I want to share three upcoming events, but before I do that, I want to talk about the need for support within the adoption/foster care community. Six years ago, when our children came home, I only knew a few adoptive parents. When it became clear that our challenges were not the “give them time to settle in” type, we didn’t have a circle of adoption-related people to come around us.
Over time, through my blog and speaking, I’ve made so many amazing friends. I am deeply thankful for them. Just this morning a friend, who is a therapist, was waiting at LAX for her flight, and I called to ask her some questions about Eby. I would never have met Jennifer if I hadn’t gone to a conference. During this hard season with Dimples, many friends have reached out to us through my blog, Facebook, through the mail, and in person. These people are a wonderful support to our family.
I am continually in awe of the love that flows in the community of those who are devoted to orphan care.
I hope you are finding the support you need, even if your closest support person is somebody you connect with online and have never met in person. One of my best friends, Kathleen, still jokingly calls me her “internet friend.” Although we’ve now logged many hours of time together in real life, our initial connection was through a mutual friend who read my blog.
There are three wonderful events coming up that I want you to know about.
First, I’ve been invited to speak at the first annual Embracing Orphans Retreat in Estes Park, Colorado. It is April 5 – 7 and is for women who are embracing orphans through foster care, adoption, orphan care, and those who are hoping to adopt or foster in the future. Space is limited and it is likely to fill up quickly, so don’t delay in registering.
The west coast’s largest orphan care conference, Refresh, is also coming up – in only a week, February 8-9. I will be speaking Friday night and doing a workshop on Saturday. I honestly cannot say enough good things about Refresh; if you can possibly make it to the Seattle area, please come.
Then in March we have the Spokane Orphan Summit on the 16th. I’m excited to have an event so close to home, I can actually get in my car and drive there! Jason Kovacs, one of the founders of Together for Adoption, is the main speaker and there are many workshops available, including one given by me on creating your support team.
Orphan care, foster care, and adoption are an incredible calling – and one you should not do alone. You need at least one good friend who is walking the road with you, and if you can find an entire circle of friends, all the better.
Have a great Thursday, friends. Hope to see you soon.
Lisa
You forgot one. The Spokane Orphan Summit on March 16th. More information is available at http://SpokaneOrphanSummit.com
Looking forward to meeting you at the Refresh Conference and hearing you speak. Great things are happening in the Northwest. Also praying for you and your family.
Blessings,
Jason
Jason, you're right! I'm going to edit the post to add it. Thank you for reminding me. Russ and I will be at the Summit too and look forward to meeting more local orphan care folks.
Looking forward to seeing you again Lisa:-)
It will be great to see you too, Julianne. Will you be at Refresh – or the Summit?
Awesome!
I have an amazing support team of moms who have adopted children from hard places. It all began because one lady had a desire for one friend. It is invaluable. We laugh together, cry together, learn together and sometimes just drink coffee together. We keep connected through a yahoo group when life doesn't allow us to meet face to face. Support is critical – so glad you are helping others prepare ahead of time for this.
My daughter is in desperate need of adoption support. We have had a very hard year and a half. It is about to get bad again.
I love internet friends.
We love you, too! I should have written a paragraph about how one certain internet friend, became a phone friend, and then offered to come help me with my kids while Russ was in Kenya, and later came on our family vacation, and then for Thanksgiving….
And then never ever ever stopped coming, and they all lived happily ever after :-)
awwwww. that picture. : )
I miss you, Jennifer. One of these days we'll get together.
People who have just adopted are usually financially strapped and cannot afford to attend conferences. We were in that situation in fall of 2011 just six weeks after bringing home two older children and were in desperate shape financially and emotionally. Friends of ours wanted us to attend a nearby Empowered to Connect conference with Dr. Jim Hurlow presenting, but we couldn’t do it and didn’t feel it would be right to be gone from the kids so soon after bringing them home. But our friends insisted, saying that someone had anonymously paid for us to go! So I stayed home with the kids on Friday while my husband attended, and he stayed with the kids on Saturday while I attended. I was so shook up from the misery at home that I could hardly relax and pay attention! But our insightful adoption counselor, the incomparable Ms. Joan, was there and had placed a stress ball by my place at the table, which I used for the entire day and still have, and the wonderful woman who sat next to me, Julie, has become a special friend. She was so very kind and supportive that day and helped me “center down”. We still keep in contact. I am blessed to be attending a sensory processing conference next Friday and am in far better shape for it, financially and emotionally — I pray that I can bless someone there the way that Julie, Joan, and some anonymous friend blessed me at the ETC conference.
I am so looking forward to meeting you in April! I've been reading your blog since the beginning of our adoption journey in 2007 and it's been a huge source of knowledge and encouragement.
It will be great to meet you, Julie!