If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ve probably guessed that I like country music. Well, I heard a song yesterday as I was driving and I think it’s pretty good.

There was a thread on Special Needs Adoption forum of Adoption.com asking what song you felt described our kids. There were all kinds of answers, but I think this new song by Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson pretty much sums it up.

It’s called “Because of You” and here is the chorus:

Because... more

What does My Space have to do with foster adoption? More than you think. I got a My Space page to keep in contact with my niece, but have ended up connecting with other foster and adoption parents.

My Space has come a long way since its origin. First and foremost is safety. Pages can now be set to private so that only people you invite are allowed to view your private information. My profile is public, but I’m also picky about what I put on it. My location is listed as Wisconsin, but I won’t put the city that I live in.

Comments... more

We did a different kind of therapy with our new in home therapist on Sunday. Yes, a therapist that comes to the house on a Sunday.

The therapy sounds very simple, but it was very enlightening. Experential therapy involves doing a “project” together while the therapist watches the interactions among the people involved.

Now, I was pretty skeptical of all this. We have done so many types of therapy and the only one that was even remotely successful was attachment therapy. We had an incredible therapist who saw right through... more

Missouri foster care has some incredible organizations that help to support foster parents and raise funds for programs. I have friends who have adopted from Missouri foster care and like some of the programs that are offered. A quick search on the internet turned up a few interesting ideas.

The Midwest Foster Care and Adoption Association (MFCAA)is the one that I have heard the most about. Parents have told me how truly supportive they are and go out of their way to help families that are struggling to find the proper services.... more

Earlier today I was looking for a document that I wrote last year, and stumbled across this one that I thought might interest you.

Sammy's caseworker at the time asked me what social services and the juvenile justice system could do to help our family. This is the letter that I wrote. It was sent to the worker, supervisor, all of he judges in the courthouse (we have appeared before every one of them), and the District Attorney's office.

I was recently asked how social services and the juvenile justice... more

My morning started off a little differently than expected. Laying in bed last night I was contemplating what to write for a blog today, and quite honestly, I can’t remember what it was because I always read my e-mail when I get up in the morning.

I was greeted by a great change in plans when I saw that one of our speakers dropped out for the ATN conference, and Julie... more

I know what you should be doing, and that’s attending the Attachment & Trauma Network conference in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

I went to tour The Elms Resort & Spa where we are having the conference, today, and I am very excited. It is beautiful and has tons of things for you to do to relax. I am already scoping out the spa and making a list of services I would like.

The best part of this conference is meeting other parents who are living the same life you are, so you never have to... more

I have to tell you about the book that I just finished reading. It is called “Like Dandelion Dust” by Karen Kingsbury. It is a Christian fiction book with adoption as the major part of the story line.

I’m not revealing anything major by telling you this part of the storyline, it’s on the back of the book.

A couple in Florida adopts a little boy from a couple in Ohio. Five years later the birth father gets out of prison to discover first of all that he has... more

We have a Mother’s Group meeting at our church once a month. We are mothers of all ages, all backgrounds and our kids are just as varied.

Today we talked about a children’s book that I had never read before. It’s called “The Twelve Gifts of Birth” by Charlene Costanzo. It is a beautiful book and would apply to every child whether they are biological, internationally adopted, adopted as an infant, or adopted as an older... more

I was reading the May/June 2007 issue of Fostering Families Today magazine over breakfast this morning. Yes, I know I need a life.

I dog eared more pages than I normally do, but there is one section that really stuck out to me, and I’m sure it’s one you can relate to. It’s very simply titled “Thoughts on the Child Welfare System.” It asked several different people 3 key questions:

If there is on thing you could change about the current child welfare system,... more