The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby

TRIGGER WARNING

This episode contains detailed discussions/depictions of sexual assault and rape involving minors. We understand this material is deeply disturbing and can be triggering for survivors. Please prioritize your well-being.

This episode is sponsored by Shopify, Ladder, and Cash App.

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In today’s episode, we’re joined by Elizabeth Smart — and her story is one of both unimaginable hardship and incredible hope.

After being kidnapped at 14 and held captive for nine months, Elizabeth has gone on to build a beautiful life — as a wife, a mother, and a powerful advocate for survivors.

We talk about what healing has looked like for her, how she learned to move forward after trauma, and what it’s been like to find love and create a family of her own.

We also dive into what fuels her advocacy, the impact she hopes to make, and her perspective on forgiveness.

Elizabeth's IG: Elizabeth_Smart_Official

https://www.elizabethsmartfoundation.org/

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, support is available and healing is possible.

You can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at

800-656-HOPE (4673)

or connect online at rainn.org.

Or call 911. Reporting can save a life.

Follow The Unplanned Podcast:

https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/

https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast

Listen to the pod on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-podcast/id1669604504

Follow Matt & Abby:

Abby's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abbyelizabethoward/

Matt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_matt_howard_/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_and_abby

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mattandabb

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@MattandAbby

Chapters:

00:36 - Choosing to share my story

04:51 - The night of the kidnapping

09:20 - what kept me going

12:17 - changing mentality around victims

20:06 - How to talk to your kids

26:31 - Accusing my family

28:22 - Victims and the justice system

37:53 - Forgiveness

40:28 - Finding out my captor was released

45:35 - Why I didn't run

51:51 - Trauma responses

55:02 - What the documentary left out

59:06 - Counting the days

01:02:02 - Concern of pregnancy

01:04:01 - Telling my story to my children

01:09:41 - Intimacy after sexual trauma

01:16:53 - Clinging to my childhood

01:20:57 - Supporting survivors through my foundation
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This episode is sponsored by Square, Wayfair, and Upwork.

Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/unplanned ! #squarepod

Wayfair: Find furniture, decor, and essentials that fit your unique style and budget at https://wayfair.com.

Upwork: Visit https://upwork.com to post your job for free and connect with top talent ready to help your business grow.

In this Agree to Disagree: Pregnancy Edition, the sisters-in-law are BACK! Abby, Abigail, and Addy dive into pregnancy symptoms, hormones, cravings, breastfeeding, birth plans, and everything no one prepares you for — sharing honest takes, personal experiences, and unfiltered opinions.

Abigail's IG: @abigailghoward

Addy's IG: @addybiswell

Follow The Unplanned Podcast:

https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/

https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast

Listen to the pod on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-podcast/id1669604504

Follow Matt & Abby:

Abby's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abbyelizabethoward/

Matt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_matt_howard_/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_and_abby

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mattandabb

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@MattandAbby

Chapters:

06;14 - If men had to give birth, humanity would end

08;41 - Pregnancy brain is just an excuse

10;58 - I have cried over food while pregnant

13;01 - Ad break Square

14;20 - Babies know when you're about to get freaky

15;05 - The first trimester is the hardest

17;19 - Working out during pregnancy makes things easier

17;55 - Pregnancy is harder mentally than physically

20;06 - No one prepares you for how hard postpartum is

24;12 - Ad break Upwork

25;25 - Screentime is necessary for surviving the third trimester

27;01 - You should find out the gender as soon as possible

34;30 - Announcing pregnancy early is a mistake

37;38 - Gender reveals should be cancelled

38;38 - Breastfeeding is way harder than people admit

43;19 - Ad break Wayfair

44;46 - It's okay to still be breastfeeding a 4 year old

46;45 - Mom guilt never goes away

48;25 - Moms deserve a push present every time

50;38 - Toddlers can sense weakness and will absolutely exploit it

53;06 - I have hidden in the bathroom to get a moment of peace

56;00 - Gentle parenting doesn't work

58;44 - Every parent compares their kids to other kids

1;00;13 - Having kids makes marriage harder

1;01;43 - Pregnancy hormones have started arguments

1;04;09 - It's normal for your spouse to feel like a roomate

1;05;57 - During the baby years, your relationship is 2nd

1;07;28 - Checking your partner's location is totally normal

1;07;58 - Apologizing first doesn't always mean you're wrong

1;09;13 - Marriage advice from single friends isn't helpful

1;10;54 - Romance has to be scheduled after kids

1;12;55 - Protecting your marriage means setting boundaries with family

1;13;19 - Being a parent makes you more anxious

1;14;45 - you don't understand your partner until they're a parent

1;14;56 - I sometimes feel like the default parent

1;15;49 - You do become your own mother

1;16;45 - Traveling with kids isn't worth the chaos

1;17;22 - Using cloth diapers won't save the environment

1;18;34 - I wear the pants in my household

1;20;11 - I know the code to my husband's phone

1;20;26 - Having kids made me lose a part of myself

1;23;41 - I miss my pre-pregnancy body

1;24;52 - Sex feels different after birth

1;25;10 - I am the fun parent

#unplannedpodcast #mattandabby

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Today's episode is sponsored by Shopify, Pocket Pivot, Little Spoon, and Upwork.

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/unplanned

Pocket Pivot: Text UNPLANNED to 64000 to get a free pocket pivot and 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of any size Copper Head hose; message and data rates may apply, see terms for details.

Little Spoon: Go to https://littlespoon.com/unplanned30 and enter code UNPLANNED30 for 30% off your first order of real, nutritionally balanced meals and snacks for kids at every stage.

Upwork: Visit https://upwork.com to post your job for free and connect with top talent ready to help your business grow.

In this episode Matt and Abby get honest about what this rainbow baby pregnancy has actually felt like: the joy, the grief, and the complicated space where both live at the same time. They open up about the fear leading up to that 17-week appointment and what it has meant to finally let themselves feel hopeful again.

Follow The Unplanned Podcast:
https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/
https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast

Listen to the pod on Spotify/ Apple Podcasts:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-podcast/id1669604504

Follow Matt & Abby:
Abby's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abbyelizabethoward/
Matt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_matt_howard_/
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_and_abby
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mattandabb
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@MattandAbbyHoward

#unplannedpodcast #mattandabby

Chapters:

00:47 - Why we waited to share
05:15 - Finding out we're pregnant
15:28 - Bleeding scare and coping
22:50 - Ad Break
26:31 - Finding out the gender
29:07 - Telling our family
38:36 - Reaching the 17 week mark
45:35 - Gender reveal party
49:11 - Ad Break
52:02 - Pelvic Rest
59:52 - Telling our boys
01:02:09 - Feeling the baby kick
01:09:21 - Talking about baby #4
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Matt and Abby open up about what it feels like to raise boys in a moment where conversations around masculinity feel louder and more polarized than ever. They unpack the difference between healthy and unhealthy masculinity, how criticism aimed at grown men can be internalized by young boys, and the role social media plays in amplifying extremes.

They also share their biggest hopes as parents — raising sons with strength, humility, emotional awareness, and a sense of purpose in a rapidly changing world.
This episode is sponsored by Zoc Doc, Better Help, Kindred Bravely, Olipop, and Flamingo.
Zoc Doc: Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/UNPLANNED to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.
Better Help:Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp/unplannedpodcast
Kindred Bravely: Get 20% off your first order at https://KindredBravely.com/UNPLANNED with promo code UNPLANNED. Exclusions apply.
OLIPOP: Get a free can of OLIPOP when you buy any 2 cans in store—just visit https://drinkolipop.com/unplanned
Flamingo: Our listeners get the Flamingo Starter Set for just $7 at https://www.shopflamingo.com/unplanned

Chapters:

00:00 - Modern Masculinity

01:53 - Living in a man hating culture viral clip

08:05 - How did we get here

10:08 - Redefining masculinity

17:36 - Not all men

18:42 - Raising good men

25:50 - Teaching our boys emotional regulation

29:46 - Boys vs. Girls

38:41 - Consequences

41:06 - Service in healthy masculinity

45:10 - Why young men are afraid of emotions

50:44 - Pay disparity in the home

01:00:17 - Normalizing therapy

01:03:47 - Social Media and the gender wars
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George and Whitney Kamel join Matt & Abby for an honest conversation about money, marriage, and what financial freedom actually looks like behind the scenes. Known from The Ramsey Show and Smart Money Happy Hour, George shares how he and Whitney followed the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps to pay off all their debt, eliminate their $165,000 mortgage in just 26 months, and reach millionaire status by age 32.

They talk cutting up credit cards, renting vs. buying, why so many Americans feel stuck financially, and the real sacrifices required to become debt-free. We also answer listener questions about budgeting on one income, saving while paying off debt, and buying your first home, before putting George and Whitney to the test in a fun round of Agree to Disagree: Financial Edition.

This episode is sponsored by Upwork, Little Spoon, Square, and Olipop.
UPWORK: Visit https://Upwork.com right now and post your job for free.
LITTLE SPOON: Give them meals + snacks that are actually right for where kids are developmentally—balanced, intentional and made to support real growth. Go to https://littlespoon.com/UNPLANNED30 and enter
code UNPLANNED30 for 30% off your first order.
SQUARE: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/unplanned! #squarepod

Chapters:
00:00 - George Kamel
02:17 - How we met
06:13 - Working for Dave Ramsey
07:42 - We got our wedding paid for
11:15 - Ramsey Solutions Baby Steps
22:08 - Getting out of debt
36:07 - Buying a house w/out a credit score
39:16 - Credit Cards
45:54 - Talking to our kids about finances
50:00 - How frugal are you really?
58:38 - Viewer questions
1:12:48 - Agree to Disagree
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