Category: Uncategorized

I have discovered that support in our fostering journey is essential. I have also discovered that when the church of Jesus Christ gets involved, support is ours. Sixty percent of foster families stop after only one year. This high rate lowers drastically when the family has support surrounding them. And this is encouraging, because not… Continue reading Walking our Fostering Journey with Support Friends

Once upon a time, in the land of domestic engineers, we had fitted sheets with corners that had elastic. In just the corners. It was hard enough folding those nasty things so you ended with a nice neat rectangle sitting on your linen closet shelf. And admittedly, I never did master that skill. Fast forward… Continue reading “Fitted Sheets”

There is a time for everything,    and a season for every activity under the heavens…  Ecclesiastes 3:1 Seasons of life leave and seasons of life come.   My son just got engaged and we are over-the-top thrilled. With this comes a new stage of life. I don’t know about you, but I have a personality that embraces… Continue reading New Steps

As this new year begins, our crib is full. But not with a child. It is full of decisions to be made. In this picture, you see the result of us agonizingly emptying the rest of the house of fostering “tools”—the high chair, the car seat, stuffed animals, the changing pad—stuffed into the crib in… Continue reading Potential or Rerouted?

The house is empty. No more toddler giggles, squeals and babbles. As children grow up, that very naturally and gradually ends with voices changing octaves and sentences becoming complete—our home’s quietness is not like that. No, this was abrupt. One day happy sounds in abundance, the next day they’re gone. And it hurts.  “Look! Look!”… Continue reading The House is Empty

We are halfway through September and only now have run into the annual problem with wildfire smoke. As I write that, I am very grateful that here in my area, I don’t have to write that we are evacuating. As every year we watch communities not too far down the highway evacuate, it is a… Continue reading September Wildfires

As a teacher, I want all my students to enjoy reading and get along in school more easily because of that. And I want all my students to go home to a warm and loving family. That was one reason I wanted to foster—because then, that child in my room who did not have this,… Continue reading A Teacher’s Fantasy

Having a sense of the past is essential. How do we develop a knowledge of the history of our world, our country, and our family? Why would we want to? I’m going to start by encouraging you to think about the why. If you’ve been someone who during school groaned when the teacher said it’s… Continue reading A Sense of History For The Future

A rock. A strip of leather. And yet, a serious weapon. The slingshot was a common ancient weapon, found even in Egyptian king Tutankhamen’s tomb. It was used all through the world except in Australia (where the spear was more common). Slingers and their weapons have been mentioned by Homer, Xenophon and Thucydides and the… Continue reading Slinging

#10 Scoff at the dire predictions, cancelations of events, and the mask debate while I get to stay home anyway because it’s spring break. Put toilet paper and Lysol wipes on the shopping list even though I already have enough. Get caught up in the mass hysteria of food hoarding—but too late to buy anything… Continue reading A Teacher’s Top Ten Things to Do During Quarantine…a story of 2020