Support Brandi and Chris's IVF Journey to Parenthood

I’ll be honest; it’s hard for me to type our story.

Tomorrow, I’ll turn thirty years old. I had big plans for my thirties. Some of which included being a world famous baker, opening a real life Christmas village, and buying a penthouse in NYC. While I knew most of these dreams were unattainable, the only real dream I thought I had a decent shot at was becoming a mother.

Life has had other plans.

In February 2021, Chris and I found out we were pregnant for the first time. We were both elated! I started experiencing symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, but we held out hope that our first baby would survive and we would hold them in our arms. Sadly, we lost our first baby just a few weeks after hearing the news.

We were devastated, but ready to try again. In June 2021, I found out I was pregnant! This time, we were having twins! I could not have been more excited. I had the pleasure of experiencing my first true wave of pregnancy symptoms and was feeling so blessed to carry them during my twenty seventh birthday. It was the best birthday present ever. However, two weeks after my birthday party, our twins left us.

It took us nine months to finally conceive our fourth baby. I’ll admit, we were petrified. This pregnancy was so different. I started feeling extremely sick and couldn’t leave the house. We stayed hopeful for weeks that our baby would survive, but at ten weeks we received the news that our baby wasn’t growing properly. A week later, I had a D&C and we started to feel a little hopeless.

Seven months following my D&C, I found out I was pregnant again. Petrified doesn’t even begin to cover how I was feeling after receiving a positive pregnancy test. On April 27, 2023, I was handed seven ultrasound pictures showing me a very healthy and happy baby growing inside of me. My pregnancy was next to perfect and we named our strong miracle baby Stone Henry Carter.

Four months later, we decided to take one last vacation before becoming parents. While on our baby moon, God called Stone home to Heaven. On August thirty-first of last year, we held our son for the last time. He was twenty nine weeks old when he passed. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don't think about him and wish he was still here. A piece of my heart went to Heaven that day, and things on earth haven't been the same since.

This past April, I found out I was pregnant again with our sixth baby. I knew this baby was a true blessing. I started to notice some odd pains on my right side a few days after finding out we were pregnant again. After three trips to the emergency room and no concrete answers, my doctor decided to do a laparoscopic procedure. During the procedure, we confirmed I was having another ectopic pregnancy. My doctor removed my right fallopian tube during an emergency procedure.

Upon waking up, the news started to sink in that my chances of being able to naturally conceive children were gone. While having the surgery, my doctor saw that my left fallopian tube was severely damaged. Before removing it, we were told to have tests run to ensure the tube was clear and an embryo could safely travel through.

Ten days ago, we confirmed that my left fallopian tube is compromised and should be removed as soon as possible. Our only chance of having biological children is to proceed with IVF.

While I sit here and type our story, I’ve been reminding myself of some of life's worst days. But yesterday, Chris and I were talking about gratitude. Despite all of the trials and tribulations we have faced the past five years, I still have so much to be grateful for. I have the most incredibly supportive and hardworking husband who has loved me and held my hand through all of this. I have amazing parents, grandparents, and siblings who are always doing everything in their power to make me smile. I also have amazing friends who have been so understanding and full of grace.

Right now, life feels like that scene from UP where Ellie and Carl keep putting money in their Paradise Falls jar but then life keeps getting in the way. Carl ends up breaking his leg, their tire needs to be replaced, and then a tree falls on their house, so they keep breaking open the dream jar to pay for everything life throws at them.

It seems like every time we have a little bit of a footing and are feeling hopeful about saving for IVF, our dream jar gets crushed open with a hammer. I decided to start this GoFundMe because there are wonderful people out there who have offered to donate helping us start our miracle family. I would love nothing more than to hold another son or daughter in my arms again.

However, I know that life is hard for so many people right now, and this is not a top priority. I have so many things to be grateful for. I know there will be a day where I have the amazing opportunity to take our family out for our annual Christmas card photo (with two screaming children, and another hanging off of Santa’s lap, while another other steals all of the candy) and life will be perfect, but right now may not be that moment.

If you would like to donate towards our IVF journey, I will be overjoyed. I truly want to be a mother and am looking forward to every single moment my motherhood journey has to offer, including the bad moments. I would love nothing more than to hear the sound of a little heartbeat again.

All of my love,

Brandi