Two Little Miracles: Our Second IVF Embryo Results Are In!

Hi Friends!

I have some incredibly exciting news to share about our fertility journey and the next steps ahead!

We got the results back from our second egg retrieval, and I can hardly believe I’m typing this… both embryos are euploid — which means they’re genetically normal and transferable — and they are BOYS! 💙💙

If you’ve been following our story, you might remember my earlier post, Our IVF Journey: Exciting Euploid Embryo Results, where I shared that from our first egg retrieval, we ended up with five embryos — three of which were euploid, and all girls. Our doctor recommended having at least two embryos per child we hope to have to give us the best chance of success. And now, with the addition of these two little boys, we’ve officially hit our goal number: five healthy, transferable embryos.

One of our girl embryos does carry the GJB2 gene, which we’re hoping to avoid passing on — so having four unaffected embryos (two boys and two girls) gives us peace of mind and options moving forward. It truly feels like such a blessing — one we don’t take for granted.

And what makes this moment even more emotional — and honestly, a little surreal — is everything it took to get here.

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I Had Almost No Hope This Round

I’m just going to be real with you: I had zero hope going into this second retrieval. If you’ve read my post, When Egg Retrieval Becomes Emergency Surgery: A Life-Threatening Turn in Our IVF Journey, you know what I mean. Our second retrieval didn’t go as planned — it turned into an emergency situation, and I ended up having to undergo surgery due to internal bleeding caused by punctures to my ovary. I was terrified. I was in pain. And more than anything, I was emotionally drained.

When you walk through something that physically traumatic, it’s hard to have high hopes. I was so grateful my ovary was saved, but I truly didn’t believe that anything good could come from that retrieval. I was trying to protect my heart.

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A Moment I’ll Never Forget

So, when I got the email that our embryo testing results were in, I wasn’t ready. I was in the Target parking lot, trying to get a few things, when I saw the notification pop up on my phone. I opened the message, scrolled to the report, and just started bawling. I mean, full-on, messy, can’t-catch-my-breath, crocodile tears type of crying.

If you’ve walked the IVF road, you know the emotional toll. I’ve cried plenty of tears over the last couple of years — tears of frustration, pain, anxiety, loss, grief. But this was the first time I cried tears of joy.

I called Ian 2 or 3 times — I just couldn’t wait to share it with him — but he was at work and couldn’t answer. So I called my parents. Then I called my in-laws. I texted my friends. I needed to share this news with the people who’ve been walking this road with us, praying over us, checking in, crying with us, hoping with us. I could feel their joy through the phone.

And my first instinct — the very first thought that came to mind — was “Thank You, Jesus.”

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This Felt Like a God Thing

Now, I know some people might say, “Well, it’s science. It’s medicine. You’re doing IVF.” And yes — we are getting medical help. But I also believe that God works through doctors, through medicine, through timing, through every little detail. And after experiencing what I did — the fear, the trauma, the physical pain — getting news like this 1000% felt like a God thing.

It felt like grace. It felt like mercy. It felt like hope being handed back to me in a moment where I truly wasn’t sure I had much left.

To every single one of you who has prayed for us: thank you. Those prayers are making a difference. I believe that with my whole heart. You know those moments in life when you just pause and say, “And then… there was God.” This was one of those moments for me.

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Surrender, Trust, and Letting Go

This journey has taught me a lot — but if I had to boil it down, I’d say the biggest lesson has been this: surrender.

After my emergency surgery, I found myself feeling more spiritually open than ever before. I was in pain and vulnerable and scared, but I was also deeply grateful to still have my ovary, to be okay, to be here. I remember lying in bed thinking, I never in a million years would have imagined this. I never would have planned this. And maybe… maybe I’m not supposed to. Maybe that’s the point.

I told a friend recently, “Maybe I had to go through something this intense to truly let go and give this to God.” Maybe that’s how stubborn I am — that I needed something that shook me to my core to finally surrender.

And so I did.

I stopped refreshing the portal every 15 minutes like I usually do. I wasn’t obsessively waiting for updates. I just… let go. I said, “God, I trust You. Your will, not mine.” And I meant it.

When my coordinator emailed me with the update, it felt like such a calm and sacred moment — no anxiety, no panic, just quiet gratitude. It was such a contrast to the chaos we’d just experienced, and honestly, it’s a rhythm I want to lean into more often in my life. A rhythm of progress, not perfection.

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What’s Next for Us?

Now that we have our full set of embryos, we’re moving into the next big chapter: preparing for our first embryo transfer! 🙌

Here’s what our timeline looks like:

• Right now, we’re waiting on additional bloodwork results — specifically tests that check for clotting and inflammatory disorders, just to make sure everything is as optimized as possible.
• In August, we’ll meet with our IVF coordinator to go over our care plan and what our transfer cycle will look like.
• In September, we’ll have a meeting with our doctor to finalize everything before we move forward.
• And in October, we are planning to do our embryo transfer — which feels so surreal to even say out loud!

One thing I already know is that I’ll be doing PIO (progesterone-in-oil) shots for 70 days. So… if you have any tips, hacks, or encouragement for getting through those, please send them my way. I’m open to all the advice and good vibes. 😅

And as a bonus — we’re also going to be spending a week in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in September. After everything we’ve been through, a little sunshine, beach time, and rest feels like exactly what our hearts and bodies need.

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Shifting Gears (A Little)

With all of that being said, I do want to share that the content of this blog will likely shift a little over the next few months.

For so long, our fertility journey has been front and center — and it still is in many ways — but as we move toward our transfer, I feel myself entering a new season. A season of softening. Of slowing down. Of giving space for other parts of me to breathe again.

I don’t know exactly what I’ll write about next — maybe faith, maybe travel, maybe healing, maybe just everyday life — but I hope you’ll stick around and give me the space to explore what that looks like.

This community means the world to me. You’ve carried us, cheered for us, and held space for our story. Thank you for showing up with open hearts. I’m so glad you’re here.

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With Love,
Britt