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One Thankful Mom - Lisa Qualls

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

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Catching Up

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It’s been far too long! Between snow days and Spring Break, my days have been a little disorganized. I’ve also been preparing to speak at The Refresh Conference. I’m teaching two breakouts, When Your Heart Feels Trampled (and you’re finding it hard to even like your child) and The Impact of Adoption/Fostering on Siblings. The […]

Sisters

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The greatest gifts in life are the people we love. Last weekend I went to Seattle for Sisters Weekend. For a number of years my sisters and I have spent a weekend with our parents; I’m deeply thankful for the time together. This year was our first Sisters Weekend without my dad. I had some […]

What to Do When Your Child Needs Help Regulating

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I have two new podcast episodes for you! Robyn Gobbel gives us practical advice on how to help kids become better regulated. #25 Regulating Through Movement and Play The second episode focuses on how to help your child regulate when they’re already out of control. We’ve all been there! #26 What to Do When Your […]

Unsettled: When New Kids Join the Family

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Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it must feel like for a child entering our homes. It’s an unfamiliar environment they’ve never seen before. Nothing would feel right. The past two weeks have been a bit much for me and I’m in my own home. Life has been disrupted far more than I imagined when we […]

Learning to be Content With a Well-loved Home

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A friend once told me, “You know, Lisa, I don’t think God is going to let you get rid of that blue carpet until you’re thankful for it.” Nineteen years ago we came to town for a weekend to buy a house. We looked at thirteen, narrowed it to three, and then chose our house. […]

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  • “It just struck me again that we're meeting for the first time. Can you believe we started tAC and didn't know each other. It's either God or crazy. 😊"~@onethankfulmom . After spending 3 days together at @therefreshconference (and sharing a hotel room), we've decided it must be God 😁 . . . #theadoptionconnection #adoptionpodcast #onlygod #fastfriends #adoptivemoms #adoptionsupport #mompreneurs
  • The local moose has been hanging out in our backyard. It’s hard to tell how big it is, but Google tells me an adult moose is 4.6-6.9 ft. tall at the shoulder. After it left the yard it stepped right over the fence. Impressive. #idahome #idaho #moose #onethankfulmom
  • It’s a wonderful thing to see my adult kids choose to spend time together. Annarose and Mimi flew to San Diego to see Beza and spend time with other family and friends. • Of course, Annarose made a quick trip across the border to visit friends in Mexico and enjoy speaking Spanish for an entire day. • #sisters #onethankfulmom #adoption
  • A friend once told me, “You know, Lisa, I don’t think God is going to let you get rid of that blue carpet until you’re thankful for it.” • I’ve written some thoughts on contentment, gratitude, waiting, debt (actually, no debt), and a few words on Pinterest. I hope it speaks to you. • A link to the post is in my bio. #onethankfulmom #woodfloors #contentment #gratitude #debtfree #adoption
  • I use many tools to support my family, including essential oils. I don’t sell them, so I’m not trying to persuade you - just sharing my story. From an unexpected conversation in 2010 about teens and depression to diffusing them today as I write, it’s been a gentle journey. • A link to the post is in my profile. #essentialoils #depression #anxiety #onethankfulmom
  • One of our sweetest surprises ever! Zoe joined our family 2 1/2 years ago. She turned 18 a few days ago. While she may not officially be our foster daughter now, she will always be a daughter of our hearts. We’re so proud of her and excited to see her graduate this June. • #quallsfam #happybirthday #fostercare #onethankfulmom