Two Frozen Embryos and a House Full of Dust: How One Couple Is Making the Hardest Decisions

Life has a way of throwing multiple curveballs at once, and Jeff Arcuri and Katie Thurston are living that reality right now. In a recent podcast appearance, Arcuri opened up about their decision to pause their IVF journey until their home renovation is complete—something that won’t happen for about 18 months. They have two embryos frozen and ready, but the couple has made the deliberate choice to wait. Arcuri explained it simply: he wants to have a finished home for his baby, not a baby for an unfinished home. It’s the kind of practical wisdom that doesn’t make headlines, but it makes real sense when you think about bringing a newborn into a construction zone.

What adds weight to their decision is Katie’s ongoing battle with stage IV cancer. What started as a stage III diagnosis in February 2025 has progressed and spread to her liver. She underwent a double mastectomy in April and recently had a liver biopsy as doctors work to find the right combination of medications for her treatment. Arcuri has been honest about how difficult it is to watch her go through this uncertainty, especially for someone as organized and Type A as Katie. Between managing her medical appointments, enduring treatments, and overseeing a major home renovation, adding pregnancy and newborn care to that mix just isn’t realistic right now.

Their story resonates because so many of us face similar crossroads: Do we pursue one dream while managing a crisis, or do we acknowledge that some seasons of life call for focused energy on what’s most urgent? Arcuri and Katie seem to have found their answer. They’re not giving up on parenthood, they’re just giving themselves permission to wait for a moment when they’re not stretched so thin. What would you do in their situation? Is waiting the right call, or would you push forward anyway?