters Lila and Holland! We have a small zoo with two cats, one dog, and a hamster and we are looking to add chickens this year. We are Montana natives but our heart is in Alaska and we cannot wait to get back there someday when my husband retires.
Ash: My name is Ash Golike! I’m originally from California but I have lived in the Southeast for 8 years. We recently PCS’d (Permanent Change of Station) to Fort Campbell and live in Tennessee. My husband and I are high school sweethearts, and together we have two kiddos, Izzy (8) and Isaac (3). As a family we enjoy kayaking, hiking, exploring new places or simply snuggling up on the couch to read a good book or watch a fun movie. I work as a Health Information Specialist at ConceiveAbilities.
What branch of service is your spouse in?
Tayler: My husband, Mason, was a sergeant and served in the United States Army as a firearms instructor and a cargo specialist. He served for 8 years.
Vanessa: My husband Mike is in the Air Force. We are almost to the 20 year mark! Looking forward to retirement, and hoping to never move again.
Laci: My husband is a Warrant Officer in the Army and he works as a Blackhawk Pilot.
Ash: My husband is in the Army. He started out as a combat engineer but just recently became a Medevac Helicopter Pilot.
Did being a military spouse influence your decision to help build families by becoming a surrogate?
Tayler: Being a military spouse had a significant impact on my decision to help build families through ConceiveAbilities, in addition to my own personal reasons for embarking on such a journey). I conducted extensive research and followed other military spouses sharing their experiences. ConceiveAbilities was full of selfless women on a mission to build families and also offered the most incredible support system I could have asked for. These women understood the journey both as mothers and military spouses, providing a sense of camaraderie and encouragement that made all the difference.
Vanessa: Being a military spouse, it's in our DNA to serve and help others. I have met so many amazing families over the years and the struggle of infertility has always been on my heart. I wanted a way to tangibly help.
Laci: Absolutely! Military spouses tend to stand in the shadow of their soldiers. I wanted something of my own and to give back in any way I could. I now work for ConceiveAbilities since my journey gave me so much joy and I knew I wanted to turn that into a career. As a full-time employee, I have taken this job with me to four states as we moved for my husband’s career.
Ash: I have not been a surrogate, but I am honored to work with surrogates every day. As a military spouse, my husband’s career and our life together has always centered around putting others first. It’s a sacrifice we have both made in our own roles as a service member and a spouse. Because of this, I’ve always gravitated towards wanting to help others and making a positive impact wherever I go. The most magical moment in my life is when I became a mom. Although each journey to parenthood is unique, there is no beauty that shines brighter than that of a surrogate with a good heart willing to make dreams come true.
How has your experience as a surrogate changed your life?
Tayler: From 2021 to 2022, I was a surrogate with ConceiveAbilities. This was an experience I had discussed with my husband since giving birth to our last child. As a military spouse, I resonate with words like "serve," "calling," and "purpose." We may not serve in the same capacity as our active-duty partners but we strive to make a difference. This can involve volunteering, engaging in our community, or supporting others as they navigate the challenges of military life. When we take action, we truly believe we are fulfilling an important purpose. When you blend that sense of mission with the desire to help others through surrogacy, it brings about a profound and loving fulfillment, providing a genuine sense of life-changing purpose. It was empowering to know that I could “serve” in my own way: I could financially contribute to our family and, no matter where the Army sent us, I could pick up those roots and plant them where we were called next.
Vanessa: Surrogacy has always been on my heart after a fellow military spouse needed the help of a gestational carrier. We were stationed back to back in non-surrogacy friendly states, but finally landed in Colorado where I was able to pursue a journey after the birth of our third baby.
Laci: Surrogacy was the most rewarding experience of my life. At the time, I had just decided to stop working to be home full-time with our two-year-old. I knew I always wanted to explore surrogacy because I wanted to share the gift of maintaining a healthy pregnancy that came to me so easily. I knew others struggled but what I did not expect was the immense sense of purpose it gave me. I felt like I was not only contributing to my family financially but I belonged to something so much greater than myself that we all took part in!
How has your work and/or experience with ConceiveAbilities help you serve others?
Tayler: Helping build families as a military spouse, surrogate, and employee with ConceiveAbilities has been a deeply personal way for me to serve others. I often meet applicants who share the lifestyle I experienced for 28 years and I have the privilege of guiding them through the screening process as one of the first people they connect with on their journeys. Beyond my professional role, I aim to be a true friend to these women. I offer advice and support with a sense of empathy and understanding, as someone who has walked a similar path.
Vanessa: Being able to help another family grow was such a joy! I'm excited to help other families through my role with ConceiveAbilities.
Laci: We now consider our former "Intended Parents" family. We are unbelievably close and get to go through life together celebrating this boy we brought into the world. This has impacted me greatly and is the most rewarding experience of my life. Being a surrogate was my way to serve and being an employee with ConceiveAbilities is how I continue to serve. Every day I get to help build families; what is better than that?
Ash: ConceiveAbilities is so special to me because it allows me to serve families who might be in need and to invest in surrogates who are passionately wanting to be the light for others.
Inspired by our military spouses?
If you are a military spouse and are called to become a surrogate, we have resources for you, including other military spouses who you can connect with. We would love to help you learn more about Surrogacy and the Military and the role you could play in helping someone else build their family as a surrogate. Learn more about the process of helping someone else's dream of building a family come true. We would love to talk with you.