December 18, 2017
by Maralee
Comments Off on Home is Where Your Childhood Pictures Are
Before Thanksgiving I found myself doing a deep clean of our basement in preparation for the return of someone special to us. He had lived with us for years during our group home days, then returned about a decade later … Continue reading
November 10, 2017
by Maralee
1 Comment
I love reading my kids the board books from Sandra Boynton. I didn’t read them in my own childhood, but they have come to be my treasured favorites for my children. As my kids have aged, I have purged their … Continue reading
October 17, 2017
by Maralee
2 Comments
If you give a foster family a chicken dinner, They might have extra time to spend with their foster child. When they have extra time to spend with their foster child, They’ll spend it taking a walk, looking at flowers. … Continue reading
September 1, 2017
by Maralee
Comments Off on The Importance of Support in the Fostering and Adoption Journey (and some retreat info)
When we became foster parents about 9 years ago, we had a very small circle of support. We had a group of people who loved us and encouraged us, but the amount of people we knew who had been down … Continue reading
July 12, 2017
by Maralee
1 Comment
I don’t know if you happened to catch the news about the 80 beachgoers who formed a human chain to rescue a stranded family out in the ocean. It’s a beautiful story and worth your time to check out. And … Continue reading
July 10, 2017
by Maralee
3 Comments
I’ve got a confession. We watched “Moana” as a family for the first time on Saturday. . . and then we watched it four more times over the next three days. This movie clearly resonated with each member of our … Continue reading
June 14, 2017
by Maralee
2 Comments
When your friends and family hear you’ve added a foster child to your family, there is a wide range of typical reactions. There are those that are less than supportive (Are you crazy? I read about a foster kid that … Continue reading
May 30, 2017
by Maralee
Comments Off on When it’s Time to Stop Being a Foster Mom
I’m still not okay with calling myself a “former foster mom.” It just doesn’t feel right. My heart is still so in the world of foster care as I support families in the trenches and continue to deal with post … Continue reading
April 20, 2017
by Maralee
3 Comments
If you are even just a casual reader of this blog, you know I am a strong advocate of having “The Talk” early and often with your kids. I know some parents are uncomfortable with that philosophy and I have … Continue reading
April 17, 2017
by Maralee
3 Comments
*This is my actual testimony from the hearing before the judiciary committee debating LB 411. There were several child advocacy organizations that supported this bill (either in person or by letter) and the only person that opposed it was a … Continue reading