The God Who Meets You in Your Need
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12, NIV For 15 years, my husband and I had been parenting our three children. Though it wasn’t easy, we felt like we had been doing it pretty well.…
Facing a New ChalleNGe
Sometimes we have to do really hard things in parenting. Sometimes we have to give up control. Sometimes we have to recognize that we don’t have all the tools we need to help our children in certain situations, and we…
Gratitude: Let’s Follow Pollyanna’s Lead
Pollyanna gets a bad rap, and I always want to come to her defense. I know she is a fictional character, but she has been one of my favorite people since the first time I saw the classic Disney movie…
Much More Than a 5K
My family and I just participated in our fifth Hearts of Compassion 5K. This annual event is a tremendous fundraiser for families who are in the process of adoption. It was a great help to our family when we were…
The Compassion Experience
Back before social distancing started, my family and I participated in an event to help us get as close to someone in another part of the world as we could. We participated in The Compassion Experience. This immersive exhibit allows…
Battle
There are some nights when I collapse into my bed in complete weariness. Most nights I am ready for sleep, tired from all the running around and dishes and laundry and logistics and cleaning up, etc., etc. But I’m talking…
Keep the Doors Open
“Keeping the doors open meant so much more than just foster care. It meant children, birth families, new friends, and even support for our own family that we hadn’t yet realized we would need for ourselves. Keeping our doors open…
Confession
A few nights ago, I hit a very low point in my parenting. I was exhausted, worn down, and battle-weary. My buttons had all been pushed, and my triggers had all been triggered. I was tired of hearing lies, tired…
Along the Road
These are pictures of my two adopted sons, Carlos and Brandon. The picture on the left was taken around four years ago, before they even knew there was a family ready to adopt them. The picture on the right was…
Gotcha Day
Three years ago today, Kevin and I met Carlos and Brandon face to face in Colombia, and they became a part of our forever family. It has been an intense three years, but there have been many victories to celebrate!…