Sam Earle, left, and his wife, Tori, pose with their daughter, Novalie, outside the Heritage Baptist Church Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption. “We’re believers,” says Tori, 30, who belongs to the Baptist church where her dad once was pastor. “So we just prayed about it, and we asked the Lord to just kind of guide us.”
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle, left, and his wife, Tori, watch their daughter, Novalie, swing in their backyard Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption. “God can use everything to His glory,” says Sam, 30. “There’s certainly an aspect that you consider with IVF: the ethics of freezing more embryos than you need. … But for families who struggle with infertility, it’s a beautiful opportunity.”
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle, left, poses with his wife, Tori, and their daughter, Novalie, outside their home Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption. Tori views pregnancy with a donated embryo as nurturing “what was already established,” she says.
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle, left, and his wife, Tori, hold their daughter, Novalie, in her room at home Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption.
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle lifts his daughter, Novalie, while his wife, Tori, watches outside the Heritage Baptist Church Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption.
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amanda Visser holds her embryo-adopted six-month-old sons Collin and Jackson at her home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fourteen-year-old Abby Visser holds her embryo-adopted brother and Amanda Visser holds her embryo-adopted six-month-old son at their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amanda and Ryan Visser hold their embryo-adopted six-month-old sons Collin and Jackson while showing a photo of the fertilized embryos at their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amanda Visser homeschools her adopted eight-year-old son Elliott in their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fourteen-year-old Abby Visser and eleven-year-old William Visser hold their embryo-adopted six-month-old brothers Collin and Jackson at the piano in their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Eleven-year-old adopted William Visser hugs his grandfather Kelly Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
AP
When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception must wrestle with weighty questions: How do you build a family in a way that conforms with your beliefs
Sam Earle, left, and his wife, Tori, pose with their daughter, Novalie, outside the Heritage Baptist Church Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption. “We’re believers,” says Tori, 30, who belongs to the Baptist church where her dad once was pastor. “So we just prayed about it, and we asked the Lord to just kind of guide us.”
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle, left, and his wife, Tori, watch their daughter, Novalie, swing in their backyard Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption. “God can use everything to His glory,” says Sam, 30. “There’s certainly an aspect that you consider with IVF: the ethics of freezing more embryos than you need. … But for families who struggle with infertility, it’s a beautiful opportunity.”
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle, left, poses with his wife, Tori, and their daughter, Novalie, outside their home Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption. Tori views pregnancy with a donated embryo as nurturing “what was already established,” she says.
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle, left, and his wife, Tori, hold their daughter, Novalie, in her room at home Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption.
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sam Earle lifts his daughter, Novalie, while his wife, Tori, watches outside the Heritage Baptist Church Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Lakeland, Fla. Novalie was born through an embryo adoption.
- Mike Carlson - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amanda Visser holds her embryo-adopted six-month-old sons Collin and Jackson at her home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fourteen-year-old Abby Visser holds her embryo-adopted brother and Amanda Visser holds her embryo-adopted six-month-old son at their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amanda and Ryan Visser hold their embryo-adopted six-month-old sons Collin and Jackson while showing a photo of the fertilized embryos at their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amanda Visser homeschools her adopted eight-year-old son Elliott in their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fourteen-year-old Abby Visser and eleven-year-old William Visser hold their embryo-adopted six-month-old brothers Collin and Jackson at the piano in their home, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado. When faced with infertility, Christians who believe life begins at or around conception wrestle with the ethics of IVF and how to build a family in a way that conforms with their beliefs.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Eleven-year-old adopted William Visser hugs his grandfather Kelly Monday, May 13, 2024, in Sterling, Colorado.
- Jack Dempsey - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
When faced with infertility, Amanda and Jeff Walker had a baby through in vitro fertilization but were left with extra embryos — and questions. Tori and Sam Earle “adopted” an embryo frozen 20 years earlier by another couple. Matthew Eppinette and his wife chose to forgo IVF out of ethical concerns and have no children of their own.
All are guided by a strong Christian faith and believe life begins at or around conception. And all have wrestled with the same weighty questions: How do you build a family in a way that conforms with your beliefs? Is IVF an ethical option, especially if it creates more embryos than a couple can use?
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