Happy Thanksgiving to all the other Trauma Mamas out there. I hesitate to refer to us with that label, but it states a fact, and firmly believing that labeling items appropriately is the best way to create a plan of action, I stand by that. Repeated exposure to adverse childhood experiences has created trauma in … Continue reading Flipping the Holiday Lid
Category: Parenting Trauma
Happy Day After Mother’s Day to Women Who Mother
Happy Mother’s Day to Women Who Mother. Happy Day After Mother’s Day to my whole community doing the hard job of orphan care. I feel like today is a much better day to address this day than yesterday. Yesterday, I wanted a nap, solitude, and adult beverages. Today, I can see yesterday clearly. I saw … Continue reading Happy Day After Mother’s Day to Women Who Mother
How I Got My Name: Trauma Friendly Schools
Been thinking a lot about what a trauma friendly school and community looks like. Our communities are changing one child and family at a time, impacted by heroin abuse, violence or abandonment. I don’t fault the people who don’t know or haven’t yet felt it in their orbit, but I believe we have a job … Continue reading How I Got My Name: Trauma Friendly Schools
The Day We Failed Him
At the hospital with this little one - he would finally agree to let me hold his hand. June 2015 We had just gotten back from a long family vacation, and waiting nearly a year on the adoptive placement that we believed would complete our family. We received the call at Epcot, and we were … Continue reading The Day We Failed Him
Best Gift Receiver
At Christmas, we all told each other he was the best gift receiver that ever was. He makes me feel good to be a gift giver. It doesn’t matter what you wrap up and hand to this guy - he could simply die from the sheer joy of it. He will scream, clap, hug you, … Continue reading Best Gift Receiver
Paying for Narcan
http://www.whio.com/news/local/cruiser-cam-released-father-son-heroin-overdose/i1yexbCnfb9ynUdRaKVsxJ/ Seldom do I feel the need to comment on political things. Or current events. Lord knows it isn’t because I don’t have an opinion. My belief is that unless you and I are in relationship of some form, meaning, you have a reason to listen to my opinion or I have earned the right … Continue reading Paying for Narcan
Two Small Souls
One year ago today, two small, hurting, wandering souls found their way into our living room. To our neighbors, it may seem like this was the day our family grew, and that we had suddenly received that placement call that newly licensed foster parents wait to receive. But that is not the case. More than … Continue reading Two Small Souls
Attachment
When one of your new sons draws this picture of you having a bad hair day, wearing your heart on the outside of your body, along with his little brother, whom he is forever protecting….you hang that sucker up and you call it a good day. This thing called attachment is beautiful and messy and … Continue reading Attachment
Pleather Boots
It’s hard to sleep with hand-me-down toddler size 6 pleather cowboy boots on, but when your twenty-seven pound toddler insists on wearing them with his pajamas, there’s no taking them off. We are continually aware of how big of a deal it is to “own” something when you never have. Our five year old says … Continue reading Pleather Boots
Hardness isn’t the standard by which we judge the rightness of our path.
Married to an adoptee, adoption has always been on the table. One sunny warm afternoon on a business trip to San Diego many years ago, we took a day visit to Tijuana. I was holding my bright blonde three year-old’s hand, and carrying my four month-old in a baby carrier safely against my chest. I … Continue reading Hardness isn’t the standard by which we judge the rightness of our path.