I’ve always assumed two things: I’m Irish, and my husband is German. After all, the origins of my maiden name and the sunburned tone of my skin don’t hurt the Irish claim. And my husband’s very German surname seems to speak for itself. I’ve always been interested in family heritage and genetics. So when I […]
Foster Care
When the second night is the hardest
She was so scared. I would be too, had I been dropped off at the home of a stranger, with nothing more than a backpack and a blanket. But, as expected, she immediately welcomed herself to our home—running in circles as she tried out every toy in the house. As a foster parent, you quickly […]
Guess what… I couldn’t do it either, but someone has to
“I couldn’t do it.” It’s the response foster parents hear the most. Personally, I’ve lost count of how many people have said it to me. Each time, I tilt my head, smile, and nod compassionately. And as they go on to remind me of all the pain I’ve experienced (or am experiencing in that very […]
Actually, dear stranger, he IS mine
It was a typical, blistering summer day. We were in the neighborhood pool—splashing, floating, and laughing. My youngest son wouldn’t leave my arms. He was sleepy and clingy—leading me to resort to exaggerated methods of making him smile. I bounced in the water, blew on his belly, and kissed his soft, wet cheeks. There we […]
Foster Care Awareness Month: Your questions, my answers
May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. And today marks exactly one year since we decided to become foster parents. When I started my search and began calling agencies, I had no idea that I would look back 365 days later with a new, permanent family member to love. There was no way to predict […]
Adoption party theme: we found our missing piece
It’s been more than two weeks since our adoption party, but the decorations still hang in our dining room. It’s two-fold, really. Mainly, we’ve had neither the time nor energy to take them down. Life is… busy. But also, I know I’ll be sad to see them go. After all, it hasn’t even sunk in […]
To my son, on your adoption day
To my son, It’s been a journey. You’re too young to understand everything that paved the path you walked. But it’s my hope you will one day realize how many people helped place you in my arms. Here’s your story, and a look at those who made it happen. ♥♥♥♥ We were dancing—your brother and […]
The truth about being a foster parent
The text message came at a really bad time. I was exhausted, battling a 5-day-long migraine and foggily trying to make room on my mental to-do list. From the other room, I could hear splashing as my husband flawlessly performed the art of revolving door baby bathing (baby gets in the water, baby is cleaned, […]
As a matter of fact, yes. He is the father.
You think I’d be used to it by now. The ignorance. The hate. But then again, do you ever get used to that sort of thing? It stings most when it happens in a place you thought you’d be safe. Like the other day, for example—in the viewing room of my son’s swim school. I […]
To the woman who thinks she’s “just a foster mom”
It was a particularly busy work day. Still, I took the morning off. I quietly removed from my calendar a meeting I didn’t want to miss, and a training I had looked forward to for weeks. I drove across town, juggled the baby and all of his things, and signed in at the doctor’s office. […]