February 15, 2019
by Maralee
6 Comments
My youngest child is four. I’ve given away almost all of the baby clothes and supplies. It’s been years since I changed a diaper or mashed a banana. I’ve forgotten what used to feel second-nature when it comes to mixing … Continue reading
November 7, 2018
by Maralee
5 Comments
The other afternoon I locked myself in my bathroom with a cup of coffee so I could listen to a radio interview without interruption. The interview was with someone very important to me. He was once a child at the … Continue reading
September 14, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Foster Care is Uncomfortable (Radio Interview)
Once a year I get to have a conversation about foster care with MyBridge Radio. I love getting this chance to address some of the common reasons why people won’t become foster parents. I love sharing our story and it’s … Continue reading
June 28, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Mary Poppins was a Foster Mom
I watched Mary Poppins the other night the way I watch most movies these days: a kid in my lap, a kid on either side of me, and a kid laying on the back of the couch behind my head. … Continue reading
June 5, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Everything I Know About Empathy I Learned from “American Pickers”
Maybe it’s the Midwestern sensibility. Maybe it’s the cool junk. Whatever it is, I’ve always had a soft spot for “American Pickers.” As I watched an episode recently, it got me thinking about what a great display of empathy always … Continue reading
May 17, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Book Review: The “Who Loves” Series
It’s not often that a board book will make me cry, but that’s just what happened when I watched one of my kids (adopted from foster care) reading “Who Loves Baby” to one of my other kids. It was precious … Continue reading
April 27, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Allow Your Kids to See the Reality of a Broken World
Yesterday was rough in all the best ways. I had three friends who contacted me to talk about frustrating situations they were involved in with foster kids and families in crisis. A friend whose voice I haven’t heard in over … Continue reading
April 12, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Book Review: “Foster Care: One Dog’s Story of Change”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people ask me about resources to help explain foster care to children. There has been such a need and I’m glad we now have “Foster Care: One Dog’s Story of Change” … Continue reading
April 10, 2018
by Maralee
2 Comments
I remember how hopeless it felt when I realized I had a problem I couldn’t solve myself. My daughter was being denied a right that seemed to be clearly present in our state law. I’m no attorney, but even I … Continue reading
January 23, 2018
by Maralee
2 Comments
I majored in psychology and sometimes I felt out of place in my classes. I was a Thinker in the midst of people who felt called to study psychology in part because of their deep connection to their own feelings. … Continue reading