Hello! I'm Tia. Welcome to Forever Orchard.
I started to write way back in 2012, and along the way this blog has taken on a few changes and updates in that time.
Mark and I met in 2005 and were married in 2010. It was love at first sight, and the rest is history!
We have one French Bulldog (Crash) in Heaven, one English Bulldog (Burn), and one Maincoon Cat (Buddy). They are the biggest pain in my ass and I love them to death. Every gray hair that has grown in is because of them.
If you want dogs that are the stupidest and most stubborn, but have the biggest heart and will slobber you to death....then bulldogs are for you.
When I was 28, we started to try for a baby au natural for a couple of years, only to realize it might never happen.
We went through all the normal preliminary testing and nothing was glaringly wrong.
We completed three rounds of medicated Clomid cycles in 2014 - all failures.
After the third we decided to move forward with our first IUI in January 2015.
The RE suggested genetic testing, just to have in our back-pocket.
The blood work revealed we are both genetic carriers for MCAD.
Knowing we were both carriers, we ran a 1 in 4 risk of birthing a child with this condition. Our only hope at a biological child free from this disease was to move forward with IVF along with PGD and PGS testing.
2016 and 2017 were spent testing our mental and physical limits with IVF.
IVF revealed more issues for me including poor ovarian reserve and egg quality, along with Mark's less than stellar swimmers.
After four egg retrievals, three transfers and two miscarriages, we whole-heartedly closed the chapter to grow our family with a biological child.
It is not in our hearts to pursue alternative options, such as adoption or donors, and we appreciate our readers support in this decision.
This new chapter of our lives in our Forever home up on Orchard Street will include many home renovations, DIY's, parties, travel, and time spent with friends and family.
The adventures await. We are glad you're here!
