I have ten children with eight distinct personalities among them. One of them, whom I guess could be dubbed an “Enthusiast,” is always on to the next thing. He struggles with gluttony. He’s my tallest and thinnest son, but he has an insatiable appetite for...
Special Needs Adoption - Part II (Read Part I here.) My fearless, vision-minded husband had always spoken of adoption. It wasn’t idealistic, newlywed dreaming – he meant it. I’d had two challenging pregnancies, so with minimal convincing, I agreed. For reasons difficult to articulate, we felt...
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. Philippians 2:13 Our family has not had a “typical” fostering experience. When I think of being foster parents I often think of a revolving door with children coming...
“You are a liar!” I’m not proud of this, but I have outright not just said, but yelled these words at my child. And how did that work for me? It didn’t. I didn’t see or taste any fruit from it. Yes, it certainly felt...
I always thought the hardest part of being a foster parent would be getting attached and then sending a child back home. (I still think this would be the hardest, but it isn’t something I have experienced personally.) Of course, it would depend on the...
At any given time in the United States, there are more than a half million children in the foster care system. In my state alone, the figure hovers near 14,000. In a nearby suburban county, the disheartening ratio is almost 200 children in foster care,...
It has been a strange couple of days at the Cash house. We miss the girls. I specifically miss the way that the littlest would whisper "Hi. Hi. Hi." through her pacifier when I woke her up from her nap, and how she'd likewise greet every...
When my husband and I became foster parents, we knew one thing for sure, we would steer clear of eating disorders. We knew my challenging experiences with a close relative during my formative years might trigger a familiar frustration, so we were careful to avoid...
Editorial Note: In many nations, children bereft of parent(s) are not adopted but cared for in relationships akin to fostering. This practice is particularly prevalent in nations with large Muslim populations. Thus, displaced children legally remain a child of their birth parents. The stated purpose...
Our daughter is now eight years old and this holiday season was quick to remind me, "Papa, this is my first Christmas!" But this special little girl came into our lives a long time ago - at three months old when my wife, Amy, and I went on...