Posts filed under: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children

My Letter

Flower, You’ve been gone 16 days. I’m surprised by this number, the same as your age, the sum of your years around the sun. Time stood still after you left, the way time does when our lives tilt off their... Read More

A Letter from My Mom

My mother and father wrote precious letters to Flower, right before she was moved. We were all urging her to make good choices, telling her how much she is loved. I thought I would share them here, with their permission,... Read More

Slip-Sliding Away

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”- John Lennon   It’s been a rough week. In foster care, they say that every case has a honeymoon period, and it’s true. Kids usually... Read More

Another New Plan

I wish I could show you how beautiful Flower is. She is stunning, as in model pretty. What is even more beautiful than her appearance is her heart. Her bravery, determination, and positivity. I admire her. Last Friday, she shared... Read More

You Can’t Win Them All

Yesterday, we went to what was advertised as a Mexican Independence Day Festival at a local mall. They advertised dancing, bands, maraichis, and food. I expected a carnival, as this mall often has rides set up in the parking lot... Read More

Seedlings

The children that come to me are wilted, root bound, or have root systems so shallow that their hold on this world is tenuous. They are fragile and dry, fearful and bent by the weight of what they carry. Their... Read More

So, how does it work?

I get asked a lot of questions about being an international foster parent, and so I thought it would be good to explain the process here, from start to finish. This is just a basic outline of what a typical... Read More

What Happened and What Now

It’s been a whirlwind week! We got into a good rhythm as a family, and the bonus boys were learning a lot of life skills in addition to increasing their English skills every day. I can’t begin to say enough... Read More

So Many Things

It’s been a whirlwind here, and I have so many irons in the fire. Like my friend Heather, I like to live with my ass five inches from the flame, and my ass is pretty warm these days. I’ve been... Read More

Moving Past Blame and Into Action

I’m sure my readers have noticed that I’ve been getting more and more immersed in this tide of unaccompanied immigrant children coming across our border. I’m sure you’ve all seen the pictures by now. If you haven’t, go Google. I’ll... Read More