Podcasts about nedc

When NEDC embryo adoption mom Rachel Granado couldn't find the right book to tell her daughter her story, she wrote one. In this episode, Rachel shares her path from unexplained infertility and IVF to embryo adoption through the NEDC — and the moment, holding her newborn, when the words for Love Brought You Here came to her. A beautiful conversation about faith, family, and making sure every child knows how loved they are.

Christina Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” So, Warren, what's up first? Warren  The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) has formally asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate comments aired by Jimmy Kimmel during the April 23, 2026, broadcast of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Kimmel's comments were, as a lot of his comments are, thoroughly tasteless. But if they are not protected speech, clearly covered by the First Amendment, then we are all in trouble. Christina And you think it is particularly ironic that the NRB is filing this complaint. Warren I do, because the NRB claims to be a champion of free speech.  The organization claims to be a “nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators” whose mission is to “protect the free speech rights of our members to speak Biblical truth by advocating those rights in governmental, corporate, and media sectors.” But in recent years, some of its largest members, and the organization itself, has been little more than an unpaid public relations arm for the Republican Party. Christina There was also news this week about a little-known arena of pro-life work: embryo adoption, sometimes called “snowflake adoption.” Warren The National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) just announced the addition of two new affiliate clinics, bringing its embryo adoption and donation services closer to families across the country. Dr. Craig Sweet of Embryo Donation International, will serve as the NEDC's affiliate physician in Fort Myers, Florida, and Dr. Valerie Shavell & her physician partners of The Fertility Center will serve in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with each performing frozen embryo transfers for NEDC patients in their respective regions. Christina Embryo adoption is often described as a “life-affirming” option because it gives embryos a chance to be born rather than destroyed. Embryos have been donated from all 50 states. Warren Recipients have traveled from across the United States, U.S. territories, and about a dozen foreign countries, including as far away as China, to participate in the program. The NEDC's website is www.embryodonation.org. Christina We have another abortion related story this week. Warren In the years since Roe was overturned, the number of abortions has grown to record levels, with two-thirds of them being chemical abortions. Christina The recent Supreme Court decision restoring abortion pill access via telehealth is another huge blow to the pro-life movement, erasing any gains made by the overturning of Roe. Warren This seems a good moment to state what should be obvious, and that is that we will not eliminate abortion by passing laws. We will eliminate abortions when we change the hearts and minds of Americans about abortion. That means persuading people who disagree with us, not beating them into submission to achieve political goals that do not make a difference. Beating people up makes them less likely, not more likely, to listen to you. Thus endeth the lesson. Christina Southern Baptists released new membership data this week. Warren Southern Baptist churches saw sustained growth in attendance and baptisms, but the two-decade membership decline continued in 2025, according to a statement from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Total SBC membership fell by more than 3 percent from 2024 to 2025, dipping to 12,331,954, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Research in cooperation with Baptist state conventions. Christina Fewer members belong to Southern Baptist congregations, but more people are attending worship services and small groups and are being baptized. That seems contradictory. Warren It does. These seemingly contradictory data probably reflect efforts by the SBC in recent years to clean up their roles. They were listing people as members who were, in some cases, dead or who had long since joined other churches. There's also probably a bit of generational difference in attitudes relative to church membership and attendance. Older generations are more likely to be members but not attend. Younger generations are more likely to attend for longer periods before becoming members. Christina On average, nearly 4.5 million people attend a Southern Baptist church each week, while more than 2.6 million participate in a small group Bible study or Sunday School class—both up more than 3% compared to 2024 and up for the fourth consecutive year. Warren Meanwhile, the number of baptisms increased by nearly 5 percent to well over a quarter of a million, marking five consecutive years of growth and surpassing pre-COVID levels. Christina Any final thoughts before you go? Warren It was great to visit with readers and donors in Los Angeles and Jacksonville recently. I will be speaking at the annual convention of the Evangelical Press Association in Nashville next week, and I will be holding a reader lunch in Franklin. For precise location, send me an email at wsmith@ministrywatch.com. I will also be in Dallas and Knoxville later in May. I will be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs in June, so I will be doing reader lunches in Denver and Colorado Springs during that trip. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. Christina That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

What do you do when you already have four kids but still feel like your family isn't finished? For Joshua and Abigail Koehler, the answer came through a Facebook article, a lot of prayer, and the NEDC. They're now parents to 22-month-old twin girls born through NEDC embryo adoption. In this episode, they share what it felt like to want more when they already had so much, how their older kids reacted, what the NICU experience was really like, and why they'd tell any couple on the fence to just keep walking through the doors God opens.  

After failed adoption attempts — including bringing a baby home from the hospital, only to have him returned — Sean and his wife Amber heard about NEDC embryo adoption and decided to try one more time. This episode is their story: the fundraising, the hormone injections, transfer day in Knoxville, and what it felt like when it didn't work. It's honest, it's hopeful, and it ends with a direct challenge to Christian couples who are wondering if embryo adoption could be for them. 

Can IVF ever be done ethically? The EA Podcast isn't dodging the question — and may challenge what you've assumed. This episode also walks through the full NEDC adoption process: application, home study, medical clearance, and the unexpectedly emotional experience of browsing embryo profiles. If you've ever wondered what embryo adoption actually involves, this is the episode to share. 

What happens to frozen embryos that IVF families never use? In this portion of the National Embryo Donation Center's interview on the Room for Nuance podcast, learn about a problem few in the fertility industry want to talk about — and the Christian ministry that stepped in to do something about it. This episode covers what the NEDC is, how embryo adoption works as a rescue mission, and the staggering scale of frozen human life waiting for a family. 

 After receiving their infertility diagnosis the day before Christmas Eve, Brett and Erika Hamoen faced a year of deep grieving before discovering embryo adoption through the NEDC. In this heartfelt conversation, they discuss the challenges of being a Canadian couple pursuing embryo adoption, the hostile adoption training environment they avoided, and the incredible moment when Eloise entered the world. 

In this episode of Disguised Coverage, Anthony is joined by Kendall Mirsky to provide a film breakdown of every single play from the Buffalo Bills defense in the 2nd half vs the New England Patriots. What they did, why it worked, how it ties into the bigger picture, and much more0:00 | Opening thoughts 23:04 | Play 126:35 | Play 232:19 | Play 341:05 | Play 443:03 | Play 546:17 | Play 652:07 | Play 71:01:27 | Play 81:08:29 | Play 91:13:56 | Play 101:17:14 | Play 111:20:23 | Play 121:28:18 | Play 131:32:44 | Play 141:38:23 | Play 151:42:13 | Play 161:45:06 | Play 171:49:14 | Play 181:58:32 | Play 192:05:07 | Closing thoughts2:06:48 | One Pie Pizza and Toys for Tots 2:09:10 | Closing thoughts continuedPresenting Sponsor - One Pie Pizza https://www.onepiepizza.com/ Elevated Catering of Buffalo https://elevatedcateringbuffalo.com/Tell them Cover 1 and Disguised Coverage sent you!!Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pro__AntFollow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/proant.bsky.socialCover 1 would love to hear your thoughts on this topic and the show in general. Comment below and let us what you think!One Pass Premium Membership - https://www.cover1.net/onepass/Don't miss out on our PREMIUM CONTENT-Access to detailed Premium Content.-Access to our video library.-Access to our private Slack channel.-Sneak peek at upcoming content.-Exclusive group film room sessions & much more.Thank you for watching this video, we can't do it without the support of our fans. If you have any ideas for content you'd like to see from us, comment below. -DOWNLOAD THE COVER 1 MOBILE APP!► Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.coverapp► iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1532587486► Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClL6eJS1s8xmRoYRQbYgxQQ?sub_confirmation=1► Subscribe to our Cover 1 Network channel - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cover-1-sports/id1370162953 -Cover 1 provides a multi-faceted analysis of the NFL and NFL Draft including Podcasts, Video blogs, Commentary, Scouting Reports, Highlights, and Video Breakdowns. NFL footage displayed is not owned by Cover 1. -Follow Us HereTwitter: https://twitter.com/Cover1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@Cover_1_Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cover1NFL/Official Merchandise:https://teespring.com/en-GB/stores/cover-1The Cover1.net website and associated Social Media platforms are not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, maintained, authorized, or sponsored by the NFL or any of its clubs, specifically the Buffalo Bills. All products, marks, and company names are the registered trademarks of their original owners. The use of any trade name or trademark is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply any association with the trademark holder of their product brand.

Nos vendieron el "Downsizing" como la panacea de la automoción: motores pequeños, ligeros, turboalimentados y supuestamente ecológicos. Bloques de 1.0 litro y 3 cilindros entregando potencias de más de 100 CV. Parecía el triunfo de la ingeniería, pero con la perspectiva del tiempo, la realidad es mucho más cruda: sencillamente, nos han vendido motores peores. No es nostalgia por los viejos motores de gran cilindrada, es pura física y termodinámica. La verdad del "downsizing" nunca fue una verdad de ingeniería, sino una verdad de laboratorio diseñada para cumplir con normativas burocráticas. El Origen del Problema: El Ciclo NEDC Para entender por qué muchos motores modernos son problemáticos, hay que mirar al antiguo ciclo de homologación NEDC. Una prueba de laboratorio irreal, con aceleraciones lentas y sin carga. Los fabricantes diseñaron motores para ser eficientes solo en esas condiciones específicas. Crearon motores minúsculos que, sin exigirles potencia, apenas gastaban. Pero ¿quién conduce así en la vida real? Laboratorio vs. Realidad: El consumo fantasma Cuando sacas ese motor 1.0 Turbo a la carretera y le exiges potencia para un adelantamiento o un puerto de montaña, la eficiencia desaparece. El turbo sopla al máximo y la temperatura se dispara. Para evitar la autodetonación ("picado de biela"), la centralita utiliza el "enriquecimiento de protección": inyecta gasolina extra no para mover el coche, sino para refrigerar la cámara de combustión. Estamos usando gasolina como refrigerante. En la práctica, un motor pequeño forzado consume más que un motor 2.0 atmosférico que trabaja relajado a la mitad de su capacidad. La Pesadilla de la Fiabilidad: Motores de "usar y tirar" Sacar 130 CV de un litro de cilindrada somete a los materiales a un estrés propio de la competición, pero usando componentes de utilitario. Esto ha traído tecnologías que han destrozado la fiabilidad a largo plazo: Inyección Directa (GDI) y Carbonilla: Al inyectar directamente en la cámara, la gasolina ya no limpia las válvulas de admisión. Resultado: acumulación de carbonilla, pérdida de potencia y averías costosas a partir de los 80.000 km. Filtros de Partículas (GPF): Al funcionar con mezclas ricas, estos motores generan partículas finas, obligando a instalar filtros complejos que se obstruyen. La Correa Húmeda: El mayor error de la era "downsizing". Para reducir la fricción, sumergieron la correa de distribución en aceite. El aceite degrada la goma, la correa se desintegra y los restos obstruyen la bomba de aceite, gripando el motor. Un fallo de diseño catastrófico presente en motores superventas. La Lista de la Vergüenza Existen motores que ilustran este fracaso: -Stellantis 1.2 PureTech: Famoso por los problemas de su correa húmeda y alto consumo de aceite. -Ford 1.0 EcoBoost: Pionero del downsizing, pero con historiales de problemas en refrigeración y distribución en sus primeras generaciones. -VW 1.4 TSI Twincharger: Un exceso de complejidad (turbo + compresor) que resultó ser una pesadilla mecánica. -Fiat 0.9 TwinAir: Un bicilíndrico que vibraba en exceso y cuyo consumo real doblaba al homologado. El Regreso a la Cordura La industria, en silencio, nos está dando la razón. Con la llegada del ciclo WLTP (más realista), el truco de los motores minúsculos ya no funciona. Estamos viendo un proceso de "Upsizing": Volkswagen ha pasado del 1.4 al 1.5 TSI, y Stellantis está sustituyendo la correa húmeda por cadena. Mención aparte merece Mazda, que se negó a entrar en este juego. Apostaron por el "Upsizing" (motores 2.0 atmosféricos de alta compresión), demostrando que se puede ser eficiente sin sacrificar la fiabilidad ni recurrir a trucos de laboratorio. El "downsizing" no fue progreso real; fue un parche regulatorio que sacrificó la vida útil de tu coche. Antes de comprar, infórmate bien: la buena ingeniería no necesita esconderse detrás de cifras de homologación imposibles.

Nos vendieron el "Downsizing" como la panacea de la automoción: motores pequeños, ligeros, turboalimentados y supuestamente ecológicos. Bloques de 1.0 litro y 3 cilindros entregando potencias de más de 100 CV. Parecía el triunfo de la ingeniería, pero con la perspectiva del tiempo, la realidad es mucho más cruda: sencillamente, nos han vendido motores peores. No es nostalgia por los viejos motores de gran cilindrada, es pura física y termodinámica. La verdad del "downsizing" nunca fue una verdad de ingeniería, sino una verdad de laboratorio diseñada para cumplir con normativas burocráticas. El Origen del Problema: El Ciclo NEDC Para entender por qué muchos motores modernos son problemáticos, hay que mirar al antiguo ciclo de homologación NEDC. Una prueba de laboratorio irreal, con aceleraciones lentas y sin carga. Los fabricantes diseñaron motores para ser eficientes solo en esas condiciones específicas. Crearon motores minúsculos que, sin exigirles potencia, apenas gastaban. Pero ¿quién conduce así en la vida real? Laboratorio vs. Realidad: El consumo fantasma Cuando sacas ese motor 1.0 Turbo a la carretera y le exiges potencia para un adelantamiento o un puerto de montaña, la eficiencia desaparece. El turbo sopla al máximo y la temperatura se dispara. Para evitar la autodetonación ("picado de biela"), la centralita utiliza el "enriquecimiento de protección": inyecta gasolina extra no para mover el coche, sino para refrigerar la cámara de combustión. Estamos usando gasolina como refrigerante. En la práctica, un motor pequeño forzado consume más que un motor 2.0 atmosférico que trabaja relajado a la mitad de su capacidad. La Pesadilla de la Fiabilidad: Motores de "usar y tirar" Sacar 130 CV de un litro de cilindrada somete a los materiales a un estrés propio de la competición, pero usando componentes de utilitario. Esto ha traído tecnologías que han destrozado la fiabilidad a largo plazo: Inyección Directa (GDI) y Carbonilla: Al inyectar directamente en la cámara, la gasolina ya no limpia las válvulas de admisión. Resultado: acumulación de carbonilla, pérdida de potencia y averías costosas a partir de los 80.000 km. Filtros de Partículas (GPF): Al funcionar con mezclas ricas, estos motores generan partículas finas, obligando a instalar filtros complejos que se obstruyen. La Correa Húmeda: El mayor error de la era "downsizing". Para reducir la fricción, sumergieron la correa de distribución en aceite. El aceite degrada la goma, la correa se desintegra y los restos obstruyen la bomba de aceite, gripando el motor. Un fallo de diseño catastrófico presente en motores superventas. La Lista de la Vergüenza Existen motores que ilustran este fracaso: -Stellantis 1.2 PureTech: Famoso por los problemas de su correa húmeda y alto consumo de aceite. -Ford 1.0 EcoBoost: Pionero del downsizing, pero con historiales de problemas en refrigeración y distribución en sus primeras generaciones. -VW 1.4 TSI Twincharger: Un exceso de complejidad (turbo + compresor) que resultó ser una pesadilla mecánica. -Fiat 0.9 TwinAir: Un bicilíndrico que vibraba en exceso y cuyo consumo real doblaba al homologado. El Regreso a la Cordura La industria, en silencio, nos está dando la razón. Con la llegada del ciclo WLTP (más realista), el truco de los motores minúsculos ya no funciona. Estamos viendo un proceso de "Upsizing": Volkswagen ha pasado del 1.4 al 1.5 TSI, y Stellantis está sustituyendo la correa húmeda por cadena. Mención aparte merece Mazda, que se negó a entrar en este juego. Apostaron por el "Upsizing" (motores 2.0 atmosféricos de alta compresión), demostrando que se puede ser eficiente sin sacrificar la fiabilidad ni recurrir a trucos de laboratorio. El "downsizing" no fue progreso real; fue un parche regulatorio que sacrificó la vida útil de tu coche. Antes de comprar, infórmate bien: la buena ingeniería no necesita esconderse detrás de cifras de homologación imposibles.

In the span of just twelve days, the strategic balance of the Middle East was fundamentally altered. Israel systematically dismantled Iran's drones, missiles, and air defenses, while American strikes turned its most important nuclear facilities into dust. But for all of that, another aspect of the war may not yet have gotten enough attention, and that is the demonstration of what American energy dominance can make possible. What does it mean that oil did not rise over $100 per barrel, as some predicted it might, and how did American policymakers ensure that it didn't? The answer to that question lies in part in the creation in February 2025 of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC). Our guest today is Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who recently served as senior counselor to the NEDC. In conversation with Mosaic's editor Jonathan Silver, Goldberg examines what he calls “a National Security Council for energy,” its role in crafting a whole-of-government approach to coordinating American energy policy, and what it tells us about President Trump's vision for American power. We are currently living through a three-way strategic competition among the United States, China, and Iran for influence in the Middle East—and energy is the battleground. China is pouring billions into its Belt and Road infrastructure projects across the region while buying Iranian oil in defiance of sanctions. Iran is using energy revenues to fund proxy networks from Iraq to Yemen, threatening the very shipping lanes that global commerce depends on. The Trump administration's answer is to turn American energy abundance into a strategic weapon. To this end, it has signed an energy- and AI-cooperation agreement with Israel—designed to combine Israeli innovation with American infrastructure to dominate the technologies of the future. The administration is also working to cut off Iran's energy lifelines, ending waivers that allowed Iraq to buy Iranian oil and gas. It's also pushing massive infrastructure projects like the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor that would run through Israel and bypass both Iranian threats and Chinese influence. Coordinating and advancing these policies is the work of the NEDC, and Goldberg was in the room during the twelve-day war and the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, as well as for the signing of that unprecedented U.S.-Israel energy-cooperation agreement during Prime Minister Netanyahu's July visit to Washington. Now that he no longer holds public office, he can talk about the experience.

In this special episode of The Lobby Shop podcast, guest hosts Scott Segal, partner and co-head at the Policy Resolution Group (PRG), and Kyle Spencer, principal at PRG, sit down with Brittany Kelm, Senior Policy Advisor for the White House on the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC). The three of them dive into the mission of the NEDC, the day-to-day role of the Council, and how the NEDC tackles regulatory challenges in advancing U.S. energy production. Brittany also highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement and NEDC's coordination with other agencies. Don't miss this inside look at energy policy from the front lines of the White House.

On this week's episode, I am super excited to be introducing you to this week's special guest Founding Director of the registered charity, the international Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders also known as (CoRe-ED) as well as Professor and Senior Clinical Psychologist at Monash University, Professor Gemma Sharp. She established in 2018 and has the Body Image and Eating Disorders Research Program and is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership 2 Investigator Fellow. She also leads her own private psychology practice and is a nationally credentialed eating disorder clinician. Gemma currently serves on the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) Right Care Place Advisory Group and serves on a number of different groups within NEDC and beyond.Gemma's research has received extensive recognition and coverage in the media such as she was named as one of ABC Radio National's Top 5 under 40 Scientists in 2017 and was also invited to deliver a TED talk in Brisbane in 2017. Gemma's research career in both Medical Science and Mental Health has seen her both study and work in Australia, Japan and the UK.On today's episode we will be speaking about eating disorders or body image images among older adults. Breaking down some of the misconceptions or stigma surrounding older adults and eating disorders. Discussing some of the research, discriminations and societal influences impacting people of all ages or genders. So let's get into it!Podcast Summary: 1.    Life transitions, body changes, hormonal changes body image 2.    Media representations of men and women across the ages3.    Appearance ideals are costing women4.    Pregnancy, Puberty and Perimenopause 5.    Research in the field Links to Professor Gemma Sharp from the episode:  Monash University Profile: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/gemma-sharpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-sharp-6a29392a9/X account: https://x.com/gemmasharp11Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders: https://core-ed.com.au/ Menopause and Eating Disorders Resource: https://learn.eatingdisorders.org.au/courses/menopause-and-eating-disorders Links from the episode and to BodyMatters: BodyMatters Australasia Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bodymatters.com.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BodyMatters Instagram: @bodymattersauButterfly Foundation Helpline: Call their National Helpline on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1800 33 4673⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chat online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email

Why does the NEDC require its adopting families to complete a home study, and what's involved? How are open adoption relationships worked out? And why do all NEDC adopters go through training/education modules? Christian Adoption Consultants Lead Social Worker & Embryo Program Coordinator Rebekah McGee answers all those questions and more in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Plus, Rebekah shares the heart for adoption that led her to this work in the first place. Share, rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Ezekiel Lee went from thinking embryo adoption sounded “so sci-fi”… to becoming an NEDC dad! But he and his wife Rachel were frustrated there was no book comprehensively covering how to pursue embryo adoption. So, Ezekiel decided to write it himself! He talks about the book, Once Frozen, Now Family: How to Pursue Embryo Adoption, and How Seven Families Did It, in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Plus, he and Rachel share their own story. Here's a link where you can order the book: https://www.amazon.com/Once-Frozen-Now-Family-Adoption/dp/B0DY1VW7LG?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Abby & Bryce Thomas may be the only couple we know who literally drove all night (they actually slept in the car!) to get to their frozen embryo transfer. While the early part of their journey with the NEDC didn't work out as they hoped, they felt led by the Lord to return three years later. Now, as you'll learn in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, things are totally different. You'll love this story of how God has grown Abby & Bryce to a family of six- and not just through embryo adoption!

Shop our merch on eatsleeprace.com! Save 10% off with promo code: PODCAST In this episode of the Eat Sleep Race Podcast we sit down with Ed from North East Driver's Club. He explains the in's and outs of the club, what types of car enthusiasts join and some of the major benefits to being part of NEDC. Guest: @gtr_ed @northeast_driversclub @nedc_longisland Hosts: @brianesr @hugoesr Producer: @navlifestylemedia

Reuniting Design and Construction: A Conversation with David SuppleIn this episode of the Architecture and Innovation podcast, host Tom Dioro interviews David Supple, CEO of NEDC Design and Construction. David shares his journey from studying architecture at Tufts University to founding his own design-build firm. He emphasizes the importance of uniting architects and builders to improve project outcomes and accountability. David also discusses his book 'Classical Architecture's African Roots' and reflects on the historical context and evolution of architectural practice. The conversation highlights David's commitment to creating uplifting, functional, and beautiful spaces.For more information visit: https://www.nedesignbuild.com/To get your copy of Classical Architectures African Roots, you can visit either of these links.Link to the free e-book: https://designrootsafrica.com/Link to the print book: https://www.amazon.com/Classical-Architectures-African-Roots-Supple/dp/B0BSWT7P2H00:00 Introduction to the Podcast00:20 Meet David Supple: CEO and Aspiring Comedian01:16 David's Mantra: Do It Now02:39 Journey into Architecture04:45 The Role of Architecture in Uplifting Lives07:41 The History and Evolution of Architects11:54 David's Research and Book on Classical Architecture17:45 Reuniting the Architect and Builder24:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Business of Architecture podcast, Enoch Sears sits down with David Supple, the CEO of New England Design & Construction. David shares his unconventional journey from architecture school to becoming a leader in design-build. Along the way, he talks about hard lessons learned and how he built a thriving business with a team of 25. David also reveals the surprising reason why he chose not to become a licensed architect and how it impacted his career. He discusses the challenges of building a company, including a difficult moment that could have ended it all. Finally, David opens up about the biggest mistake he made and how it set him back for years. What major challenge almost forced David to close his business? Why does David believe architects don't always need a license? Discover the unexpected strategy that helped David find success. What one decision did David regret that nearly cost him everything?   To learn more about David, visit his: Website: https://www.nedesignbuild.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nedesign.construction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nedesignconstruction LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-england-design-&-construction   ► Transcription: https://otter.ai/u/M3J_gtTc4d5firVdJ_Xj6ssPJjE?utm_source=copy_url   ► Feedback? Email us at podcast@businessofarchitecture.com   ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/   ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call   ► Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for updates:   https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture   *******   For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessofarch/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/yt Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/show iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9idXNpbmVzc29mYXJjaGl0ZWN0dXJlLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz   *******   Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com   Carpe Diem!

Hoy vamos a hablar de la autonomía de los coches eléctricos. Hay una frase que dice: “Para acabar con el hambre de un pueblo, no les des comida, enséñales a cultivar el campo”. En este vídeo no os voy a dar un aburrido listado de coches y autonomías… algo habrá, pero la idea es tratar de que os forméis un criterio claro para interpretar la información, que no es real, que os dan las marcas… y, porque no decirlo, algunos canales y Web… y os anticipo que en la sección “Coche del día” se va a producir un hecho único en la historia del canal. No nos alarmemos: Las marcas siempre han dado cifras que no son reales, tanto cuando se hablada y se habla de consumos de combustible en coches térmicos, como ahora en los eléctricos. Cierto que las autoridades han ido desarrollando normativas para que los consumos homologados se acerquen a los reales… y se acercan, pero no llegan. Y no van a llegar nunca, porque las marcas cumplen, por supuesto, la normativa de cada momento, pero la aprovechan en su beneficio, buscando siempre las condiciones ideales. Los eléctricos NO son la solución… pero si una parte de la solución. Estoy en contra de “ciertos” eléctricos, sobre todos los grandes, pesados y caros eléctricos con el que pretenden decirnos que es cómodo viajar… porque posible es, pero cómodo… no. Al final, tras hablar de autonomía, os daré unas pinceladas sobre el tema de la recarga… porque en cierto modo van unidos: Menos autonomía, más recargas. Creo que hay muchas opciones, no solo una, y que en función del uso nos interesa una u otra. Porque, hoy por hoy, en ciudad, el eléctrico es imbatible entre los coches… porque siempre nos queda el transporte público, la bicicleta y la moto… muy eficientes también, porque ahorran emisiones y, además, espacio. Antes de hablar de cifras vamos a hablar de las condiciones que varían en estas cifras y pueden reducir a la mitad e incluso menos las cifras de autonomía anunciadas. Vamos a ver las más importantes: Estilo de conducción. Esta es clave. En un eléctrico el tipo de condición influye en el consumo incluso en mayor medida que en un coche convencional. Primero, porque cada vez que aceleras la masa que tienes que mover es muy alta y se paga en consumo. Incluso en eléctricos “gordos” pegas un par de acelerones y ves como baja la autonomía… si conduces así puede reducir la autonomía a un tercio e incluso a un cuarto. La velocidad se paga y la aceleración más y no, lo que recuperes al reducir no compensa lo que gatas al acelerar. Por otra parte conducir con mucha anticipación y aprovechando la posibilidades de autorrecarga se nota y mucho. Os voy a contar una anécdota (CONTAR Sylvia y su BMW) Tipo de carretera. A los eléctricos las cuestas arribas le sientan mal. Y las zonas de curvas tampoco les gustan, cuanto más cerradas peor, porque hay que “parar” mucho el coche... cuando recargas, pero luego volver a acelerar... con las consecuencias antes descritas. Carga. Siempre lo digo: Uno de esos grandes eléctricos que anuncian autonomías tan altas, rondan a sobrepasan las dos toneladas y media. Entre 600 y 800 kg de media más que un coche equivalente térmico. O lo que es lo mismo: Si consideramos el peso medio de una persona en 75 kilos, es como si llevases y coche normal y a 9 amigos… ni más ni menos. Si además llevas 4 amigos “de verdad” y equipaje, el peso extra se acerca a 500 kg… una verdadera mole. Temperatura exterior. Os voy a dar un dato que no es mío, os cito la fuente: La propia Renault. Nos dice que a temperaturas por encima de los 35 grados en empleo del aire acondicionado puede suponer una disminución de la autonomía en torno al 17 por ciento. Es decir que la realidad o es esa… o es peor. ¿Y qué pasa si hace frío? Pues todavía peor. Las baterías en general y el frio no se llevan bien. Eso por un lado. Por otro, un coche térmico utiliza para calentar a sus ocupantes el calor que “tira” y desperdicia. En un coche eléctrico hay que producirlo. Diversas fuentes, las propias marcas empresas de energía entre otras, cifran esta pérdida autonomía entre un 15 y un 25 por ciento en temperaturas bajo cero. Tráfico. Curiosamente el tráfico afecta menos al consumo. Es más, respecto a un coche convencional incluso les favorece. Por ejemplo, en ciudad, los eléctricos son especialmente eficientes, porque climatización al margen, cuando están parados no gastan nada. Y arrancadas suaves seguidas de frenadas que puedes prever, caso de los semáforos, son un uso al que se adaptan muy bien. Otra cosa es en carretera, sobre todo si es de doble sentido, donde hay que hacer adelantamientos y acelerar con decisión… y ya sabéis lo que pasa. Los consumos y autonomías homologados de los coches eléctricos se calculan mediante el llamado ciclo WLTP que viene de Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure. El ciclo de prueba WLTP se realiza en un banco de pruebas y tiene cuatro fases de unos 23,25 kilómetros. Dos fases son urbanas, equivalentes al 52 por ciento del recorrido y dos etapas extraurbanas. La velocidad media del recorrido es de 46,5 km/h. ¿Sirve de algo este dato? Pues sí, sirve, como los consumos homologados en general, para comparar unos coches con otros, pero nunca como cifra fiable de consumo, ¡NUNCA! Siempre va a ser más favorable que la realidad. Nos cabe el consuelo de que la normativa anterior, la NEDC era mucho menos real. Incluso. La diferencia entre la autonomía WLTP y la real, según el tipo de uso, puede estar entre el 25 y el 75 por ciento menos… calcula que la real es entre un 20 y un 40 por ciento menos si eres un buen conductor y usas el coche con cabeza. Cifras reales. Bueno, ya sabes lo que puedes esperar de la autonomía de los coches eléctricos en función de lo que te dicen los fabricantes. Pero unos son más optimistas que otros o sacan más partido que otros a la normativa. Incluso hay diferencias entre modelos. He mirado al menos 3 pruebas y estudios bastante homogéneos realizados por distintos medios en Gran Bretaña, España e Italia. Lo puedes ver en el vídeo. Coche del día. Lo que vais a ver hoy nunca ha sucedido en GH y es una especie de “protesta” por la imposición que nos han hecho de los coches eléctricos, de la escasa infraestructura, de la subida de precios y de su poca practicidad en algunos casos… Hoy, por primera vez, esta sección queda vacante… no hay coche del día.

近年來愈來愈多人開過或使用電動車，往往原廠所標示的續航里程和實際行駛後的里程數有一段不小的落差，但這些被車商大肆宣傳的”華麗數字”在實驗室裡怎麼測出來的？為什麼和實際續航里程最接近、最能展現該車能源使用效率的數字卻藏在規格表最容易讓人忽視的地方？而電動車往往會提到「最大支援充電功率」指的又是什麼？數值高低有哪些影響？最後提供目前在國內200萬以內市售電動車的電池容量作為參考。一起隨著島叔和豪哥一窺電動車數據暗藏的”天機”！ -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Imagine you are in a small town, and several industries have moved out of your community. Many of your citizens have lost their jobs. What do you do now? Meet Jon Chadwell, the Executive Director of the Newport Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Jon's community rallied together and formalized a plan to revitalize their community. The community worked together to find industries that were previously present in town. The community invested in infrastructure to make the community more marketable to similar industries. They brought in new industries as well. As a manufacturing community, they shifted to invest in other industries, such as technology, by forming a tech depot. Newport shifted to having enough jobs where people from different communities now commute to Newport for their jobs. As a result, Newport has now partnered with the local school system and the local two-year college to provide training for local industry by identifying gaps in the workforce. This is a great episode for those thinking of revitalizing their economic development and employment through partnerships and grant-funded opportunities. About the guest Jon Chadwell is the Executive Director of the Newport Economic Development Commission (NEDC). The NEDC manages an economic development fund created by a one-half-cent sales tax in Newport, Arkansas. Jon has worked in local economic development for 30 years, the past 19 years in Newport. Previously, he held economic and community development roles in Blytheville, Camden and Prescott. Jon has held positions in a number of state and regional economic development groups. He is a member of Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives and a member of the International Economic Development Council. He was appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Finance Development Authority in 2019. In addition to economic development activities, Jon has been active in facilitating adult leadership programs in Newport, Prescott and Camden. Jon has a B.A. and an M.Div. from Harding University. He is a graduate of the Community Development Institute and LeadAR. In addition, he is a Business Retention and Expansion Consultant through BRE International. Jon is also recognized by the International Economic Development Council as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). In 2022, he was chosen as the Outstanding Economic Developer in the state of Arkansas by the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives Association. Jon is married to Sheridan Chadwell and has two children, Calli Johnson and Jordan Chadwell. Sheridan is the Arkansas Sales Rep for the Daniel Richards Showroom and Coordinator for the Joe and Helen Harris Foundation. Calli is an insurance agent in Newport with M&P Insurance and Investment. Jordan is a computer programmer with Bass Pro in Springfield, Missouri. Jon and Sheridan really enjoy spending time with their granddaughter Olivia. Email director@newportaredc.org

Going through fertility treatment can be a nerve-wracking and sometimes demoralising experience. When it's coupled with a past or current eating disorder, the whole process can be even more complicated. Why? “Fertility difficulties and going through fertility treatment can increase the risk of an eating disorder, but also, eating disorders can impact fertility,” says National Eating Disorder Collaboration National Manager, Dr. Sarah Trobe. The NEDC has a new program to help educate health professionals about these issues. It's important because the intersection between those seeking fertility treatment and those with eating disorders is surprisingly high. Not enough health practitioners are yet aware of this. “Up to 16% of those seeking fertility care are also experiencing a current eating disorder, which is much higher than the general population,” says Dr. Trobe. "And around 25% have a past lived experience.” Listen to Dr. Trobe share up-to-the-minute learnings from NEDC's work in this space and how health care professionals can identify risks and respond appropriately when needed. Importantly, Dr. Trobe also offers insights and tips for self-care around eating and body image for people in treatment, as well as for those thinking about starting the process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John & Sarah were prepared for another failure when the embryos in their second NEDC transfer were graded lower than those in their first. Now, they have twins from that transfer! Lots of helpful stuff in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, including takeaways on overcoming cancer, the importance of having a mentor couple, not putting too much stock in an embryo's grade, and trusting God at a deeper level!  Don't forget to share, rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

It's easy to feel alone, whether you're an adult experiencing pregnancy failure, or an embryo adoption kid with a different story than your peers. In this episode, NEDC mom Ambre Williams unpacks how community & prayer led her & her husband to peace during their uneven embryo adoption journey. Plus, she shares about her new children's book, aimed at making embryo adoption children (and others born outside traditional means) feel loved & special, not alone. Find this podcast helpful? Spread the word! Share, rate, review, and subscribe.

Dr. Jeff Barrows is joined by Dr. Jeff Keenan, the president and founder of the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) in Knoxville, Tennessee, to talk about how the NEDC is rescuing babies through embryo donation and adoption.  RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: Give to CMDA Email CMDA Matters CMDA Bookstore National Embryo Donation Center CMDA Podcasts The Voice of Advocacy Podcast 2024 CMDA National Convention

Sometimes embryo adoption dads struggle with parental identity. That stems from being the only adult in the process -donor or recipient- without a genetic or biological connection to their child. But shared biology and genetics aren't the only traits that make someone a ‘real dad.' NEDC dad Derek King has worked through those awkward feelings. He has a ton of helpful insights for other EA dads to kick off Season 4 of The Embryo Adoption Podcast.Do you find this podcast helpful? Spread the word! Share, review, like, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Many people struggle to start a family because they have been unable to become pregnant. In-vitro fertilization has been the answer to many couples' prayers to have a baby.  But this success has created a surplus of frozen human embryos - human life -  but embryo donation and embryo adoption offer the blessing of life!  Jenny is talking with Dr. Jeffrey Keenan, President & Medical Director of the National Embryo Donation Center  (NEDC) and a fertility specialist at Southeastern Fertility in Knoxville, TN.  They are the largest group in the world providing embryo adoption.  (more babies born than anyone)  They are caring for the tiniest little ones - made in God's image!  Hear stories of hope as they share some of what families have shared in writing and video about being able to adopt these precious babies. What a blessing NEDC is!   To find out more about embryo adoption and donation, please see their website, embryodonation.org,, on social media and on their Podcast - “The Embryo Adoption Podcast” with Host Mike Mellinger.”

Wondering how to talk to your kids about embryo adoption? Trying to find peace amid infertility? Then this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast is a must-listen. Psychologist (and NEDC mom) Dr. Megan Herscher explores healthy approaches to each in our Season 3 finale. 

We're having some fun in this episode! Almost 8 months after their births, catch up with the NEDC babies frozen as embryos for a world-record of nearly 30 years, Timothy & Lydia Ridgeway, as well as their parents Philip & Rachel. This family's looking back on the wild and sometimes hilarious adventure of making global news. Would they do it all again? ... FULL TRANSCRIPT (Please note there may be spelling, grammatical, and factual errors as this transcript was generated by AI.) 00:00 Mark Mellinger Looking back on two world record arrivals. That's what we're doing on this edition of the Embryo Adoption Podcast. I'm your host, Mark Mellinger, and the embryo adoption podcast is brought to you by the National Embryo Donation center. You can find out more about our work by going to embryodonation.org. I'm joined by four guests today, philip and Rachel Ridgeway, as well as Timothy and Lydia. They are the world record holders for the longest frozen embryos to come to birth. I'm sure many of you remember this global news story from last November and December, and they went through the NEDC and we're catching up with them. Doing a little bit of a post mortem here, by the way. This is one family that is busy. They have four older kids besides these two. So I really appreciate you all taking the time. And like I said, if you're not watching the video version, you'll hear them, the kids, the youngest are with us and they are just cute as a button as they are about eight months old as we record this interview.  01:09 Mark Mellinger So let me start here. How are Timothy and Lydia doing? They look like they're doing great. And how is the rest of your family adjusted?  01:17 Rachel Ridgeway Well, they are growing amazingly by God's grace. Their pediatrician has been so impressed with them because when they were born, they were good size, but they were like on the fifth percentile for weight and length, and they've gone up to the 50th. And so their pediatrician couldn't be any happier with their growth and development. And the kids, we all love them. We can't imagine life without them at this point. It's been such a blessing and so much fun. And each of the kids takes turn holding them and caring for them and loving them.  01:48 Mark Mellinger Are you getting sleep? I mean, they should be decent sleepers by this age, right?  01:55 Rachel Ridgeway You would hope. And the pediatrician says, oh, they can sleep through the night now. They weigh a heavy enough. I'm like, yeah, you got to tell them that Lydia is by far the better sleeper. She's pretty low maintenance. Peter put her to bed. She's pretty happy about that. Timothy's our snuggle bug.  02:13 Mark Mellinger He's with Daddy right now. And I think they're both a little fascinated with the computer that you're doing this interview through that's. Okay, let's go talk, first of all, about your experience through the NEDC. We'll start there. You were intentional about selecting embryos that had been here a long time. You wanted to do this.  02:36 Rachel Ridgeway Why?  02:37 Philip Ridgeway So when were thinking through how would we select a profile, we didn't have any sort of characteristic in mind if we want children with similar hair color or eye color or whatever. So we couldn't think of any criteria we would use to select embryos except for, well, just give us the oldest ones, the webs that have been waiting the longest. And so that's what went with.  03:08 Mark Mellinger Because you knew that those embryos were harder to place. I don't want to put words in your mouth, so I'm sort of asking that question. I know you guys share our heart for life. I mean, that's why we're here, is to protect the sanctity and dignity of human embryos. And these children that you're holding were frozen for just a month and a half shy of 30 years, which is just amazing. That was your heart behind this, right? You wanted the embryos that you wanted to give the embryos a shot at life that were likely going to be harder to place.  03:41 Philip Ridgeway Yeah, that was part of it. But also just the fact that each of these embryos is a human being that God has created in his own image, he's given life to, they have value. They're all equally as valuable in our minds. We couldn't think of a way of saying, well, we want some and not others. So rather than selecting some arbitrary criteria, we said we want those that have been waiting there the longest. That have been waiting the longest to be adopted into a family.  04:25 Mark Mellinger Yeah. Lydia's giving Rachel some problems over there. I understand she's getting hungry. That's totally understandable. Let me ask you this. I mentioned that this was big news several months ago. Are you glad that you went public with your story? Would you do it all over again?  04:43 Rachel Ridgeway Oh, yeah. The amount of people that even just our church body getting to know about embryo adoption and everything involved with that and then having it go public, just being able to talk to more and more people about embryo adoption and the sanctity of life and why these kids are just as important as any other kids out there that are in need of families and really just to be able to glorify God and to give him the credit for the fact that he's the one that created Timothy and Lydia. He's the one that sustained them for the 30 years in the freezer and then sustained them in my womb and continues to sustain them and to be able to give him the glory for what he has done and just to give these babies a face because it's such a hard, nebulous idea for people to come to grips with that there are millions of children frozen out there that just need a chance at life.  05:36 Rachel Ridgeway And it's such a strange thought and process that most people have never even heard of. And so to be able to give it that platform so that people can know and understand and want to look into it for themselves, it's a huge blessing for us.  05:50 Philip Ridgeway It's also been helpful, even just for ourselves. It's challenged us to think through the issue of life and what the Bible says about that and how do we evaluate from a biblical perspective things like IVF and infertility. So that's really helped us to sort of codify what we believe and to speak to people about that issue because it's a common thing. And what we found is that very few people who haven't done embryo adoption or even IDF don't know what it is, what it all involves, what the moral implications of it. So it's been helpful even just for us, but also for the people that God's providentially brought into our lives. We've been able to share our story and teach them about embryo adoption and the life that God has given to these children.  06:46 Mark Mellinger Well, that's a key point, is that a lot of people will just rush into, if they have the money IVF when they're going through infertility what you're saying. And I know, by the way, even though you have four older children, you all experienced infertility before this. So this is not something with which you are unfamiliar. It's a sensitive topic for you. It's a very real topic for you. And you're saying even though you had gone through it and I know you did not need to go all the way to IVF. You did not go all the way to IVF, even with that background as pretext embryo adoption even made you stop think further, refine your views on what links you will go to achieve children, on the link between fertility and.  07:41 Philip Ridgeway Faith, and also just how to think through it. There are some people that we encountered that were adamantly opposed to embryo adoption just because it's loosely connected with IVF, thinking that somehow embryo adoption promotes IVF, causes more IVF to happen. That was really something that we wrestled through and thought through and had to formulate arguments in our minds. And it was very helpful in that respect.  08:12 Mark Mellinger I remember having a conversation about that with you two while you were pregnant with them, and that was interesting. It is a question that you run into every now and then, and it's a good, thoughtful question that we're happy to engage. What was it like seeing your story told by media outlet after media outlet all over the world, sometimes very entertaining. Okay, yeah. And I know some of this. What were some of the moments that you found entertaining?  08:50 Rachel Ridgeway I think it was my uncle shared an article and it had the wrong photo on it. So saying our family, but it was actually the previous record holder's family photo. They just used some sort of random twin photo of any twins. And so it was our story. But those aren't our kids. Those are pretty funny or just different things that we realized that very quickly, that different news outlets just play telephone now. We have a couple of interviews in person, but then there's all these articles and you can see the little tweaks. So somehow somebody got something wrong.  09:27 Philip Ridgeway Yeah, they hear that, then EDC is in Tennessee and they just assumed that were in Tennessee. Our location changed from article to article. There was some humor in it, and at first it was surprising, but at the same time, were grateful for the opportunities we talked about that God chose to use us in this way and that he is being glorified in this, that life is being put on display and people are hearing the truth. There was someone from our church that read the CNN article and said, yeah, it ends with the sovereignty of God, that God is the one who ordains life and creates life and preserves life, sustains life. That's been our desire all along, for God to be glorified in this.  10:20 Mark Mellinger And that's what you did. You did it all throughout. I loved how you did it, and you really did it in an articulate and intentional way. It wasn't just sort of generic Hallmark card, glorifying God and praising God. There was some theological weight behind it. And I love that about your story. Yeah. And it was interesting seeing the various places that you lived, whether it was Tennessee or Washington oregon, they could have just thought, I guess, that you were sort of a family that was living out of an RV or something, because it did change occasionally. What were some of the most memorable responses you received from folks? I'm not talking about members of the media. I'm talking about just people who saw your story either in person or online.  11:16 Rachel Ridgeway You've had somebody stop you and go, hey, I know you from high school and I saw your article, I think.  11:23 Philip Ridgeway Yeah, that was at the Burbank Airport.  11:27 Mark Mellinger Is that right?  11:29 Rachel Ridgeway Yeah. Oh, I got text messages from friends and different long distance family members that were like, hey, we saw you people go look at my Facebook feed, and all of a sudden, wait, that's a little bit Rachel. They're on there. We didn't really make it public that were going to do this. We just kind of put it out there. So I think it's quite entertaining for a lot of our church family to see our faces plastered over for a few days and be like, I know those people.  11:57 Mark Mellinger You mentioned the telephone world of the media, how a lot of them will basically lift details that were gathered by somebody else and make it their own. That was one aspect that stood out to you. I think another aspect that stood out is a lot of the media, like local TV stations or online outlets, are owned by the same companies. So basically, if you do something with one station, you can be sending it out to the entire country. That didn't used to be the case. Were there other aspects of working with the media that surprised you from either a positive or negative standpoint?  12:40 Rachel Ridgeway For the most part, I think it was all pretty positive. We didn't really run into any big hiccups or anything. I have to say, I think the Guinness World Record article was quite impressive. I was actually very shocked by that one, thinking that we filled out this long survey question by question for them, and they just took it and they put it out there word for word. And so even with our references to the Lord and his sustaining and all that, they put it out there. I was like, oh, sweet. That's pretty cool.  13:13 Mark Mellinger That was so cool. And it was so cool that I have the plaque hanging across from my office here at the NEDC. You guys were nice enough to let us have like, a replica plaque because you have a plaque there.  13:26 Rachel Ridgeway Yeah, well, they do, I guess.  13:32 Mark Mellinger Right? It's so cool. And it's funny, people do they stop by and notice it all the time and they're like, oh, that was you guys. So they knew about the story, or if they hadn't heard the story, they're like, that is amazing. Almost 30 years. We'll try to get some placards with your pictures and stuff, too, to add to that. So you'll always have a home in Tennessee. Whether the media says you do or not, you'll always be here in a sense. Hey, I'm always interested. And by the way, let me say this. This was largely the experience with some of our other couples who have done massive nationwide publicity. There have only been a couple, but generally we as Christians can sometimes bang on the media and be down on them. And there are some legitimate criticisms there, but I always like to praise them where I can.  14:26 Mark Mellinger And I would say I agree with the two of you that by and large, they were very friendly, very courteous. They did share your Christian viewpoint in most cases, which was very important to you, and we let them know that. So they were very respectful and good to work with, and they usually are in the context of the NEC. So we appreciate those in the media who do it well as we do any profession that's a gift from God. So of all the media coverage, which reporter outlet did the best job telling your story? You mentioned that Guinness did a great job. Was there anybody else who stood out as yeah, this is the one. If I had to point somebody to our story.  15:13 Philip Ridgeway There was the initial article with the Gospel Coalition. We were really satisfied, happy with that. How the author, she did a really good job with that story. Actually, the CNN one were quite impressed with, and were surprised at how well they covered accurately portrayed things that he said. But we also did a local interview with a reporter. Do you remember the station? Reporter's name was Alma, and it was.  15:43 Mark Mellinger With it's hard to remember. I get it.  15:49 Philip Ridgeway Yeah, I can't remember the station because we don't watch local news. But reporter came to our house and just asked us questions and she was really relatable and we watched a story and she just did a fantastic job.  16:03 Rachel Ridgeway Yeah, she really did.  16:05 Philip Ridgeway We had a great experience.  16:06 Rachel Ridgeway Yeah, we definitely had some unique ones. I think we did. It was a podcast, right, for Connecticut.  16:12 Mark Mellinger Oh, I think I remember. I know which one you're talking about.  16:15 Rachel Ridgeway Go ahead. Yeah. And she asked different questions, so that was definitely an interesting interview. She focused more on the fact that Lydia and Timothy's history includes their dad having their biological dad having a diagnosis of ALS and what does that mean? And so that was definitely just a unique one, but it also provided us with the opportunity of really showing how God is in control of all things and that Lydia and Timothy still need to be given the opportunity at life despite the possibilities. And the reality is that any child has the possibility of having anything at any time. And so the idea that there's somehow a greater risk with these guys is very funny because God's in control of all things and so we have nothing to fear because we know that whatever he sends us our way as believers will be for our good and for his glory.  17:10 Mark Mellinger Amen. It's such a great point. I mean, if you're human, you're fundamentally broken and in need of restoration and this side of eternity, something bad's going to happen to you that will take you out. That's just how it is. So there's really no difference, right? That's just how it is. Yeah.  17:35 Rachel Ridgeway In all of human history, there's only been, what, two people that didn't die, right?  17:40 Mark Mellinger Exactly.  17:42 Rachel Ridgeway Yeah, exactly. So you've got a pretty high percentage chance of a Lloyd taking you home.  17:50 Mark Mellinger Are you collecting highlights from that time in a scrapbook or a thumb drive or anything?  17:57 Rachel Ridgeway I wish.  17:57 Mark Mellinger But now you're too busy talk about your other kids, how old they are.  18:03 Philip Ridgeway Well, part of it is being too busy, but also part of it's just like we didn't do this for the flame. That hasn't been a motivating factor for us really at all. We talked about our desire was to point people to Christ and for him to be glorified and so it wasn't about us. But yeah, we do have a few things here and there. Like you mentioned, the plague, Afghanistan. We haven't decided what to do with.  18:37 Rachel Ridgeway You yet, but well, nowadays the Internet, it's like if they want to find out, it's just a matter of googling their names and we'll be able to find all kinds of fun things about them.  18:48 Mark Mellinger And the thing is, it'll proliferate over the years, maybe go in directions that you never saw.  19:00 Philip Ridgeway We also wouldn't have time, even if we wanted to do that sort of thing between, you know, works school, serving at our church. I'm in seminary.  19:09 Mark Mellinger Are you going to seminary?  19:11 Philip Ridgeway Yeah, I'm going a student at the Master's seminary in their MDIF program.  19:17 Mark Mellinger Well, congratulations. Now are you just going to use that to serve more effectively in your home and church or do you plan to sort of switch careers and become a pastor?  19:29 Philip Ridgeway I'm in training to be an elder at our church. So I don't know where God's going to take that, but I primarily just want to be a more effective servant minister of his word. So it's been neat. I've been doing that for the past year with a couple of other guys from our.  19:51 Mark Mellinger How cool. Now that is really great. I was going to see if we can get you guys back. It looks like you have frozen on me, so that's okay. We were pretty much at the end of our time anyway. So I guess I will use this as an opportunity to just wrap up the podcast. We want to thank you too so much, philip and Rachel as well as Timothy and Lydia. They behaved just wonderfully. And if you would like more information about the National Embryo Donation Center and our work, you can find us at embryodonation.org. I'm Mark Mellinger. This has been the embryo adoption podcast.  

A debt ceiling deal has been reached between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Parts of NE DC are being advised to boil water before drinking or cooking due to a broken water mane that led to a pressure drop, and a team of space architects and engineers recently launched a thousand Lego astronauts to space. Here's the three things you need to know with Rose!Make sure to also keep up to date with ALL of our podcasts we do below that have new episodes every week:The Thought ShowerLet's Get WeirdCrisis on Infinite Podcasts

※ 投稿邮箱：418150505@qq.com※ 本文章首发订阅号：百车全说，订阅号阅读更加方便，欢迎关注。要说目前新能源界的当红炸子鸡，那一定是比亚迪，没有之一。最近，自秦PLUS、汉EV和唐DM-i分别推出了冠军版车型之后，比亚迪最近又推出了两款冠军版车型，分别是海豹冠军版和汉DM-i混动冠军版，其中海豹冠军版售价18.98-27.98万，汉DM-i/DM-p冠军版售价18.98-28.98万。这两款车型售价一公布，网上直接炸了锅，有网友直呼这个售价真便宜。但也有不少人说比亚迪又背刺了老车主，割了一大波老车主的韭菜。所以今天我们就来聊聊新款比亚迪汉DM-i和海豹冠军版的售价到底如何？真的背刺了老车主吗？以及新款的竞争对手有哪些？配置该怎么选？新款比亚迪汉DM-i和海豹冠军版的售价到底如何？新款比亚迪汉DM-i冠军版和海豹冠军版的售价用两字就能概括，那就是劲爆。第一，起售价都有了大幅下调。之前的海豹起售价21.28万，新款冠军版起售价18.98万，降了2.3万。汉DM-i之前起售价21.78万，冠军版起售价18.98万，降低了2.8万，要知道这两台都是20万出头的车，直接官降了两万多，等于打九折了，而且都是实打实的价格调整。第二，不仅仅是起步价降低，中高配的价格也都降低了。比如之前海豹比较畅销的700公里续航版本，老款售价26.28万，新款22.28万，直接降了4万。顶配的四驱性能版也降了一万元。汉DM-i降的就更多了，老款纯电续航242公里版售价29.18万，新款虽然变成了200公里，但是售价直接来到23.98万起，直接降了5.2万。顶配的四驱双电机版也从原来的32.18万来到了28.98万，降了3.2万。第三，虽然价格降了，但是配置依然合理。这两款车虽然整体售价降了，但是配置却依然很合理，当然，还是有增有减的。比如海豹最低配只降低了售价，配置没有变化。但是来到700公里尊贵型，虽然比老款低了4万，但是动力有了很大的缩水，最大马力少了82匹，最大扭矩少了30牛·米，轮胎从之前的235/45 R19变成了225宽度的18英寸轮胎，还少了疲劳驾驶提醒、电动/感应/记忆后备箱、HUD抬头显示、驾驶座椅腰部支撑、座椅记忆、多功能后视镜等，所以少了很多配置。但是想要和老款700公里一样的配置，那得去到700公里的性能版，价格多1万元。汉DM-i也同样如此，比如都是最低配，冠军版比老款少了方向盘离手提醒、全景天窗、座椅加热/通风/腰部支撑、副驾驶座椅老板键、车载空气净化器等，中控屏尺寸也从15.6英寸缩小到了12.8英寸。但是全系多了FSD可变阻尼悬架，所以配置也是有增也有减。但是结合2-3万降价幅度来看，新款的性价一定是要比老款更高。这两款车真的背刺了老车主吗？很不幸的是，确实背刺了老车主。但是从背刺的程度上来说，已经算轻的了。从价格和配置上说，确实背刺了老车主。就像刚才说的，新款的性价比一定比老款高。但是，虽然背刺了，但是程度应该算轻的。首先，和特斯拉比，比亚迪的这波冠军版的推出其实已经很大程度照顾了老车主的面子与感受，虽然价格降低了，但是配置、动力上也有所减少。所以非常粗略地估算，再结合老款车型之前的一些优惠，最终价格差平均都在2-3万元左右，其实这个差价也还好，是很多人能够接受的程度。并不会像特斯拉那样动辄四五万的降价，关键特斯拉是简单粗暴地调整价格，其他方面几乎没有变化，这是很关键的。并且除了一众新能源以外，今年燃油车的价格也陆续崩盘，这也都算背刺。尤其是湖北大降价之后，合资车的优惠普遍都放开了，就像之前凯美瑞雅阁只有两三万的优惠，现在最高到四五万，这也算背刺老车主。所以背刺这件事不仅仅是比亚迪，也不仅限于新能源车，只要是普通的家用车都存在这样的风险，只是背刺的程度不同罢了。此外，每个人买车的时间也不一样，所以背刺程度也跟你买车时间的长短成正比。如果你刚提车就降，那被背刺的程度一定是最大的。我也刷到过今天刚提了汉DM-i的车主看到冠军版车型上市后，直接哭晕在了4S店的厕所里。其实这种已经不算背刺了，算倒霉了。但如果你已经买车一年以上，那这种都已经不算背刺了，算正常损耗了是不是，开一年损失两三万，正常范围是不是。所以总结来说，比亚迪虽然算背刺了老车主，但程度在汽车界并不算高，整体做的已经算周到的了。降价后的汉DM-i冠军版和海豹冠军版都有哪些竞争对手？这个价格又意味着什么？第一，18.98万的汉DM-i和海豹的售价，我相信直接冲击的就是合资车的市场，尤其是合资B级轿车。18.98万都能买到哪些合资产品呢？在B级车的四大金刚中，这个价格你也就只能买到凯美瑞的中配，现在它普遍优惠都在3-4万左右。而雅阁这个月库存清理了不少，新款也已经上市，所以优惠几乎没有了。而帕萨特和迈腾落地也至少要19万多。同时，要知道B级合资市场的刺客福特蒙迪欧起售价15.98万，当时就已经觉得这个售价很有诚意了，2.0T高功率+8AT，还有27英寸的带鱼屏，卖的最好的次低配17.98万的价格这些全都有，优惠完落地也要18万左右。但是现在对比海豹和汉DM-i冠军版来看，这个售价其实还有不少的优惠空间。所以你会发现，海豹冠军版和汉DM-i冠军版定价18.98万，就是冲着合资B级轿车去的。之前合资B级轿车落地都在20万左右，那我比亚迪汉EV冠军版就定价20.98万来打它们。现在它们优惠又放开了，18万多就能落地，那我也跟进，把价格压到18万多吧。所以海豹和汉DM-i冠军版起步价18.98万大概率就是这么来的，在保证比亚迪旗舰形象的同时，它们的目的只有一个，那就是追着合资车打，把他们赶尽杀绝。而且现在不光只有汉单打独斗了，还有产品力更高的海豹帮着一起，要知道它可是比亚迪全新的E平台3.0产品，是正宗的纯电平台打造，所以产品力更强。因此这两车双管齐下，一起来打合资车，威力会更大。汉DM-i主打家用，海豹主打颜值和操控，比亚迪这套组合拳打的也很默契，估计叶问看了也得直呼甘拜下风。第二，除了传统的合资燃油车以外，同价位的新能源产品也会受到了很大的影响。因为在它俩出现之前，19万的价格你能买到的纯电轿车只有小鹏P5、吉利几何A/C、埃安S、深蓝SL03、秦PLUS EV、零跑C01等。SUV只能买到小鹏G3、比亚迪宋PLUS EV、零跑C11等，而作为中型和中大型轿车的比亚迪海豹和汉DM-i，放在这个价位确实处处都是优点，产品力和品牌力都很能打，所以它俩就是降维打击的存在。其实我们大家都错了，我之前在聊汉EV和唐DM-i冠军版的时候，曾一度认为汉和唐作为比亚迪的门面担当，起售价绝对不会低于20万，最低最低也就19.98/19.99万，没想到直接干到了18.98万。不光我是这么认为，还包括消费者和一众竞品车企们也都认为汉不会降到20万以下，所以这次海豹和汉DM-i冠军版的出现确实非常出乎意料，而且是所有人的意料，也打了合资一个措手不及，相信现在的合资车企们的内心已经绝望了吧。所以下面的好戏会越来越精彩，不过肯定的是，最终受益的一定是消费者。不过你也不用担心比亚迪的品牌形象会受影响，因为上面还有腾势和仰望这两个大哥在呢，所以仰望的出现不仅提升了品牌形象，也让下面的小弟能够无所顾忌地往前冲。而且我断定，海豹和汉DM-i冠军版还只是开始，下面还有宋PLUS、宋Pro冠军版，以及驱逐舰07在等着呢。它俩配置该怎么选？目前海豹冠军版一共推出了五款配置，续航550公里和700公里各两款，一款四驱性能版。要说性价比最高的配置，那一定是最低配的550公里精英版，像9个安全气囊、全套的L2级驾驶辅助系统、540度透明底盘、全景天窗、NFC钥匙、15.6英寸旋转大屏、DiLink车机系统等一应俱全。关键它是比亚迪E平台3.0的全新纯电产品，前双叉臂后五连杆独立悬架，操控绝对没话说，所以单从这几点上来说，最低配的海豹冠军版性价比都很高，甚至我觉得它比相同售价的汉DM-i冠军版精英型还值得购买。毕竟落地不到20万，对标特斯拉Model 3，难道不香吗？其次是22.28万的700公里续航尊贵版，采用82.5度的磷酸铁锂刀片电池，CLTC续航700公里，所以如果对续航有要求，这一款更值得推荐。如果对动力有要求，那直接上27.98万的四驱性能版，毕竟最大马力530匹，最大扭矩670牛米，百公里加速3.8秒，27.98万的售价比之前还便宜了一万，但是整体的三电系统和配置却没任何变化。至于汉DM-i冠军版，虽然最低配很亮眼，但是我更推荐你买19.98万次低配的121公里尊贵型，虽然价格贵了一万，但是配置多了全景天窗、座椅腰部支撑加热通风、副驾驶座椅老板键、15.6英寸的中控大屏和氛围灯等，配置会更好一点，用起来也更舒服。至于200公里版，我觉得没什么必要了。售价23.98万起并不便宜，除非你曾经老款就看的这个配置，觉得占了便宜。更重要的是NEDC纯电续航，对比121公里只多了79公里，真正用起来其实差不多。与其要一个电池包更大的混动车，还不如把这多出来的钱花在配置上，或者直接买台续航更远的纯电车，你说对吗？至于28.98万的汉DM-p战神版，大家看看就好，虽然它叫战神，但是真的要论操控极限和机械素质，绝对比不过自家兄弟海豹四驱性能版。所以有这个预算我会更推荐你买海豹四驱性能版，而不是汉DM-p战神版。作者：三刀、新一编辑：新一可以添加微信46415254加入我们的社群音频图文更新在订阅号： 百车全说每期抽三条留言，每人赠168元的“芥末绿”燃油添加剂一瓶点击订阅，每周三，周六更新会有提醒新听友可以搜索：百车全说2014，百车全说2015，百车全说2016，往期300多个小时的节目可供收听

After 15 years of marriage with no children, Chris & Rachel suddenly became parents of twins! Find out how sleep training was key to their finding a new routine, and how a stuffed bear not only helped Rachel through her fear of needles but will endure as a sentimental keepsake for their kids. All that, and the role their faith played, in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts...FULL TRANSCRIPT (Please note there may be spelling, grammatical, and factual errors as this transcript was generated by AI.)  00:00 Mark MellingerIt's a great story of faith amid infertility. And finally, answer in embryo adoption. I'm Mark Mellinger, your host, and this is the embryo adoption podcast brought to you by the National Embryo Donation Center. You can find out more about us at Embryodonation.org. Chris and Rachel Chumita are with me today, and they are joined by their twins. You can see that if you're watching the video version. Ezekiel and Elizabeth. They're about seven months old as we record this, and they are cute as a button family. It's great to see you.  00:36 Rachel Chumita Good to be here.  00:38 Mark Mellinger I love it. And your kids are being so good. We'll see if that continues throughout the whole episode. It may not, and if it doesn't, that's okay. I will try not to keep you too long. I love that you have a shared faith now, but you actually didn't when you got married. Can you two walk me through how that happened?  01:00 Rachel Chumita Sure. I was raised in a Protestant church. Chris was raised in a different faith that he wasn't neither of us actually were believers, although I kind of had a more solid upbringing, if you will, in terms of Christianity and my background. I knew that Jesus was the only way to heaven. But I, again, wasn't a believer. Over the years, I'd ask Chris, over time, you do know that Jesus is the only way to heaven? He'd be like, no, I don't think so. Just one day, God got a hold of my heart, and I just prayed that he would lead us to a church where I would come to really know him and where Chris would come to know him. God answered that prayer and he led us to a church through his providence and where we did both become Christians. Short story.  02:07 Mark Mellinger It's an amazing story, and I should say at the outset, you guys have been married I'm not telling you this, but I'm telling our audience. You've been married for a long time. I mean, you were married for 15 years before you had your children, so it was a long road. How do you think being Christians affected the way that you navigated infertility?  02:31 Chris Chumita I think it helped quite a bit, because when were first married, I have neurofibromatosis, which is a hereditary condition, and since we had no faith in God or in his providence, we decided to have vasectomy very early on in our marriage. After we became Christians, believing in God and His Providence, we decided to have it reversed, and it was considered successful. But then we just couldn't get pregnant. All the tests, the ones we did, just came back. If there's no reason, you're not. We just kind of relied as much as we could on Romans 828 and just went on from there.  03:07 Mark Mellinger Yeah. All things work together for those who love God as Romans 828. Most of our audience would know that. Just in case you don't and that doesn't always mean necessarily in the here and now. It may mean in eternity. So at least we have that comfort. How did you find out about embryo adoption in the NEDC, by the way?  03:29 Rachel Chumita Chris was filling the pulpit for his friend indiana, where we met Jen and Aaron Hannaker. Jen was pregnant with Evie at that time, and so were just talking, and she was like, well, she's pregnant. She's like, now this baby is adopted. And I'm like, Wait, what? I asked her about more of it, and we talked for a little while. On our way back to Ohio, I told Chris, I'm like, okay, this is really cool. What do you think about it? Chris knows that I get really emotional around my birthday every year through the years of infertility. He was like, okay, I'm totally on board, but we're going to get a couple of weeks past birthday and make sure that this is still a desire of yours before we just jump at it. The rest is history. It was still committed after a couple of weeks.  04:24 Mark Mellinger Yeah, and the hammockers are terrific. EVs one of their NEDC babies. They have a couple now. Interesting. You were doing pulpit supply because Chris does have a master's degree in theology, I should say you're not a full time pastor, but you do some pulpit supply. Just doing this pulpit supply over in your neighboring state, Indiana, because you guys live in the Cleveland area. This is how you heard about yes, sir. Embryo adoption. Yes. What was the process of going through the NEDC like? Anything that you'd like to share to prepare other people who are thinking about it?  05:03 Chris Chumita We thought it was just very easy. Any question asked was quickly answered. The process was very straightforward. The home study group went through.  05:12 Rachel Chumita Was Snowflakes, I believe.  05:15 Mark Mellinger Snowflakes family evaluation was very easy.  05:18 Chris Chumita It was not like the horse stories you hear about people going through other adoptions. We really enjoyed the first trip down in Edict. We thought just meeting the whole staff, how they walked you through the whole process was very helpful and relieved any fears you might have had.  05:33 Mark Mellinger Well, that's great to hear. The Snowflakes family evaluation is something that some of our families may be interested in. It's an alternative to a traditional home study. We do have a home study requirement with the NEDC, but the Snowflakes family evaluation, the SFE, is good for two years, which is longer than most home studies, so that can be a good option. Also they'll go anywhere in the country to do it. The big distinction is it is only good for embryo adoption. If you're looking for a more flexible option that's good for both traditional adoption and embryo adoption, you wouldn't want to do the SFE, but it can be a good option if you're only interested in embryo adoption like Chris and Rachel were. Your kids are being so good. I love how especially Elizabeth is looking at the camera and wanting to play with that thing.  06:26 Mark Mellinger Let's talk about them a little bit. I mean, take me to the moment that Ezekiel and Elizabeth were born.  06:34 Rachel Chumita Well, I will say the one thing that was really scary for me were the shots. And so I don't like shots. Chris always has to go with me to my dentist appointments for that shot.  06:49 Mark Mellinger These are the shots to stimulate your cycle so your body's ready to do this. Okay, so before we get to the birth, how did you work through that? That's really practical.  07:00 Rachel Chumita Well, I was scared, but then I thought, okay, it's worth it. What I also did was I got a little stuffed bare, and so I would hold onto it really tight whenever Chris would give me my shots. It was just like a little reminder of why I was getting them done. It kind of made it all worth it in the end. Just kind of that little reminder every time I get my shots, like, okay, this is for what I called it, Booba Bear. My intention was, and still is to pass those bears on to them then for when they have to go through something like a shot. After we found out we had two, we got a second for me to finish my progesterone and oil shots. So I'd hold both of them then. And so now they know. They'll know that's how much I love them, that I went through those shots and Boo Bear helped me, and it can help them.  07:57 Mark Mellinger That's really good and really practical. I love that. Tell me about when they entered the world.  08:06 Rachel Chumita It was a Caesarean section, and yeah, it went really well. They were like, this is your son, this is your daughter. It was just amazing. I was opened up on the table and stuff, but then they got me the babies as soon as possible, and it was just like I didn't ever want to leave them, ever.  08:32 Mark Mellinger Chris? Yeah? Tell me what it was like for you. I mean, you're talking about basically 16 years of marriage with no kids and now twins.  08:43 Chris Chumita Yeah, it's been a big change, but a change for a good especially with twins. When you'd ask someone with twins, so how was the first few weeks? They give you, like, the wide eyed look, and you kind of know what that looks like now. Especially right now, as they're getting order, they're getting mobile. Like, Ezekiel is very close to walking and Lisa's just starting to crawl, and they're interacting a lot more. It's just so much fun. I always say, to highlight my days when I come home from work and I walk in and say, hey, Daddy's home. They both let out a squill and try to run over to you as much as they can.  09:21 Mark Mellinger Well, remember that when they're teenagers. Tuck that away in your mind. It's a sweet moment for right now and enjoy it. It doesn't always last that long. All kidding aside, I mean, they're beautiful kids. If you're watching on the video version, you can see that Elizabeth just had a pleasant smile on her face basically the whole time. Ezekiel has been looking at Daddy most of. Describe their personalities and how they have changed your lives.  09:53 Rachel Chumita Go ahead.  09:54 Chris Chumita Ezekiel is basically just a ham. He's always just smiling and laughing and he hits his landmarks very quickly. He's climbing up on furniture already and everything along those lines and he's just always so happy. I don't know if you can tell in the video, Elizabeth is just a sweetheart, but she has the biggest eyes, like pussing boots, which I know she's going to manipulate us later with.  10:19 Rachel Chumita She's just really mild and laid back and she wants held all the time and she has a little cuddle bug and she just yeah, she's terrified of her brother because he's a bull in a china shop when it comes to his sister.  10:39 Mark Mellinger Have you adjusted to twins life? I mean, I can't imagine having two newborns at the same time, and I know having one is hard. Do you think you've made the adjustment like you've got a routine down?  10:52 Chris Chumita Yeah, especially now that went through sleep training. That's really helped quite a bit.  10:59 Mark Mellinger Sleep training? Really? Tell me about that.  11:03 Rachel Chumita It was rough. We asked a lady who does it. We hired a sleep consultant and so essentially you stay in the room so that they know that you're there, but sometimes you just have to let them cry. It's amazing how quickly because for the first what was that? That was just after six months we started sleep training and so it was amazing for the first six months, every time they'd start to cry, you'd be like, grab them before they wake up their sibling. It was amazing to me how quickly they adapted to sleeping through each other's meltdown. You'd have one like just screaming and the other one would just be fast asleep and so it was an interesting experience. It was intense, but I think we're coming out pretty well on the other side.  11:59 Mark Mellinger Well, it's a great takeaway for people who do have twins. I love your story. You guys have been so good to share it and the kids have been so good. You've held them the whole time and they've been great. I don't want to make it too long. We're about ready to wrap up. Anything else about your embryo adoption experience or journey that you two felt is important and wanted to share?  12:24 Chris Chumita I just think it's what's great about needic is it's such a pro life message. It's an area in the pro life movement, I think, that's very neglected because as Christians, we all believe that life begins its conception and there's hundreds of thousands of babies that just need adopted and need a chance to live life. It's something I wish that more pro life groups and other churches would get behind and help promote it. We all really like, too, how Edith can work with people financially as well and how much more affordable it is than traditional adoption and IVF amen.  13:02 Mark Mellinger It is all of those things. You're right, it is still the corner of both the pro life and pro adoption movements that the church is capital C church is just learning about. Well, no meltdowns. They're just now starting to get a little fussy. It is the perfect time to wrap up this episode. Chris, Rachel and Ezekiel and Elizabeth, I want to thank you all so much. You have a beautiful family and this was so much fun.  13:28 Rachel Chumita Okay, thank you very much.  13:29 Chris Chumita Thank you so much.  13:30 Mark Mellinger If you want to find out more about the National Embryo Donation Center, you can go to our website, embryodonation.org. Again, that's embryodonation.org. I'm Mark Mellinger. This has been the embryo adoption podcast. 

Just what does it mean to choose open embryo adoption through the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC)? It's a common question, and the answer looks different in every situation. NEDC moms Marti Bailey, Bethany Piechowski, and Nina Brenneman are sharing helpful insights in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast.  

Jared & Kristi experienced the heartbreak of several embryo adoption transfers with no success. It made no sense to them. They know, this side of eternity, it never will. Yet there's so much to learn from this brave NEDC couple. They're sharing their story to help others, on this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts....    FULL TRANSCRIPT (Please note there may be spelling, grammatical, and factual errors as this transcript was generated by AI.) 00:01 Mark Mellinger Generally on the embryo adoption podcast, we're sharing stories that turned out well in just about every respect. We want to be very careful and transparent, too, as we describe the ups and downs of embryo adoption to cover absolutely every angle. The truth is, not every story has the happy ending with the neat bow, and we need to talk about that. So that's what we're doing today. I'm Mark Mellinger, your host. This is the embryo adoption podcast brought to you by the National Embryo Donation Center. My guests today are Jared and Kristi Taylor. They have been gracious enough to go down this hard road with us here for today's episode. I can't thank you, too, enough for this. I think it's really important for people who either have gone through embryo adoption and have experienced some of the same feelings that you have and people who are prospective embryo adoption families to know about this and hear about it.  01:02 Mark Mellinger So it's really important. I want to start here, though. Why did embryo adoption initially pique your interest?  01:11 Kristi Taylor We actually have three biological children first, and went the route of oral fertility drugs with the first two. The last one was a total surprise. We just started pursuing a traditional adoption. We looked into traditional adoption for a long time. A bunch of different agencies. Our fertility doctor actually recommended us for embryo adoption, and so I started looking into that. I was on board with it more before Jared was, so I just kind of waited for him to catch up with me. I don't know. Being pregnant, pregnancy is a cool thing. It's a miraculous thing. I think that was part of the draw, I think, to embryo adoption, because it's a neat thing to be able to have babies and your own babies and how to, I don't know, take your prenatals and how to do all the right things with it. And so that was a cool thing.  02:05 Kristi Taylor Adoption has always been in our path, though.  02:07 Jared Taylor Well, I think it gives a different perspective to the traditional adoption, because one traditional adoption is very hard right now, and it's a business. The other thing you get with traditional adoption is you don't for sure know what you're getting. Embryo adoption presented a path that felt like it was more in line with what our standards were, of how were living our own life, and gave us an opportunity to bring children that would be like us and that would have genetics like us that were a little more the environment was a little more controlled than just a wild card.  02:45 Mark Mellinger Definitely a more controlled environment. You guys ended up being one of our favorite couples. You always had a story for us every time you came in the door, and we're always of such good humor, so it's just proof you don't have to have had NADC kids, through the NADC at least, who survived outside the womb to be part of the NADC family, because, Jared and Christie, you very much are. Describe your experience with the NADC.  03:19 Kristi Taylor We love you all. That's part of the frustrating thing about it all is like, everything should have worked out and then it all just became this massive. Well, 2020 was not a good year, I think, for anybody. That's pretty much how I would sum it up. 2020 sank pretty bad, right? We first matched with our first embryo donation family, we adored them. They even had the same names as us. Their babies looked like our babies. It was just meant to be. I think when went in for that transfer, I was a little shocked. I think that was my biggest shock when it didn't work out, because everything was supposed to be and it obviously wasn't. COVID started and I was suddenly homeschooling our three children and that was a disaster. Went in for our second transfer. I remember, well, the week before we left to Tennessee, were actually matched with a baby for this traditional agency were working with.  04:23 Kristi Taylor And were so excited for that. We were still going to go to Tennessee and we had this baby. The day that the mom was supposed to show up here in our state, she didn't come. So then we didn't have that baby. We flew to Tennessee and we landed. I turned my phone on and I had this message from Dr. Keenan saying, hey, something came up. I need you to call me. Here's my cell phone number. Thought, well, this is beautiful. We called him and he said that they went to thaw out the embryos and there wasn't any. He doesn't know what happened to them. We could decide what we wanted to do if we wanted to fly home or go for what was it?  05:01 Mark Mellinger A backup set, right?  05:02 Jared Taylor Yeah, it was anonymous transfer. All these big words, so we wouldn't have the information, we wouldn't have the couple that we had picked out. I believe with each one of them, we actually did zooms with them. At least one of them, maybe two of them. We did zooms prior to actually them accepting us, which is an interesting thing of where they still had control. These ones, we got that phone call and he goes, this is the first time we've ever had it happen here. It's a surprise. We've heard of it only at one other time. This doesn't happen. That night went and we prayed about it. Because of COVID we couldn't change our flight. It wasn't easy to do. We just got up the next morning and we thought, well, we'll just go in and see if any others come across. Our feeling that we think we should do.  05:58 Jared Taylor We found one, and that one was actually successful.  06:02 Kristi Taylor Yeah, for a week. Was it?  06:03 Jared Taylor For a week?  06:04 Kristi Taylor For a couple of days. I don't know what happened with that. I think one stopped growing and then the other one I don't know. Was it a topic? I don't know. All I know is I was getting my blood drawn like every week for the next two months. So that was fun, it was pleasant. I was good relationships with our fulfillment. Went for a third transfer, and I think neither one of us had really high hopes with that.  06:29 Jared Taylor The pessimism set in but the staff at NEDC is just great. Everybody there from the minute you walk in to the minute you leave, and through even the phone calls of the next couple of weeks, they take care of you and they care about you. And you really did. You do feel like it's a family and you want to be a part of it. I think that's why we want to do this today, too, is because even though weren't successful in the way we wanted, we still hope we can still be a part. We've had a few friends that have reached out to us wondering about it, and we've referred them over. It's hard it is to possibly be a blessing to somebody else in their own life when you didn't get it to come through, or hoping at least we can still be of some good.  07:17 Mark Mellinger Well, and you certainly are by doing this. You didn't have to do it, you weren't pressured into it. You wanted to do it after prayerful consideration, and I really respect that. Take me to that moment, because others who go through embryo adoption have been there or may be there. That moment when you realized the ultimate result was not going to be what you wanted, even though the vast majority of couples who come through the NEDC for multiple transfers do have children, you reached the end of the line, and that wasn't going to be your result. What were your thoughts and how did you grapple with that?  08:02 Kristi Taylor Well, I'd have to say ice cream is always like a good route to use chocolate, any of those. Also, I think giving yourself grace and knowing whatever emotion you feel is fine and it's okay and it doesn't matter. I don't think emotions are a bad thing. I think that they're perfect. I think you can let yourself have time to be angry and to be upset with how it should have been. I don't know what are you going to say to it.  08:35 Jared Taylor I think part of it too came down. We're on the West Coast and there's not a direct flight from we're in Salt Lake. There's not a direct flight into Knoxville for us, and so it's a few day event, and with our three kids with their ages. It was taxing on them for us to go and be gone. They were a part of the journey, too. We did not have any secrets from them. They knew what was going on. They knew that were trying to do it, and they got excited about it. And you just come to it. You desire and you want it so bad, but sometimes what may have meant to be and whatever was in the plan, success from our eyes was not success from God's eyes. Unfortunately, he has to allow the things of Earth to happen, too. He's pretty good at allowing agency and the elements to take place.  09:42 Mark Mellinger Was that the hardest part, sharing the disappointment with the children?  09:51 Kristi Taylor No, not really. We have of disappointment in our family anyways, and so it just was like, oh, hey, guess what, guys? I think my hardest part was I thought for sure this is what God wanted us to do, and then it didn't work. I think my hardest part was being like, okay, well, I'll just write this down to my little memoirs, and then when I die, I'll have my book club chat with God and be like, hey, I'd really like to discuss these chapters because what the heck? It doesn't make any sense to me. I think that is what I'm waiting for, because I don't think it will make sense on Earth. It doesn't. Nobody can say anything that will make sense, because it doesn't. I think that is just where that is. It's just in my little memoirs, and I will wait until I am dead.  10:36 Jared Taylor From the husband's perspective, it's really a helpless spot to because you have no control over anything. You can give your opinion, you can give advice, but pregnancy brings along its own set of mindset, and you have to watch your wife go through and prepare to become pregnant. It's IVF transfer, so there's a lot of hormones that are injected and you go through a lot of that. The emotions are real, and it's a difficult spot to try to be supportive and move through it and help everybody just keep going forward.  11:21 Mark Mellinger Are you still glad you adopted embryos?  11:24 Jared Taylor Yeah, I think so. Because even though we don't have a connection with those individuals anymore, I think when we get to the next side, we still will have a connection. I think our sphere of people have grown, if nothing else. We learned some things, as Chris has said, it's not necessarily some things we particularly wanted to learn or whatever want anybody to have to go through, because it challenges you as to whether you feel like you succeeded in life or not. I think it's definitely been an experience, that's for sure.  12:07 Mark Mellinger Yeah. My devotion last night was a Tim Keller reading on job, and it was really speaking to what you both have said. Sometimes when we suffer and it seems to make no earthly sense, we're going through the same thing that Job went through. God never revealed the reason to him of his suffering. At least it's not recorded in the book of Job. But he did have a purpose. He did have a plan. Job just didn't see the plan. That's where you two are right now when it comes to embryo adoption. That's where we all are, through various struggles and trials in our lives, right? These things that it seemed to be like, why would this not work? What the heck? What's going on? At least we have that assurance of knowing there is a plan and we'll know someday, like you said, Christie, but we don't see the plan now.  13:07 Mark Mellinger We just have to put our trust in the fact that someday we will. I want the two. If you look at the NADC success.  13:15 Jared Taylor Rate from our first transfer to the third transfer, the organization success rate shot, if I remember right, it went from like on the first one. I remember asking Dr. King, what are our odds? And he basically said, flip a coin. That's about where we're at right now. From after that third one and even to now, it looks like it's more in the 70% to 80%, depending upon the cycle.  13:44 Mark Mellinger Now we have had many that have had that success rate. Not everyone does. You still have your more around 50% and I think we've had even one or two that were lower. One thing I like about working here is we never want to embellish our press clearings. We want to be honest and straight shooters with people. You are right, Jared. The vast majority of our cycles, it seems like the rates have only gone up over the past couple of years, but not all of them are that way. It's certainly not a guarantee, but yeah, I know what you're saying. It increases the frustration, right?  14:32 Jared Taylor It does.  14:33 Mark Mellinger What would you say? Okay, talk to somebody who is just going in on the front end of embryo adoption when couples are doing this, understandably and there's validity to this, they're excited, they're dreaming and hoping and thinking of the possibilities of having children. What would you say to someone who's just on the front end? This possibility something they need to keep in the back of their mind the whole way? What would you two advise?  15:10 Kristi Taylor I don't think so. I don't know. I don't want to live my life waiting for the worst thing to happen. I mean, I don't want to every time I sit down to eat, think I'm going to get food poisoning or get in your car and today's the day I'm going to get in a wreck. It's possible. It's probably going to happen, but it I don't want to live my life like that. Pregnancy is an exciting thing and I think you should be excited for it, and I think that have a positive attitude about it. If it doesn't work, I mean, ice cream again, is always helpful. Put some plugs in and see if we get endorsed. I think it's always good to choose happiness, but also to give yourself grace for whatever emotion does come your way.  15:54 Jared Taylor I agree. The same way she uses some of the same references we use. Car accidents happen all the time. Bad things happen. In reality, if you're a couple that's coming to NEDC or that you're looking at adoption, you've probably been on a pretty rough road anyway. Adoption is not usually anybody's first choice. You always want to twerk, and luckily we had three biological kids, but then weren't able to have anymore, and we just felt prompted that adoption was part of it, and so that's why we just felt that we should continue to look, you can never know something if you don't go for it. If you've been put on the path to even explore the NEDC, there's probably some powers behind it, and it's not something you should go in just thinking it's going to be a perfect road. I'm sure you guys have success stories that they come in, they have their first initial consult, everything looks great, they come back for the next visit.  16:51 Jared Taylor It works. Their kids are born perfectly at 40 weeks and there's not any complications. That's just not how life works the majority of the time. If you're on the front of it, go for it. The worst that can happen is not the worst thing ever. Everything's overcomeable.  17:16 Mark Mellinger Yeah. Well said. How has going through embryo adoption affected your relationships with each other, your kids and family and your faith?  17:29 Kristi Taylor Well, I actually had fun going to Tennessee with just Jared. It was like our little kid free vacations. We talk about the different places we used to go eat, and that was fun. I think that it helped our kids that hard things happen to everybody, so I think that they've grown a lot. I mean, they were just a little when were doing all these different things, and I think it helps them have compassion for other people when they're having hard things happen to them because they realize, oh, yeah, it does happen, but we can get through it. I'm still waiting on my book club chat with God. I think there are some parts that are really good and some parts that I just don't even address yet. There how is your relationship?  18:16 Jared Taylor I think it took us to a different level that we had to be to. It was it was a blast. I mean, why in Knoxville? Make sure you go to Calhouns. The best Blazer are everything in the.  18:30 Mark Mellinger USA says it right on the sign.  18:33 Jared Taylor Yes. It was great, and we loved it. We kind of had our little routine that we got into. Unfortunately, we did have to go four times. And we had talked to Dr. King, and we probably could have done some things to have one more shot, but it just didn't feel like it was the right thing for us to do at that point. It pushed our relationship to different limits, and it makes it so that other things that come up in normal day to day sure are miniscule compared to some of the stresses that went through with that. We've now ultimately we end up getting into foster care. We adopted two little boys, and I think it's made us appreciate those.  19:19 Mark Mellinger Kids just more, talk about that journey. I mean, that's where I wanted to end it. I think that's what everybody who's listening to this is going to wonder. Was your family building journey totally over after being done with embryo adoption? You're saying no, were still about helping the most vulnerable we're going into the foster care system.  19:42 Kristi Taylor Well, I was ready to call it quits, but no, we keep going. We renewed our home city again, and we had with another agency, and we had all the whole mess of situations with traditional adoption. Probably seven months later, I was telling Jared, I was like, let's just look into foster care. I don't want to adopt from foster care, but we have a lot to offer, and our kids had a lot to offer. We got certified really quickly, and we started getting all these phone calls from case workers. Jared and I looked at each other like, what are we doing? This is really heavy stuff.  20:21 Jared Taylor Including we had a traditional adoption that fell through, too, that were actually on our way to the airport. The difficult part about traditional adoption is, like I had said earlier, it's a business. On our way, we got a phone call that the birth mom's mom had gotten involved and she wanted money. She didn't care about anything else, and she put a demand out for some money. We turned around and came back home and walked away from it. About two weeks later, were matched with two little boys that we ultimately ended up adopting. Now, granted, as Christie had said, when we started embryo adoption, it took me a long time to get on board. This time she told me, hey, we should try foster care. I was a quick, hard no because we had pretty well told God that were done. We had come to the limits.  21:18 Jared Taylor We couldn't take the stress with our kids. Our youngest, I think, was five when we started all this, or four. Our oldest was seven or eight. I was a pretty well set no. We prayed about it and we told him, no, this is not it. He very clearly answered back that were to do something and I think were one of the fastest approvals in the state for foster care. And it went very quick.  21:46 Kristi Taylor These little boys were looking for their home too. The funny thing about it is they look exactly like Jared. The ones that I bear look like Jared. The ones that we adopt look like Jared. His genes are very strong in this place. Now we have five kids and I drive a Suburban and there's no more. It's sweet.  22:07 Mark Mellinger How old were your foster adopted children when you adopted them? How old is everybody now in the family?  22:16 Kristi Taylor So we've had them for a year. Our oldest daughter, she's eleven and a half. We have a nine year old and a seven year old.  22:24 Jared Taylor Yes.  22:25 Kristi Taylor The ones we just adopted, our older one just turned five and then the baby is a year and a half.  22:31 Mark Mellinger Oh wow. Still a baby in the house as well.  22:35 Kristi Taylor Crazy. Yes.  22:36 Mark Mellinger Wow. Yeah. One and a half to nine and a half. That's a great joyous home of seven and five of them kids.  22:44 Jared Taylor That's awesome.  22:44 Mark Mellinger Now is your family building journey done or do ?  22:49 Kristi Taylor I mean our friends, our foster friends joke with us that I could drive like a twelve passenger van and I probably could but I don't think I want to. Also knowing us, I mean we can't ever say this is how it's going to go because then somebody just laughs and says, no it's not. I just tread lightly with what we say is going to happen in the future. Our daughter has four brothers and she really wants a sister. That's nice. I don't know. I don't know what the answer is. I feel so old and so tired and so happy and we have five kids and we've reset to a baby again and so I think that I don't know what the future is. I'm sure it'll be good. I'm sure it'll be busy and messy.  23:41 Jared Taylor One thing in our life is we've never set specific locked in goals. We have our ultimate goals. Obviously we plan to be married for time and for all eternity. We want our family to be healthy but we don't ever lock in. This is the only way it's going to go for us. That's how were able to come upon the NADC is because we've kept our life flexible and open. That's how we've also adopted these two kids out of foster care because we've allowed ourselves to stay instruments in God's hands. Because the minute you start saying yes or no when we first got married and we start talking about how many kids do we want? I came from a family of four. Christie's a family of five. For a while three kids looked really great. A few late nights lately with a baby screaming a lot.  24:30 Jared Taylor Three kids really seemed like a really good idea. Again, I would say our kids are well traveled. They've flown a ton, in fact. It's unfortunate, but all three of our kids actually are Medallion members on Delta because we like to travel so much. Now we've got two extra kids that it's. More work, but it's been great. We talk about all the time, if we only had 3, may would do this, but at the same time, then when I came home to prepare for this tonight or today, our five year old came and jumps in your arms and just gives you a daddy. I love you so much. It just puts you into, this is what we're supposed to do. If somebody's sitting out there on the fence and NEDC wasn't in your plans, go for it.  25:20 Mark Mellinger It's priceless. Well, I love that. Your happy ending, it may not have come with us, but it did come. You have your children that you're supposed to have asterisk maybe more. But happy ending for now. And I love that. Again, I'm so thankful to you too, for sharing this hard part of your journey. It's going to help so many people. We also want to thank all of you for listening. If you want to find out more about the National Embryo Donation Center, just go to our website. It's embryodonation.org. Embryodonation.org. I'm Mark Mellinger, and this has been the embryo adoption podcast. 

Embryo adoption mom Savannah Hansen once thought writing books was a childhood dream she'd just forget about. Then she saw the need for more children's books to serve the adoption and embryo adoption communities. So she started, as they said in the old days, putting pen to paper. (Digital keystrokes to a phone app just doesn't have the same ring, does it?) The result: Two children's books you need to know about. Learn all about them as Savannah joins us for this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. (Time stamps below) Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. :33 Savannah's own embryo adoption journey with the NEDC 2:10 Describing Declan, her first NEDC baby 3:25 Does Declan “get” that Savannah is pregnant with his NEDC sibling? 4:18 When Savannah decided she wanted to write children's books, and why she chose to focus on embryo adoption 8:30 Describing her adoption-specific book: The Greatest Gift 10:08 Describing her book aimed at helping children feel loved: The Miracle of You 13:20 How the books went from manuscripts to getting published 20:00 How people have responded to the books

Dr Beth Shelton is a psychologist and long-time director of the National Eating Disorder Collaboration (NEDC), leading a team that develops national standards for preventing and treating eating disorders and works actively to build the system of care. As a highly respected professional in the field, we asked Beth to explain the different diagnoses for eating disorders, the possible causes, and what she believes constitutes “normal” eating. First, Beth makes one thing clear:  An eating disorder is a mental illness with serious physical and mental health consequences for the person affected. It causes a lot of dysfunction and suffering. Though there are several separate diagnoses for eating disorders, they are more similar than they are different. Absent recovery, many people move from one form to another. Different eating disorders often manifest from similar risk factors, for example, genetics or psychological profiles. She also confirms that these conditions do not discriminate. We too often default to thinking about an overly thin teenage girl, but an eating disorder can affect anyone; we don't see it. An eating disorder is also not a choice – perhaps beginning a diet to lose weight initially may be a conscious decision, but once the eating disorder takes hold, the person affected has lost control of their health and needs support. Beth puts it best: “No one I've ever worked with or spoken to about an eating disorder would ever choose one or choose one for anyone else.” Fortunately, she and numerous others in the sector are working tirelessly to help, not only for those with lived experience but for their loved ones and carers too. Find out more about NEDC Eating disorders explained Find out more about Parliamentary Friends Group for Eating Disorder Awareness Find a Professional  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perry & Sydney went from being told to stop their medications (i.e.: their pregnancy was over)… to holding their miracle daughter. Their journey in between, virtually the whole time, was filled with anxiety. Hear how deeply they were shaped by infertility, and learn from what they did as they struggled to find contentment and a sense of certainty, in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. (time stamps below)Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. :56 Sydney remembers when she was told to stop taking her medications after her frozen embryo transfer (FET), then took a pregnancy test anyway 5:30 What their conversations with the NEDC and its medical partners were like during the time of waiting to see if a pregnancy would be established 7:45 What it was like for Perry to play a support role during this ‘holding our breaths' situation 11:33 How the rest of the pregnancy went once it was firmly established 16:30 The guilt Sydney felt while lamenting her difficult pregnancy 18:25 What the moment was like when Marlee was born 22:30 What parenting has actually been like compared to what Perry & Sydney expected 26:20 What the relationship with their donor family has been like 27:45 How infertility has changed them 33:20 How God formed Marlee before Perry & Sydney even met 35:45 Is going back to the complicated emotions of infertility helpful or unhelpful?

Life throws us curve balls. For Jay and Elizabeth, the result was a family-building journey that showcases God's variety and God's provision. From a biological child to an embryo adoption baby, their story has it all (including how they adopted without debt!). It's our prayer that this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast will leave you -like them- recounting the goodness of God. (Time stamps are below.) Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. 1:15 How they envisioned their family taking shape when they got married 4:30 Learning they wouldn't be able to have biological kids anymore, how their church became a great resource as they turned to adoption 6:45 What it means to be part of an adoption-minded church 11:25 Emotional recovery from loss, how the infant adoption process worked for their older son Liam & how they raised $ for it 18:10 The difficulty of waiting for infant adoption, the joy of seeing it finally happen                22:15 How embryo adoption came onto their radar 25:00 What their journey with the NEDC looked like 31:30 What the matching process was like  35:00 What it's been like having NEDC baby Nathanael join their family 37:15 How they found out they were having a son 39:45 What they hope others see when they look at their family 40:40 How God has shaped their souls through embryo adoption

Secondary infertility sent Arleta into the throes of depression, which sent her to YouTube, of all places. And through that, God led her & Owen to double blessings. How fitting that they arrived on Thanksgiving! (“Two turkeys,” their older son jokes.:)) They're telling their story in this episode (time stamps below). Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.  1:05 Struggles with secondary infertility, including fibroids, miscarriage, failed IUIs and IVF 4:05 How Arleta found out about the NEDC online, while battling depression 5:30 Owen's initial hesitancy about pursuing embryo adoption 7:20 Arleta describes her experience of doing embryo adoption with the NEDC 9:30 Arleta describes the arrivals of twins Zion & Zuri, who were born on Thanksgiving 13:10 Owen on what it's like having newborn twins in the home 14:35 How older sibling Josiah is adjusting to being a big brother 15:15 What they wish they knew about battling infertility before they started the embryo adoption process

God opened Graham and Libby's door to parenthood through the prayers of their foster child, and the work of a family concerned with saving a vulnerable young life. From there, the story only gets wilder… and more beautiful. God has walked them through a child's cerebral palsy diagnosis, embryo adoption, and building a close relationship with their NEDC donor family. Along the way, He's refined Graham and Libby, and helped them see His goodness in the hardest moments. Let their story speak to your soul. It's our debut episode for Season Three of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. (Time stamps are below.) Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. :55 Starting the adoption process started after encountering unexplained infertility 2:05 How their first adoption coincided with the prayer of their foster child 4:00 Amazing story of how their daughter, Macy, had her life saved by a praying family & was placed in their home through a special connection 9:15 Finding out Macy had cerebral palsy 14:30 When they began considering embryo adoption and why they chose the NEDC 15:44 How their family expanded through NEDC embryo adoption, adding Gideon and Judah 18:35 How the family adjusted to having embryo adoption twins and an older special needs child 22:40 Coming back to the NEDC for another child, who turned out to be their son, Cub 25:30 The great relationship they have with their NEDC donor family, including meeting several times in person 34:45 Is their family complete? 36:40 How building their family has grown their relationships with God

This is the interview with Dr Gordon of NEDC. He is an IVF doctor I talked to for WeepingTime.

The National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) is a life-affirming, Christian non-profit dedicated to treating surplus frozen IVF embryos with dignity and finding forever homes for their young lives. NEDC's Marketing and Development Director Mark Mellinger joins the podcast this week, along with adoptive parents, Josh and Jenn Schouten, to discuss the journey of embryo adoption. For further information on the ethics of embryo adoption: https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/what-you-should-know-about-frozen-embryo-adoption/ https://www.russellmoore.com/2012/09/20/should-christians-adopt-embryos/ Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Last month we asked DEQ staff: how do you ensure facilities follow environmental laws? We learned a lot about how complaints get processed, when DEQ goes out to inspect facilities and how that can lead to enforcement and fines. This month, we're talking about that enforcement process. Lauren and Dylan talk with DEQ enforcement staff, EPA enforcement staff and the Northwest Environmental Defense Center to learn about DEQ enforcement actions. We discuss how DEQ figures out what amount to fine violators, how DEQ and EPA enforcement work together and the ways NEDC advocates for environmental issues through litigation.

“It's not like God's just going to drop a check in our lap,” Naomi thought. Then, actually, He did, through some generous friends who -as they handed them the check- told her and Michael, “This is for you to one day hold a baby in your arms.” We're wrapping up Season Two of The Embryo Adoption Podcast with Michael and Naomi's encouraging story of the special gift that enabled them to pursue embryo adoption (and now has them holding not just one, but TWO baby boys in their arms!). So much good, insightful stuff here. Some helpful time stamps are below. Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.  :40 How their story started when they were little kids, even continuing through Michael's family's long time away doing missionary work in Turkey 4:14 When they encountered infertility and learned about embryo adoption 8:30  How a generous, unexpected gift from friends enabled them to pursue embryo adoption 10:20  Michael and Naomi's response to the gift 15:00 How they saw embryo adoption as a ministry, and how plugging into the NEDC brought them into a story bigger than themselves 17:00 What most stood out about their experience with the NEDC 20:00 Their advice for future couples going through the NEDC embryo adoption program 23:20 How they gave birth to twin boys from two different donors originating from the same embryo transfer 24:25 What pregnancy was like and how their sons have changed their lives 28:00 How they chose the boys' names and what they mean 31:00 How they'll talk to their sons about embryo adoption

Mark Mellinger handles all marketing and public relations functions for the NEDC and is also in charge of development efforts. His background consists of almost three decades in broadcast journalism. From 2011 to 2018, Mark served as a contributor to The Gospel Coalition, one of the world's largest Christian websites, where he helped start TGC's podcast operations. The National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) has facilitated more embryo donations, and births from embryo donation (nearly 1250), than any organization in the world. NEDC's mission is to protect the lives and dignity of human embryos by promoting, facilitating, and educating about embryo donation. Listen to Mark as he discusses with Ellen and Jenn: • NEDC's size and history. • The term “Embryo Adoption” instead “Embryo Donation” as NEDC's preferred language. • The NEDC's internal rules requiring of recipients that: o they be a heterosexual couple; o they have a home study by an accredited organization; and o the female recipient be 46 years or younger and able to carry a pregnancy. • If three cycles does not result in a child, recipients must return the embryos to the NEDC. • The consideration of who receives embryos and their proximity across the US. • Allowing selection and use of embryos with certain genetic markers or mosaicism. Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903. Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ Learn more about our surrogacy agencies: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch Learn more about Ellen's law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ Learn more about the NEDC here: https://www.embryodonation.org

In this episode, Christian sits down with David Supple, CEO of New England Design & Construction (NEDC), an award-winning, full-service architectural design-build firm. Over the past 17 years, David has built NEDC into a dynamic and cutting-edge multi-million-dollar creative firm. He is a passionate advocate of the client benefits of full-service design-build and a proponent of the true role of the architect throughout history as master builder. Sustainability and environmental responsibility are woven into the ethos of the NEDC's mission and the spaces the firm creates. Innovators at the forefront of sustainable luxury design, NEDC reimagines what is possible, transforming the dreams of its clients into spaces that surpass expectations and enhance their quality of life. https://www.nedesignbuild.com/ https://theantiarchitect.com/

It's incredibly important for families going through embryo adoption or embryo donation to have a “safe space” where they can connect, ask questions, swap stories, and share information. That's why the NEDC Embryo Adoption/Donation Group on Facebook is such a blessing. If you've walked either route with the NEDC, or are currently in process, you should join! In this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast, administrators Bethany Piechowski and Julie Garber take a deep dive into what the group's all about and how it can make a difference for you. Some helpful time stamps are below: :53 History of the group and how it formed 2:25 Purpose of the group 5:41 How administrators work to make sure only people who meet the criteria are accepted into the group 7:21 Most common topics discussed among members in the group 9:33 How God has worked in beautiful ways through the group 12:46 What the group is not for 15:06 Why it's important to have a “safe” discussion space outside the official NEDC purview 20:46 How & why administrators of the group maintain a connection to the NEDC Like what you're hearing? Rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you choose to do an open embryo adoption through the National Embryo Donation Center, how do you work out contact with the family on the other end of the match? The answer: Through something called an Open Donation Agreement, or ODA. Here's your chance to learn all about that. Plus: Why do adopting NEDC families need to have their home studies reviewed? Lauren Wilson and Amy Ferguson from our partners at Flourish Consulting LLC are giving detailed insight into these parts of the process in this episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. 

If you've experienced the trauma of infertility, pregnancy loss, or the loss of a child, Blessed Brokenness is a tremendous resource that could prove to be a great source of comfort and support. In this episode, meet the co-founder as well as an NEDC embryo adoption couple helping lead the ministry.