Houston. It's where I call home. It's where I was born (literally, downtown at St. Joseph's hospital). As a homegrown Texan and Houstonian, I'm still at a loss of words of what has transpired in the past couple of weeks. When I started this post last month, I was going to share about an adventure that we had; but then Hurricane Harvey happened. So, I scratched that post and here we are.

My family was very fortunate not to be flooded by the hurricane, but it's still hard. Everyone was affected by the hurricane, whether directly or indirectly. It's heartbreaking to see the debris and displacement that has happened to our community; but it is welcoming to see what is happening to our relationships. Through this storm, it seems like we have come together as a community. Complete strangers asking, "Are you alright? Where you affected? How is your family? Is there anything I can help with?" Distant friends and family you have not talked to in months, checking in on you. Signs around town that say, "Katy Strong. Houston Strong. Pray for Texas."

My posts are usually about our infertility journey, past or present; and I feel like this post is also. In the journey of trying to conceive, we need community. I feel like we need each other, whether it's due to infertility or through a storm. Embrace your community. Uniting, supporting, and standing together is what it means to live in community.

So before I sign off, I wanted to lend the opportunity to help those in my community. There are still many who need help in recovering from the effects of Hurricane Harvey. Please consider supporting the charities and recovery efforts below, especially since ALL funds raised will be used locally. If you prefer supporting someone directly, I also listed the support page for my friend, Becky.

Bless Becky Devastated by Harvey Greater Houston Community Foundation Houston Food Bank Houston Public Library Foundation

There are also some "fun" ways to support hurricane relief efforts. My husband and I went on a belated birthday dinner for me at a local restaurant that is participating in the extended Houston Restaurant Week (HRW). HRW is a dining extravaganza that benefits the Houston Food Bank, which is in greater need more than ever right now. The original dates for HRW 2017 were August 1-Sept. 4; but due to Hurricane Harvey, it was extended for the rest of September.

Lastly, if you're in Houston area, I invite you to come and namaste for Hurricane Harvey Relief with me on Saturday, October 28th! All proceeds are benefiting a local Katy family that was flooded during the storm.

~Brandi