With the sorority sisters gone for the holiday, we emerged into the beautiful house. It was 1991 and we had three children ages 4, 2, and seven months. Believe it or not, we were house parents in a sorority at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Graduate school had motivated us to drive across the […]
Remembering Kalkidan
I wish I was one of those people who dreamed of loved ones in heaven. It’s only happened a couple of times since we lost Kalkidan. This was one of those times. Our family was gathered around a table. I was sitting at one end and the table was long with so many of us […]
Help Your Kids Manage Their Schedules With This Simple Tool
Kids need simple tools for managing their schedules. They often become very anxious when they don’t know what’s coming next. This is magnified in kids with early trauma. I’ve been using this low-tech, back-to-basics tool for many years. It’s so simple, I’m almost embarrassed to share it, but it just might be useful to you! […]
Have You Ever Made a Call Like This?
Way back in 2008, I was drowning. Our first three adopted children had been home for 18 months and the needs were far beyond my capacity to meet. I was scared, sad, and feeling alone. Our agency had a private group where parents communicated. I’d been following the story of one mom who was sharing […]
Real Answers to “What Can I Do if I Don’t Like My Child?”
Do you ever wake up in the morning and feel you just can’t do it – you can’t be the mom you want to be? You went into foster care and adoption because you loved kids and wanted to make a difference. But now? You’re hardly making it through the days. You’re so darn tired […]
What Building a Patio Taught Us About God
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:…a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance… Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 We needed a place to grieve, a place to gather and hold one another close as our hearts were breaking. Our […]