Hmmm, is this a yard sale? I slowed the van a bit and squinted at a fence near the road ahead. Balloons of all colors and shapes were hanging there, bobbing back and forth with the movement of the breeze. What is even going on here? We were meandering along a back road near our …
A few years ago I read The Family Nobody Wanted by Helen Doss, and was quickly caught up in her adoption story. Even though she and her husband lived in a very different era as far as social norms of the day and trauma research (which was basically nonexistent), much of what she described from …
Ah, summer. Originally our family had plans to travel in Canada this year, but then, coronavirus. So here we are in Pennsylvania. The east coast has had a sufficiently hot July. Thankfully, many state parks and some pools have opened, and we could hardly be happier to swim in the water and frolic in the …
As I was working at my laptop recently, our adopted daughter stopped by to wish me ‘good night’ before Austin tucked her in. As I turned to say my evening farewells, she wrapped her arms around me and leaned in to kiss me on the forehead. Without thinking, I recoiled, making her attempt at affection …
As I have mentioned before, our family needs a lot of positive bonding opportunities. The most detrimental force against our family connection is by far, strife. Strife frequently rears its ugly head as competition amongst the kids (stemming from each one’s personal insecurities). Our children are very close in chronological age, but very different in …
This was the moment. The next hour of my sanity was hanging in the balance. I stared at our daughter, who lay slumped on the floor, glaring back at me. We were assessing each other, each analyzing what our next move would be. This moment was all about control. The vacuum lay beside her, quietly …
Or not. Initially when we started fostering, in the general emotional chaos that ensued, I formulated an idea: If we can just make it to permanency, all will be well. Our sibling group’s case meandered back and forth between adoption, reunification with birth family, and eventually back to adoption – all over the course of …
“You’re rude. I want a new mom.” Our six-year-old adopted daughter was growling at me. Then, to get her point through, she yelled at me. “I hate you!“ Sigh. “I’ll love you wherever you are.” My answer was completely emotionless. She ran off down the hill toward the lake. No, that’s not right. I need to …
For our family one of the best ways to create positive, bonding moments is to get out of the house and experience something new together, just the eight of us (yes, I said eight of us). Over the last few years we have taken many one-day road trips. Why not overnight? Initially, as foster parents, …