I have been receiving news links that show a shortage of foster homes in virtually every state. As the number of children coming into foster care is increasing, the number of foster homes is decreasing. We’re running at a bad pace.

I was recently interviewed for a newspaper article about the subsidy rates for foster parents. I wrote about it in this blog. The article was written in response to a new report put out by Children’s Rights, the National Foster Parent Association... more

In order for a child to be legally placed from one state to another, an Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, or ICPC, MUST be completed. Trying to by-pass this requirement will lead to whatever punishment the jurisdiction has in place. This could mean removal of the child from your home, loss of your foster care license, or the ability to adopt in the future.

The compact allows the sending state (the state in which the child currently resides) to receive home studies, and all documents that the receiving state (the state... more

My blogs have been very sporadic for the past week, and I apologize for that. I have been busily working for our church picnic and auction. Thankfully, it is over and it was a huge success. We raised several thousand dollars to pay for our sponsorship of a student in Haiti and to send our youth on a mission trip next summer.

Today I am completely exhausted and have a monthly team meeting to discuss Sammy’s issues, and a mini... more

I received a private e-mail from a reader, with a very valid question that I’d like to address.

Do you still feel that foster/adoption is a worthwhile experience?

My answer is a resounding – YES! But there is a caveat here. I believe in honesty in adoption. Holding information back from parents and idealizing things to parents does not do anyone any good.

I write honestly about both the joys and the struggles that we are dealing with. This is reality. It has not been an easy road, and there... more

I am one of the few people that can go to a religious meeting and end up talking about special needs adoptions and residential treatment centers.

This weekend I attended the annual meeting of the Wisconsin conference of the United Church of Christ. There were several of us there representing our church and discussing fun issues like budget and committees.

One of the committees that got my attention was the one for Health & Human Services. Two speakers got up to talk a little... more

There have been some interesting discussions about this on the Adoption.com forums. One of the big factors is are you getting a foster child or is this a pre-adoptive placement? You get far more information prior to placement when it’s a pre-adoptive situation.

The information you SHOULD receive and the information you will receive may be two different things. Do not hesitate to ask for more information. After all, you are the one raising this child, you are entitled to the history.

Prior... more

In my Eyes and Progress blog I talked about how much you can tell from a child’s eyes. John asked about evaluating photos and reading photo listings. I had contemplated blogging about this, but held off. I can become a little bit jaded when I read a photo listing.

Sometimes issues got “soft peddled” when they are listed and not everything can be listed in order to protect a child’s privacy. There are workers who go to the extreme... more

Time for a little comedy. Give us your best line. Here are some of mine.

You know you’re a foster/adoptive parent when……..

1) You keep your favorite food under lock and key.

2) You take parenting books along on vacation as your “recreational” reading.

3) You find a urine stain on the carpet, and DON’T suspect the dog.

4) You have alarms on your house to warn if people are getting OUT.

5) Bodily fluids no longer gross you out.

6) You know everyone in the social services office,... more

I was watching ER last night, and I found myself getting emotional. If you know me at all, this is NOT normal. With what I live with on a daily basis, I am desensitized to many things.

It may have been the fact that the song played for the wedding processional was “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley, which was MY processional when I married Larry almost 18 years ago. The other thing was the poem that Abby recited as part of her wedding vows. I thought it applied to parents just as much as a wedding.

It’s... more

I have a guilty pleasure. I have one soap opera that watch when I can. No, I don’t have the luxury of sitting down and eating bon bons at the same time. Most of the time I don’t get to watch it, but now I can justify devoting the time to watch.

The show I watch is All My Children. There is an incredible young actress, Leven Rambin, who plays the character Lily Montgomery. She plays an ... more