Libsyn Directory

Lauren Stokes [S1E40]

Release Date: 04/19/2017

Adoption Culture: Noah and April Talk About Raising Adopted Children [S8E7]

ADOPTION NOW

In this episode, hosts April and Noah share how their kids turned a school diversity week into something unexpected — a celebration of adoption as their family culture. When their son AJ rocked a bear mascot costume and their daughter found courage with her sister by her side, they watched adoption transform from a sensitive topic into something kids could proudly share. Through stories of their school experience and eight years of podcasting, the couple talks about their dream of making adoption an everyday conversation — one where children can speak freely about their stories, where...

Two Babies, Ten Weeks Apart: Adoptive Mother and Birth Mother Pregnant Together [S8E6]

ADOPTION NOW

Two Babies, Ten Weeks Apart Noah and April sit down with birth mother Jessica and adoptive mother Connie for a story that they have not heard before. Even after telling hundreds of adoption stories, nothing could have prepared them for this combination of embryo adoption and traditional adoption happening at once. An Unexpected Match, with Unexpected Timing After getting married late in life, Connie and Matt struggled with expanding their family. The couple went through a miscarriage and decided to look at other options. They decided to pursue traditional adoption through an agency. They...

She Might Be President: Jessica Ramos Chooses Life and Adoption for Her Baby [S8E5]

ADOPTION NOW

A Life-Changing Choice at 21 At 21, Jessica was a single mother of two young boys, pursuing her education and trying to get off welfare when she discovered she was pregnant. With the baby's father in prison and her own path toward stability just beginning, she made the brave decision to explore adoption. An Unlikely Match Made in Perfect Timing After months of struggling to match with a family due to concerns about her medical history, Jessica finally connected with Connie and Matt. The twist? They were already expecting a baby through embryo adoption, due just ten weeks before...

Adoptive Mom Club: Moms Sharing How Adoption Changed Them [S8E4]

ADOPTION NOW

Darcy Olsen is the founder & CEO of the Center for the Rights of Abused Children, an organization dedicated to uniting people in the fight to protect America's abused children. They have helped over 775,000 children nationwide. Darcy has fostered ten babies and adopted four as a single mother! Darcy shared her last week. Jordan had her first baby and then experienced secondary infertility. She and her husband, Jose, adopted their second child in less than 5 months! Jordan shares how her perspective on the process changed and about her experience with open adoption. Listen for her full...

Center for the Rights of Abused Children: Darcy Olsen, CEO & Adoptive Mother Shares Her Story [S8E3]

ADOPTION NOW

Darcy Olsen is the founder & CEO of the Center for the Rights of Abused Children, an organization dedicated to uniting people in the fight to protect America's abused children. They have helped over 775,000 children nationwide. Darcy has fostered ten babies and adopted four as a single mother! Darcy’s dedication to supporting abused children and navigating the foster care system is truly inspiring. If you're looking to support children in foster care or considering adoption from the system, here are some key ways to make a difference: Educate Yourself on the Process: Understand the ins...

Two Tickets to Texas, Please: McKenzie Ellis Shares Her Adoption Story [S8E2]

ADOPTION NOW

McKenzie's journey is a testament to the resilience and strength that many couples show in the face of loss and grief. It's inspiring to hear how she and her husband Kim found support through the ADOPTION NOW Podcast, which provided guidance and comfort as they explored adoption as a path to parenthood. Sharing their story on the podcast is a powerful way to connect with others who may be experiencing similar challenges, and it's wonderful that McKenzie is able to give back to the community that helped her. This kind of shared experience can be incredibly impactful for other individuals and...

Season 8 is HERE! April Fallon Shares Her Story [S8E1]

ADOPTION NOW

We have a new season of hope and connection! April Fallon sits down with Jordan Moreno to reflect on ADOPTION NOW's remarkable journey and the episodes that have left a lasting impact on her and her family. As we celebrate reaching over 1 million downloads worldwide, we invite you to join our community of adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth families. Visit our page and to explore coaching resources and be inspired by the collective power of our stories.

Snowflakes Babies: Rodney and Mary Leah Share Their Embryo Adoption Story [S7E23]

ADOPTION NOW

Rodney and Mary Leah are both attorneys in Alabama. For ten years, they walked the journey of infertility before welcoming twins, Dalton and Mary Elizabeth, through Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program. They also serve on the board of , a non-profit that helps couples walking through infertility, miscarriage and infant loss through groups and grants. They are passionate about helping families through grief and healing as couples explore other options into parenthood. This episode is so inspiring for those interested and wanting to learn more about how the embryo adoption process...

Born From Our Souls: Aida Phillips Shares Her Adoption Story [S7E22]

ADOPTION NOW

Aida Phillips and her husband longed to be parents but found that conceiving naturally was not possible for them. They began infertility treatments, which ultimately proved unsuccessful and took a significant toll on Aida both mentally and physically. She started looking into adoption, but her husband was hesitant, and EVEN MORE so when they met with a crooked adoption attorney in Miami! It was a journey to be matched to their daughter, but they did not give up. Aida is from Mexico and Jewish. In this episode we hear how that added to the obstacles of being matched to the...

Embryo Twins: Michael and Naomi's Embryo Adoption Story [S7E21]

ADOPTION NOW

After Michael and Naomi’s unsuccessful attempts to start a family, they were led to a fertility clinic where they were diagnosed with male-factor infertility. They were told IVF would be the only real option. The couple experienced a lot of grief and started praying about what to do to become parents. They started to research their options when God opened the door to the in Knoxville, Tennessee!! This is where Michael and Naomi began their life-changing journey of becoming pregnant with two adopted boys through embryo adoption and the real twist of the story is the twins are NOT...

More Episodes

Lauren Stokes, M.A., L.P.C., is a licensed professional counselor at Create Connectivity Counseling PLLC. She is also a writer for Adoption.com. She is an adult adoptee who was raised in an open adoption. This means that after she was adopted at 2 1/2 weeks old, her adoptive parents allowed her biological parents into Lauren's life. In this interview Lauren shares the great benefits of open adoption, while also emphasizing the need to embrace the complexities of the emotional journey through adoption.

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