Your Surrogacy Mother Story?

To make a very long story short, My husband and I have suffered losing eight babies. Four of them were 1st trimester and the other four were second trimester. My last one ended at 22 weeks due to a incompetent cervix (weak cervix)/Preterm labor just like the other losses in my second trimester. I have had two failed cervical cerclage (cervical stitch). The last pregnancy with a cervical stitch damaged my cervix. I do know about a Trans abdominal cerclage but I am too afraid to try again. I am not able to handle the anxiety and stress while being pregnant and being afraid of losing my baby. I have no living children and I would really love to be a mother to our biological children. My husband and I have looked into adoption and will probably go that route one day. I have a very close friend who has offered to be a surrogate mother for my husband and I. My question is has anyone got a surrogate mother that they already knew instead of going through an agency to find you a surrogate? Where do I start? Where did you do and how much was the cost?