February 11, 2022
by Maralee
Comments Off on Stop Beating Yourself Up About Movie Nights
I was smoothing down my seven-year-old’s hair the other night while we sat next to each other on the couch. He was snuggled up next to me and it occurred to me how rare these moments feel as he’s getting … Continue reading
January 20, 2022
by Maralee
Comments Off on How to Make Small Talk with a Large Family Mom
I had an awkward interaction with someone the other day. It wasn’t the first time. It certainly won’t be the last. When people see a large family, it’s kind of tough not to comment on it. In the immortal words … Continue reading
December 2, 2021
by Maralee
Comments Off on Adoption is Not the Happy Ending. It’s the Beginning.
*These were my remarks to honor the Nebraska Governor’s proclamation of National Adoption Awareness Month at our state capital.* When we first pursued adoption, it was because we wanted to be parents and that was not working out in the … Continue reading
May 11, 2021
by Maralee
Comments Off on A Rebuttal to the Mom Who Said it’s Okay to Prioritize Your Bio Kids Over Your Adopted Kids
Yesterday I listened to a podcast I typically enjoy. It’s about the Enneagram and the host (who is adopted) was interviewing a woman who aged out of foster care and is now a foster parent. I am not putting her … Continue reading
November 9, 2020
by Maralee
3 Comments
My daughter has a birthday coming up. As I was shopping for gifts for her, I thought about how stressful her birthday used to be for me. I wanted things to be perfect for her, but I felt like I … Continue reading
September 25, 2020
by Maralee
2 Comments
I want to tell you a story. The story of two acquaintances who treated each other with a reasonable level of civility online. I wish that didn’t sound like the start of a fairytale these days, but we’re living in … Continue reading
June 12, 2020
by Maralee
2 Comments
We are in a cultural moment where there is a lot of noise. It can be overwhelming to decide you want to adopt a listening posture only to be inundated with voices (strong voices, LOUD voices) with differing opinions. It’s … Continue reading
May 28, 2020
by Maralee
2 Comments
I’ve been reading the story of a family that just breaks my heart. They very publicly crowdsourced funds for the international adoption of a child. They very publicly brought him home and talked in detail about his history. They very … Continue reading
May 27, 2020
by Maralee
1 Comment
Dear Parents of Foster Parents, I remember when I called my mom and told her I was now raising seven boys– most of them teenagers. My husband and I were working at a group home. We started with four boys … Continue reading
February 27, 2020
by Maralee
Comments Off on A Time to Shatter the Functional to Make way for the Beautiful
We walked through the door because it was called “The Shard Shop” and that’s just a name that calls out to you. Our friend uses the word “shard” to describe the shattering of your heart that happens when something is … Continue reading