A single email on spring break flipped our world: a newborn had been safely surrendered in a Baby Box, and we were asked to interview that night. Between a police station with spotty reception and a nurse’s instinct, we said a shaking, courageous yes. What began as a late-night Zoom became a story of rescue, resilience, and a family remade—twice.

We walk through the moments that matter: the training gaps first responders face around Safe Haven laws, the medical unknowns that shadowed the first days, and the kindness of a foster family who taught us newborn basics while we waited on a court order. You’ll hear how community rallied—diapers, formula, a nursery built in a weekend—and how National Adoption Day turned our living room into a media hub. We also take on the hard questions: how to tell a child her origin story without shame, how to honor a birth mother’s love and anonymity, and how to balance privacy with public education so more mothers know there’s a safe option.

Maya’s health journey moved from fear to awe as EEGs normalized and milestones stacked up, revealing a bright, strong-willed, hilarious kid who wakes up ready to take on the day. And the story kept growing. We revisit our earlier IVF chapter, transfer mosaic embryos once considered too risky, grieve the loss of twins, and welcome a healthy daughter at 37 weeks. That arc—from surrender to adoption to birth—threads together faith, community, and a simple family motto: open heart, open hands, open home.

If you care about Safe Haven Baby Boxes, adoption ethics, first responder readiness, or the everyday grit of building a family, this conversation offers practical insight and a steady stream of hope. Press play, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and help us spread awareness of Safe Haven options. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what part of this story stayed with you?

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Two infants a year might sound small—until you’re the coroner who sees what happens when a parent has nowhere safe to turn. We invited Chief Deputy Coroner Riley Hoff from Douglas County, Washington, to explore why well-intended Safe Haven laws still miss families in crisis and how a simple extension—24/7 anonymous infant safety devices—can turn fear into a safe handoff and a second chance.

We unpack the real constraints on the ground: the 72-hour window, the requirement to face staff at limited locations, and the stigma that keeps parents from walking through a busy door in a town where everyone knows everyone. Riley brings a public health lens shaped by death investigations, touching on the pressures of addiction, homelessness, and mental health that complicate perinatal decisions. We contrast Washington’s experience with Indiana’s results, where secure, alarmed baby boxes linked to first responders have correlated with zero fatal abandonments due to abandonment and a growing number of safe surrenders. The point isn’t replacing people—it’s protecting privacy at the crucial moment when a parent needs an anonymous, immediate option.

Together we outline a pragmatic roadmap: authorize infant safety devices within the existing Safe Haven framework; set clear standards for installation, alarms, and response; and fund a statewide education push so parents, hospitals, shelters, and schools know the law. We also talk about compassion over judgment—why prosecuting a mother who leaves a newborn safely in a hospital can drive others away from care, and how hotlines and counselors can support without steering the decision. If you care about maternal and infant health, harm reduction, and practical policy, this conversation offers data, lived experience, and a plan to save lives—one quiet door at a time.

If this resonated, follow the show, share with a friend, and leave a review with your take on how Washington should modernize Safe Haven access. Your voice helps move policymakers and protects the next newborn who needs a safe start.

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Two alarms changed everything—one to a fully involved fire, and one to a life waiting in a baby box. We sat down with the Martinez family in Albuquerque to share the raw, unedited journey from infertility and foster‑care training to the moment a five‑pound newborn arrived at their station and rewrote their future. What followed was a whirlwind of NICU nights, confusing protocols, and a simple vow to keep showing up. Along the way, we talk openly about grief from the fatal blaze, the moral courage of a birth mother who chose safety and anonymity, and the quiet heroism of first responders who train for a moment they hope they never miss.

We pull back the curtain on safe haven laws, baby boxes, and why anonymous surrender can be the difference between tragedy and a second chance. The Martinezes describe the emotional whiplash of placement—“you have him,” “you don’t,” “you can visit”—and the steady faith that carried them to adoption day. You’ll hear about bottle feeds and monitors, a name chosen to honor a lost brother, and the day cardiology said, “This is the last time you’ll see us.” We don’t skip the hard parts: addiction’s grip, identity questions for adopted kids, and the delicate balance between privacy and telling a story that can save lives.

What emerges is a love letter to community: firefighters ready to respond, ICU nurses who teach first baths, caseworkers finding their way, and listeners who care enough to advocate for safe, practical options. If you’ve ever wondered whether baby boxes work, or how faith, policy, and perseverance meet in the real world, this conversation offers an honest map—and a reason to hope. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review to help more families discover safe haven resources and real‑world stories like Mikey’s.

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