We went to the pumpkin patch on Saturday, and we all had a good time! It’s not too often that family fun outings go really well. Last year we attempted the pumpkin patch and were disappointed when our trampoline LOVING son decided he hated the big orange bouncy thingy. Right, that was a shocker. To…
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putting the HOPE in HOPEless (adoption/foster)
You may wonder why I write this blog, why you should listen to yet another person who thinks they have an answer to helping hurting, traumatized kids. Why am I here? Because of what my daughter has come through, the great progress she has made. I try not to flag my faith here. My faith…
Read Morewhat invisible illnesses taught me about humanity
My home is filled with invisible disorders and health issues. Autism, depression, mood disorder, PTSD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Attachment Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder. I guess some could argue that many of these aren’t invisible, yet most don’t realize what happens inside our home, which might be a good thing. I call them “invisible” because no…
Read Morethey seized the spotlight
HGTV has a new realty show coming out starring The Hatmakers. International adoption, a Harley riding pastor, a writer, and a renovation will all take center stage, or center of the t.v. screen. I am jealous. Oh, wait, did I just utter those words? I’m really not jealous. For a minute second I was, but…
Read Morewhat is Autism?
My son, Jeremiah, has Autism. For those of you who don’t know someone with the disorder, or who haven’t looked into what it is, there can be a very narrow perception of what the word “Autism” means. One example of this came when I was introduced to a woman who attends a small group we…
Read Moredetecting attachment issues (adoption/foster)
I have listed the behaviors children with attachment issues display in a post titled, signs of neglect, trauma, and attachment issues, but felt there needed to be a more extensive list and one that was more accessible. After all, that is why I’m here, because of attachment issues and to help children heal from their past,…
Read Morewhen your adopted child doesn’t fit seamlessly into your life, what will you do? (adoption/foster)
To this day Dimitri’s bones ache when the winter cold settles in. As that chill cloaks him, memories of a frozen Uzbekistan scene play through his mind like a horror film. His father laying on the concrete floor of an abandoned building, drunk, and nearly dead. He’d wrapped a thread bare blanket around his sister,…
Read Morewhat’s on their mind? (adoption/foster)
Something about negative behavior struck me when I read the fourth part in the Reuter’s series The Child Exchange. (You can read my opinion on The Child Exchange – aka adoption disruption here.) The Reuters investigation shares the devastating story of Anna Barnes, a girl who was born in Russia, orphaned (although she didn’t know…
Read Morejust deal with it (feelings: part 4) – (adoption/foster)
Were you raised by a parent who told you to “just deal with it?” Were you taught to ignore your feelings or that they weren’t important? If we tell our hurting children to just deal with it without giving them a listening ear, and tools for how to handle their feelings, it won’t help your child…
Read Morerehoming: a Reuters investigation (shared by NBC news) (adoption)
The new catchphrase on an older concept: rehoming. Some in the adoption community call it adoption dissolution or disruption. You may have heard about the Reuters investigation “The Child Exchange,” and NBC, which began broadcasting the reports on Monday morning about this issue. Reuter’s series focuses on families who feel they can no longer care…
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lovin' adoptin' & autism 