NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio -- Everything Travis and Juana Reynolds do in their lives is full of love and hope.
Life has not been easy for the North Ridgeville couple, but the love they share guides them through the darkest days.
They have been together for 13 years and married for seven. The early days of their relationship was a long-distance romance, with Travis attending school in Toledo and Juana living in Ashtabula.
After Travis finished college, he was offered an assistantship to earn his master’s degree. The couple moved in together for two years and waited for him to finish his degree before they got married in 2018.
Like many married couples, they wanted to start a family. They had been trying to conceive for a few years and had finally made the decision to pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Sadly, in 2023, their lives changed when Juana was diagnosed with cancer.
“It was on May 11, 2023, after getting a biopsy done after a scan showed some growth on my uterus,” said Juana.
“After my checkup, it (IFV) was no longer a possibility. We had to act quickly and make a life-altering decision to continue with the surgery.
“Putting my health first, trusting God through it all, I had my surgery in August 2023. I had a bilateral salpingectomy with a total hysterectomy done.
“After the pathology results weeks later, they found that it hadn’t spread outside my lining or ovaries. My lymph nodes were clear. So I didn’t need any further treatment.
“We couldn’t thank God enough for this.”
After the heartbreaking news that having biological children was no longer a possibility, Travis started growing flowers to brighten his wife’s days.
What began as a way to bring a little color and joy into their lives soon bloomed into something more.
“(In)fertility sucks,” said Juana. “It’s a loss. I was grieving. I had to grieve the loss of our future plans.”
The cancer diagnosis wasn’t going to stop the couple’s dream of having children. After much thought and prayer, they decided they wanted to begin the process of adoption.
“In Ohio, the estimated cost is around $30,000 to adopt,” said Juana.
“There’s many fees that aren’t included in that number. Many services are billed hourly. There’s classes to take, etc. Plus the fees for months after to finalize the adoption.
“Out-of-state adoption all depends on which state, but it ranges over $55,000.
“We had already spent a lot of money on my treatments and hospital stays.”
The blossoming flowers in the couple’s back yard are now serving as a way to generate funds for the high cost of adoption.
The couple started Greenview Petals last year and are selling the beautiful flowers in a stand, built by Juana’s brother, outside their home at 6288 Greenview Trail in North Ridgeville (Meadow Lakes subdivision).
In addition to the flowers, Juana also began baking at her home and currently sells the sweet treats, with all the profits going to their adoption fund.
“My parents had a bakery in Mexico,” she said. “I always saw my mom make different things, such as Mexican sweet bread, churros and donuts.
“However, I didn’t take interest until our wedding. My in-laws gifted me a KitchenAid mixer. It inspired me to finally learn the skill.
“I focused on techniques, baking science and building my own recipes.”
With Juana cancer-free, the couple can now focus their energy and efforts on the adoption process.
They have an adoption profile through the Building Blocks Adoption Service. They are praying one day to get the call that a baby is on the way.
“We really want to thank family, friends and the community,” said Juana.
“People are so sweet to share their stories, pray for us and give us business. A massive thank you to families who have donated towards our adoption.
“Especially for the Dachtler Family. When their father Richard ‘Dick’ Dachtler passed away, they asked friends and family to donate to us in lieu of flowers.
“Richard also had cancer and knew about our story. There’s no words to describe how kind they are. Thankful isn’t a word big enough to describe how we felt. Especially during a difficult time for them.”
The long-term goal is to keep Greenview Petals growing so they can donate funds to families struggling with infertility, cancer and adoption in the future.
The Reynoldses have built a loving foundation to someday welcome a child. The public can help by stopping by their stand and purchasing flowers and other items made by Juana, or donating directly to their adoption fund.
For more information and a link to a GoFundMe account, go to linktr.ee/casa_reynolds, or follow Greenview Petals on Facebook or Instagram.
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