There really is so much for which to be thankful. But I also admit, there are times when we’ve had times of exhaustion in care-giving; emotional exhaustion and physical demands that led to being drained in all areas including spiritually. We wish we had sure-fire ways of finding answers that work every time to eliminate […]

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At Family Matters, we understand the additional challenges that can be faced when fostering and adopting which is why we offer a great resource at no cost to you. We encourage you to take advantage of this free resource, watch it all at once or break it up into a 4 week study. Invite some […]

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Right out of the gate I think everyone should be comfortable to claim “special needs” when it relates to Halloween! It’s certainly not a “one size fits all” holiday! As our kids were growing up, we really lacked a specific direction we felt we needed to take with Halloween so, we did something different each […]

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Sometimes marriage sounds like a symphony. Every note working together, the dynamics, the ebb and flow of rest and movement, everything working in complete harmony. And sometimes marriages sound like a piano thrown down the stairs of a 30-story building.  Regardless of effort and time, there is no harmony. I have been a musician since […]

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At the end of 2018 Scott and I will have been married 27 years. This is longer than some of the young men and women in the couples we mentor have even been alive. It’s longer than either of our parents’ marriages lasted. There have been seasons when 27 years is longer than we would […]

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Our son’s senior year has begun.  A year I have jokingly referred to as a year of meeting deadlines and writing checks. There’s always a deadline looming and every deadline requires a check!  But in all seriousness, it’s already turning out to be a year of great reflection for me.  These years of schooling haven’t just […]

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As Summer winds down and the anticipation and excitement of going back to school begins, it can be nerve racking as well. There is a vulnerability in your kids, no matter how tough they may seem on the outside, that gets exposed when put into a new environment with new teachers, new classmates, new routines, […]

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    It’s cliché to say, but clichés are often born out of a certain level of truth – the days are long (and the summer days are longer!), but the years are short.  And the years once they enter school speed up exponentially. My youngest is about to become a senior in high school.  A […]

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Now that school is out, Summer can also be known for the time of year families move. While long distance moves can be full of logistical details, all of that can pale in comparison to shepherding your kids through the emotional challenges of pulling up (and laying down) roots. Whether you’re moving across town or […]

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I always thought that foster care and adoption were things that only really saintly people did. You know the people I’m talking about – the really “together” and “with it” ones. But all that changed when two of my best friends began fostering. These were women just like me, with husbands just like mine. Their […]

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