Imagine a foster family shows up to your weekly Bible study with a couple extra kids in tow. You, half-jokingly, call the family crazy for adding more kids. "Are you trying to start your own sports team?" you joke. Then your curiosity sets in and you proceed to ask lots of questions: "What happened to their [...]
We all need a place where we can be ourselves, where we are loved and not judged. That's why being part of a community of people who get us, who love us in spite of ourselves is so important. Watch as Ryan shares about the people who help hold their hands up. https://youtu.be/ka_JT3ZX5y0
Our kids love spending time with their grandparents. I remember thinking that a weekend with my grandparents was just about the best thing ever when I was a child. Kayla has childhood memories of spending time every summer with her grandparents. It’s a rare child who doesn’t love their grandparents. Kayla's parents and my parents [...]
Leadership is important, very important. It is a highly valued commodity in the corporate world. So much so, that according to a study by Deloitte, American companies spent $14 billion on leadership development in 2012. I can only imagine what the 2017 number looks like. But leadership isn't only valuable in offices and boardrooms across the [...]
School’s out for the summer, it’s a holiday weekend, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite books with you. Each one of these has changed the way I look at the world and has impacted how I understand myself and my family. In short, each of these books has changed the way I [...]
Join other adoptive and foster moms (and moms-to-be) for a discussion group that is sure to help you on your parenting journey. The Connected Child, co-authored by Dr. Karyn Purvis, has become one of the most helpful and encouraging books for adoptive and foster parents. Dr. Purvis, together with Tapestry’s Amy & Michael Monroe, wrote [...]
There is a great parenting strategy I think we should all subscribe to; don’t remove a coping mechanism or survival strategy from a child unless you have something better to replace it with. Don’t create a vacuum if you are not prepared to fill it. Vacuums by definition cannot remain unfilled. If you're not equipped [...]
I'm traveling to Seattle to speak at the Refresh Conference this week. I'm looking forward to the trip for several reasons. I've never been to the Pacific Northwest, some friends moved to Seattle last year and I haven't seen them since they moved, and I'm looking forward to presenting my assigned topic; Building Healthy Relationships [...]
To be an effective agent of healing in your child's life you will need to understand their history and come to terms with your past. Both are necessary.
When I was a child, I wanted to be an airline pilot. I thought it would be the most romantic way to spend my days floating amongst the clouds. My dad traveled for work when I was a kid and when he came home, he would go down on one knee expecting a hug and [...]