After visiting Marisa and baby in the hospital on Friday night, I realized that I had a free weekend.  On Saturday morning, I hit the ground running with a list of errands I wanted to accomplish.  I picked up my mail at the Post Office, dropped a deposit off at the bank, went by the [...]

Well, internet, that cousin of mine had a baby yesterday after a very, very long day of effort on her part. I got to sit with her for awhile yesterday morning while she went through a few hours of labor with no epidural.  On one hand, the scene playing out in front of me was [...]

Well, it’s baby day here in Tennessee!  My cousin Marisa went into the hospital a few hours ago to be induced.  Little Rylan apparently enjoys his womb with a view but we’re giving that baby an eviction notice today. In honor of baby day, I thought I’d show you a few pictures I took at [...]

1. My cousin Cate to move back to Tennessee so I can have someone to share local life with again. 2. My cousin Marisa to have her baby.  One way (naturally) or another (induction), that baby will be here this week. 3. The desire to flat iron my hair.  I want to flat iron it, [...]

Yesterday was Orphan Sunday. Around the world yesterday, sermons were preached about taking care of orphans, meals of rice and beans were eaten to recognize the food orphans eat each day (if they’re lucky enough to survive starvation) and, hopefully, thousands of hearts were inclined to hear the cry of the orphan and respond in [...]

Well, it appears the story isn’t over yet. I’ve hesitated whether to write about this or not, even though the information is now public record. Last week, in a run-down gas station a couple of counties away, my former foster daughter was arrested and charged with a felony. I was sitting on my couch editing [...]

Yesterday, on my lunch break, I went by my foster care agency’s office to drop off the last of Mr. Four Year Old’s belongings. I’ve never explained this on the blog before but I am (I suppose that should be was) a therapeutic foster parent.  What this basically means is that instead of going directly [...]

I’m still here. – — – Here is what I’m doing: packing the rest of Mr. Four Year Old’s things (talk about a heartbreaking task) catching up at work (I took a few much-needed vacation days) missing my boyfriend (he just left after being here for ten days) editing six photography sessions (bride, bride, bride, [...]

I quit fostering today. I didn’t want to.  I like Mr. Four Year Old.  Every single worker on his case said it was in his best interest to stay with me.  It was.  He needed to stay with me. But his mother, fresh out of the system at age 18, made that impossible. Illegal addictions. [...]

I want to ask you a favor. Every few days, I get emails that invariably begin with “You don’t know me, but I read your blog and I just wanted to tell you that I pray for you, your foster kids, etc. all the time.”  When I get these emails, I’m dumbfounded.  Maybe it’s just [...]