I witnessed something unexpected this weekend---a swirl of pain in a normally safe place. A group devoted to conversations about parenting adopted/foster children with connection, a group teaching
Full Circle: 11-Year-Old Adoptee Gives Back on Her Birthday
"I love giving back to a program that took care of me" When Kate Tunstall’s 11th birthday was around the corner, she surprised her family with an interesting birthday request: in lieu of presents,
For the Love of a First Mom (Birth Mom)
Last Friday my son arrived home from school with a friend. He opened the front door, calling out, “Hi, Mom!” Turning to his friend, he added, “Dude, I have two moms. That means I have eight
A Journey to Sibling Adoption
High school sweethearts, Brooke and Brandon from Northwestern Minnesota, married and dreamed of having a big family. Heartbroken and disappointed after years of unsuccessful fertility treatments, they
8 Things to Say Instead of “He’s so lucky to have you”
When your friends and family hear you’ve added a foster child to your family, there is a wide range of typical reactions. There are those that are less than supportive (Are you crazy? I read about a
“He’s mine, too.” A Reminder of Race While Grabbing In-Store Freebies
It’s 10:50 a.m. on Sunday at Costco. Our shopping trip is over. The cart is filled with all the massive-sized necessities we need, but we’re forced to kill ten minutes mulling around the
Providing Tools for Success
Both Jack and Nate spent more than a decade of their life in an orphanage. Jack’s vision problems were so severely neglected, he was unable to see to complete his homework. Scoliosis plagues Nate’s
What I Wish I’d Known BEFORE I Adopted
Dear Prospective Adopter, I remember being where you are now---the heady excitement of what is to come, the giddy nerves of the all-important Panel,* the heart-melting magic of Matching. It is one
What Mother Am I?
Modern mothering is not easy. I blame most of this on the amount of information we are bombarded with every day. There are so many ideas on how to care for and raise children. And now, more than ever,
Letter to Their Foster Carers
Dear Ken and Mary (not your real names), You gave our children a home, when they needed it most. You kept them together, letting them stay with each other and stay connected to the only family they
