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One Thankful Mom - Lisa Qualls

Honest reflections on family, adoption, foster care, and faith.

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A Christmas Moment I Still Think About

A Christmas Moment I Still Think About

By Lisa Qualls

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 […]

December 9, 2019 Leave a Comment

Remembering Kalkidan

Remembering Kalkidan

By Lisa Qualls

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 […]

October 30, 2019 5 Comments

Help Your Kids Manage Their Schedules With This Simple Tool

By Lisa Qualls

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! […]

September 9, 2019 Leave a Comment

Have You Ever Made a Call Like This?

Have You Ever Made a Call Like This?

By Lisa Qualls

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 […]

August 21, 2019 Leave a Comment

Real Answers to “What Can I Do if I Don’t Like My Child?”

Real Answers to “What Can I Do if I Don’t Like My Child?”

By Lisa Qualls

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 […]

July 31, 2019 2 Comments

What Building a Patio Taught Us About God

What Building a Patio Taught Us About God

By Lisa Qualls

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 […]

July 22, 2019 22 Comments

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Mentoring adoptive and foster moms with                   practical help and hope.I serve families by providing practical tools and hope through my private membership group, The Hope Circle, as well as parent coaching, marriage mentoring, speaking, and writing. As a mom of 12 by birth and adoption (and more through foster care), wife of 35 years, and a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) Practitioner, I’m honored to walk alongside you as you navigate your family’s unique journey.

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