I was spoiling myself last week, I got a massage. An hour, laying on a warm soft surface (not a hardwood floor while working with my son), hearing nothing but tranquil music (not a screaming child or feet pounding that hardwood floor), smelling fragrant candles (not gold-fish cracker breath), and having someone rub all the stress…
Read MoreHARD is the BEST thing I’ve ever done
We shared our adoption story (in short) with our church on Orphan Sunday, Well, since this post is all about honesty, I should say, Justin shared and I stood by. I had the easy part. Afterwards, we welcomed questions from anyone interested in fostering or adopting. One of the women who chatted with me, let’s…
Read Morethe comfort priority (Autism)
When speech and developmental therapists began working with our son in our home, they recommended creating a safe place (a place of comfort, a place to get away) in our home for Jeremiah. They recommended putting up a tent in his room, or a cuddle swing (pictured at right). Before we purchased anything, we realized…
Read MoreNBC’s Today Show focuses on adoption
A couple days ago I was watching NBC’s TODAY Show and they had a segment on adoption. This particular broadcast was focusing on an adopted woman finding her birth mother. At first I was excited to see the TODAY Show recognizing adoption, and wondered why they hand’t done so more often because Al Roker is…
Read Morethe lies our children believe (adoption/foster)
It’s difficult to see through the anger, the hate, the attitudes. If our children have created coping mechanisms, it can be almost impossible to see through the smiles, the laughing, and the efforts they make to see us happy. What can’t we see through all of this? The lies our children believe; lies about themselves,…
Read Morewe are our child’s best therapist
“After a hard days work, you don’t want to come home and be the therapist.” This statement was made by the father of an Autistic boy after a new therapy office specific to helping children with Autism opened up in our semi-small town. This dad wanted the work to be done by therapists, but he…
Read Moretaking the HAUNT out of Halloween (adoption/foster)
(In this post when I talk about our children who came from a scary place, I am including those who were neglected or abandoned. Although they weren’t abused or frightened by some larger person, their experience was extremely fearful for a child.) I’m not a fan of fear. In college you would have thought differently.…
Read Moremaking Halloween happier (adoption & foster care)
How do we stay sane during Halloween? It can be hard, even with kids who don’t have sensory issues, or attachment issues. The first goal is to make it fun for your child. For children with attachment issues, I don’t agree with the approach of removing everything fun in their life. If there’s no fun,…
Read Morebe big picture positive
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…
Read Moreputting 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…
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lovin' adoptin' & autism 