Fostering Voices Podcast

Season 4 is here, and we are so excited to bring you 20 brand new episodes! 

This week we talk about what our insane summer looked like, as we took 8 weeks off of the podcast. 

It started with a marriage retreat with Don and Renee Worcester, who we have mentioned before. They are an amazing couple who really connect with people, and can encourage them in such a profound way. You can learn more about them on their website. We will share more about what we learned in an episode dedicated to the retreat!

Then we went to Thailand! But before that, we had to get new passports for 2 of our kids, because we lost their old ones (as in the new passports we renewed last year!) After countless phone calls to the national passport office, we went down to Tucson to visit the Western Passport Center, and you can go there too, to find out if you are eligible to get your passports made THAT DAY. You have to make an appointment and have all the correct documents. But these fine folks, who have my heart forever, were able to get us new passports - 12 hours before we left for Thailand!

Chris got upset with me during this episode for calling people 'incompetent', and now I owe him $1 for not speaking 'Words of Life' in our home. That's a new thing we started in our home, to help combat negative self talk, as well as negative talk and thinking about others as well. 

After Thailand, Chris and I went to Cabo, Mexico for a work retreat with Showit. Basically, Showit is the BEST website platform for photographers, creative entrepreneurs, small businesses, people who need websites. We are SO thankful to be a part of the Showit team, and so thankful that our team building exercises happened at an all-inclusive resort.

Then I just got back from Minnesota this week (the day we recorded this podcast) after a work trip. We sponsored an event that was put on by Honeybook and the Rising Tide Society, and it was absolutely amazing. If you are a creative entrepreneur, you need to know about these two companies as well!  

We are officially back on the list, and we have placement for two sisters! Exactly what we asked for! BUT there was an issue with our license, and so we will probably get to meet them next week. Oh red tape in foster care! It happens though, and you have to make the best of it. So right now, we are resting, and doing whatever we can to prepare for their arrival!

We ended up buying a 15 passenger van (kinda by accident). This is one way that we are preparing for life with 9 people in the house, though I have no intentions of filling it...

The (Good) Word of the Day:

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." - Hebrews 13:16

This season, we are doing something new: we will talk about how we served or were served Because God loves to see sacrifice and service. Hopefully this will encourage all of us to find different ways to serve others around us, because that is the best form of self care out there! Serving others!

We hope you enjoy this episode, and we are so very thankful for all of you listeners! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, or if you need people in your village to support you through prayer and encouragement! We are here for YOU!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

You can also email us at [email protected]

AND we would LOVE it if you would SUBSCRIBE and leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

 

 

This is the last episode of Season 3!

We do a brief book review on 'Garbage Bag Suitcase' by Shenandoah Chefalo. It's a memoir of Shenandoah's life - filled with difficult years with her mother and a man she thought was her father, and difficult years in foster care, and aging out of the system. This book is Heavy, and made Jihae feel a bit depressed for a day or two. BUT, it's not all depressing.

Shenandoah shares her thoughts on how to improve the lives of kids in care, and they include boarding schools (like the Milton Hershey School and The Crossnore School), and fostering the whole family - mostly moms who are losing their kids to the system.

Another highlight of reading this memoir was seeing a successful woman who overcame the odds. The children in care are not doomed to be like their parents. Mental illness is not a definitive life sentence for the next generation, neither is drug addiction, or abuse, or any of the things that we are afraid that kids are 'definitely' going to be like.

Chris mentioned this teen, Hunter Beaton, from Texas who has started this company that provides great bags for children in foster care.

There are so many companies that you can support if you google 'garbage bags for foster kids' or look on social media.

The (Good) Word of the Day

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

- Proverbs 16:24

Shenandoah had SO FEW people who spoke any words of hope or love to her in her first 20 years of life. We all need to speak words of kindness and hope to those around us - whether they are adults or children, whether they are foster kids, or kids you have borne.

Lightbulb moments:

Yay for the Toronto Raptors making it to the NBA Finals for the first time in history!

Foster care and adoption are HARD! Waiting, not knowing, caring, saying bye - IT'S ALL HARD! But it's all worth it! So, keep on keeping on fellow foster and adoptive friends.

Thanks SO MUCH for your support this season, friends! We will be back at the end of July with season 4!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

This is the last episode of Season 3! 

We do a brief book review on 'Garbage Bag Suitcase' by Shenandoah Chefalo. It's a memoir of Shenandoah's life - filled with difficult years with her mother and a man she thought was her father, and difficult years in foster care, and aging out of the system. This book is Heavy, and made Jihae feel a bit depressed for a day or two. BUT, it's not all depressing.

Shenandoah shares her thoughts on how to improve the lives of kids in care, and they include boarding schools (like the Milton Hershey School and The Crossnore School), and fostering the whole family - mostly moms who are losing their kids to the system.

Another highlight of reading this memoir was seeing a successful woman who overcame the odds. The children in care are not doomed to be like their parents. Mental illness is not a definitive life sentence for the next generation, neither is drug addiction, or abuse, or any of the things that we are afraid that kids are 'definitely' going to be like.

Chris mentioned this teen, Hunter Beaton, from Texas who has started this company that provides great bags for children in foster care.

There are so many companies that you can support if you google 'garbage bags for foster kids' or look on social media.

The (Good) Word of the Day

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

- Proverbs 16:24

Shenandoah had SO FEW people who spoke any words of hope or love to her in her first 20 years of life. We all need to speak words of kindness and hope to those around us - whether they are adults or children, whether they are foster kids, or kids you have borne.

Lightbulb moments:

Yay for the Toronto Raptors making it to the NBA Finals for the first time in history!

Foster care and adoption are HARD! Waiting, not knowing, caring, saying bye - IT'S ALL HARD! But it's all worth it! So, keep on keeping on fellow foster and adoptive friends.

Thanks SO MUCH for your support this season, friends! We will be back at the end of July with season 4!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

This week we have a great interview with the lovely Lindsey Stamm, the Operations manager at Arizona127.

What is Arizona127?

This is an AMAZING organization that exists to recruit, develop, and sustain foster family through training and events. They want to help foster children, and support the families who foster them.

Follow them on Instagram to stay up to date on their trainings and events! (Lindsey manages this account and she does an amazing job!)

For those who choose not to be a foster family, they recommend checking out these important ways of getting involved:

- becoming a CASA (court appointed special advocate) which requires you to take a polygraph test and training. But well worth the time as you get to spend time with children in care, and be a voice for them in their case!

- becoming a Mentor through Arizonans for Children, which requires 2 hours a week of your time. They also have tutoring and craft volunteer options available!

The (Good) Word of the Day

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

- Psalm 73: 25-26

What a great and encouraging word! We talked about how broken this world is, and the foster care system especially. But, when God is our hope and our portion - we can take heart and have peace.

Lightbulb Moments:

- At a TBRI training, Lindsey learned, and then reminded us that Hydration and Glucose levels are of the utmost importance and can greatly affect your child's (and your) attitude and disposition. Check your child's urine color to see if they are hydrated enough!

- Sesame Street introduced a new muppet who is in Foster Care! And just in time for Foster Care Awareness month! It is so important for people to see others who represent them well in media. Last year, when Crazy Rich Asians came out, the Asian community was elated to see a full cast of people who looked just like them. There is a slew of movies and tv shows out there that have foster children in them, and we are so thankful that Instant Family is one of them, and now Sesame Street is too!

- Make sure to check if you are at an Urgent Care or an Emergency Room. The difference is significant in terms of co-pay, and someone who hosts this podcast may have accidentally gone to an emergency room this week, only to be told he was constipated.

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of our podcast!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

This week we have a great interview with the lovely Lindsey Stamm, the Operations manager at Arizona127. 

What is Arizona127?

This is an AMAZING organization that exists to recruit, develop, and sustain foster family through training and events. They want to help foster children, and support the families who foster them.

Follow them on Instagram to stay up to date on their trainings and events! (Lindsey manages this account and she does an amazing job!)

For those who choose not to be a foster family, they recommend checking out these important ways of getting involved:

- becoming a CASA (court appointed special advocate) which requires you to take a polygraph test and training. But well worth the time as you get to spend time with children in care, and be a voice for them in their case!

- becoming a Mentor through Arizonans for Children, which requires 2 hours a week of your time. They also have tutoring and craft volunteer options available!

The (Good) Word of the Day

Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

- Psalm 73: 25-26

What a great and encouraging word! We talked about how broken this world is, and the foster care system especially. But, when God is our hope and our portion - we can take heart and have peace.

Lightbulb Moments:

- At a TBRI training, Lindsey learned, and then reminded us that Hydration and Glucose levels are of the utmost importance and can greatly affect your child's (and your) attitude and disposition. Check your child's urine color to see if they are hydrated enough!

- Sesame Street introduced a new muppet who is in Foster Care! And just in time for Foster Care Awareness month! It is so important for people to see others who represent them well in media. Last year, when Crazy Rich Asians came out, the Asian community was elated to see a full cast of people who looked just like them. There is a slew of movies and tv shows out there that have foster children in them, and we are so thankful that Instant Family is one of them, and now Sesame Street is too!

- Make sure to check if you are at an Urgent Care or an Emergency Room. The difference is significant in terms of co-pay, and someone who hosts this podcast may have accidentally gone to an emergency room this week, only to be told he was constipated. 

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of our podcast!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

 

 

 

Gotcha Day. This is common vernacular for adoptive families. We just celebrated Wesley's this last week. But then we got to thinking - is that ok to call it that? How do adoptees feel about the word and the spirit of Gotcha Day?

We opened this conversation up to Social Media, and we got a lot of really great responses. Most of our friends who have adopted like to celebrate this day as a family, as a means to lift up the culture that the adopted child has come from, and as a celebration of the great joy the adopted child has brought to the family.

But a perspective that a lot of adoptive families are missing is that of the adoptee - especially if they have adopted very young children. But speaking to adult adoptees who are able to voice their thoughts and opinions - we got some of those!

You can see the whole post here.

We, at the Watson home, have decided to no longer call Wesley's adoption day 'Gotcha Day'. We will continue to recognize it as a celebration day for our family, and we do love to celebrate with our friends who have adopted as well. We are mindful that it is a great day of celebration for us, but may cause sadness for Wesley, and other adoptees for missing their biological families. We want to be open to the many layers of emotions that surround most momentous occasions in an adoptees life.

We are always so thankful to be able to have communication with all parties involved in the adoption triad - the birth family, the adoptive family, and the adoptee. All these voices are so important, and when they are in communication with one another, it makes the triangle stronger! Thank you Arrow and Root (if you are looking for someone to create a beautiful and ethical adoption profile book, check her out!) and Alison Shiloh, and of our amazing followers for contributing to this conversation! We love having respectful, humble, and open-minded conversation with everyone who has something to share.

We have no judgment for people who have been using the term 'Gotcha Day', and continue to use it. We will try to educate people on the choice that we have made. But something to remember is that 'you don't know what you don't know', but it's important to have a spirit of wanting to learn, grow, and improve, every day. For the good of yourself, and especially your children.

The (Good) Word of the Day:

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

2 Peter 3:18

May we all be growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus! It will cause us all to be kinder, more compassionate, and more forgiving. This leads us to be able to understand others, and to seek to be understood afterwards. May we all try to grow in the grace and knowledge of one another, as well.

Thanks for tuning in to another week of the Fostering Voices Podcast!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

Gotcha Day. This is common vernacular for adoptive families. We just celebrated Wesley's this last week. But then we got to thinking - is that ok to call it that? How do adoptees feel about the word and the spirit of Gotcha Day?

We opened this conversation up to Social Media, and we got a lot of really great responses. Most of our friends who have adopted like to celebrate this day as a family, as a means to lift up the culture that the adopted child has come from, and as a celebration of the great joy the adopted child has brought to the family.

But a perspective that a lot of adoptive families are missing is that of the adoptee - especially if they have adopted very young children. But speaking to adult adoptees who are able to voice their thoughts and opinions - we got some of those!

You can see the whole post here.

We, at the Watson home, have decided to no longer call Wesley's adoption day 'Gotcha Day'. We will continue to recognize it as a celebration day for our family, and we do love to celebrate with our friends who have adopted as well. We are mindful that it is a great day of celebration for us, but may cause sadness for Wesley, and other adoptees for missing their biological families. We want to be open to the many layers of emotions that surround most momentous occasions in an adoptees life.  

We are always so thankful to be able to have communication with all parties involved in the adoption triad - the birth family, the adoptive family, and the adoptee. All these voices are so important, and when they are in communication with one another, it makes the triangle stronger! Thank you Arrow and Root (if you are looking for someone to create a beautiful and ethical adoption profile book, check her out!) and Alison Shiloh, and of our amazing followers for contributing to this conversation! We love having respectful, humble, and open-minded conversation with everyone who has something to share. 

We have no judgment for people who have been using the term 'Gotcha Day', and continue to use it. We will try to educate people on the choice that we have made. But something to remember is that 'you don't know what you don't know', but it's important to have a spirit of wanting to learn, grow, and improve, every day. For the good of yourself, and especially your children.

The (Good) Word of the Day:

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

2 Peter 3:18

May we all be growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus! It will cause us all to be kinder, more compassionate, and more forgiving. This leads us to be able to understand others, and to seek to be understood afterwards. May we all try to grow in the grace and knowledge of one another, as well.

Thanks for tuning in to another week of the Fostering Voices Podcast!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

 

A flamboyance is a group of 6 flamingos. And our guest this week, Anna Saunders, loves flamingos, and happens to be a part of a family of 6! Anna and her husband Woody, have been fostering for about 3 years now, and have had the privilege of caring for 11 children in that time!

Some things we mentioned in our discussion:

• Something that Anna learned the hard way, is that sometimes kids will enter foster care if their parents are suddenly incarcerated, or hospitalized, and there is no one else to watch them. These kids will be in care for a mere hours, or days. The case worker doesn't know that for certain, and do they do not communicate this with the foster family. This happened with our 2nd placement, who we had for 36 hours. His mom was in the hospital for a moment. And Anna's first placement was 48 hours, and completely devastating because she thought she was going to adopt them, and she never had a chance to say good bye.
• The age that you must be to legally become a foster parent is 21
• The Saunders are licensed through Child Crisis Arizona, a great organization in the Valley!
• If you are in the East Valley, and have been looking for a Foster Support Group, you can contact Anna about the one she runs at Sun Valley Community Church.

The (Good) Word of the Day

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

Taken from a devotional called "Triggers: Exchanging Parents' Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses" , and this one came from the day on exhaustion. Take care of yourselves mamas (and papas!)

And Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there! We wanted to give a special shout out to our sweet friends who are celebrating their very first Mother's Days - Briana Lewis, Kathryn Robinson, and Nati Estrada! You women are phenomenal moms and have such beautiful hearts for serving kids in foster care!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

A flamboyance is a group of 6 flamingos. And our guest this week, Anna Saunders, loves flamingos, and happens to be a part of a family of 6! Anna and her husband Woody, have been fostering for about 3 years now, and have had the privilege of caring for 11 children in that time!

Some things we mentioned in our discussion:

• Something that Anna learned the hard way, is that sometimes kids will enter foster care if their parents are suddenly incarcerated, or hospitalized, and there is no one else to watch them. These kids will be in care for a mere hours, or days. The case worker doesn't know that for certain, and do they do not communicate this with the foster family. This happened with our 2nd placement, who we had for 36 hours. His mom was in the hospital for a moment. And Anna's first placement was 48 hours, and completely devastating because she thought she was going to adopt them, and she never had a chance to say good bye.
• The age that you must be to legally become a foster parent is 21
• The Saunders are licensed through Child Crisis Arizona, a great organization in the Valley!
• If you are in the East Valley, and have been looking for a Foster Support Group, you can contact Anna about the one she runs at Sun Valley Community Church.

The (Good) Word of the Day

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

Taken from a devotional called "Triggers: Exchanging Parents' Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses" , and this one came from the day on exhaustion. Take care of yourselves mamas (and papas!)

And Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there! We wanted to give a special shout out to our sweet friends who are celebrating their very first Mother's Days - Briana Lewis, Kathryn Robinson, and Nati Estrada! You women are phenomenal moms and have such beautiful hearts for serving kids in foster care!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

This week's topic of discussion is to remember to be kind when communicating with others -whether it's your spouse, your foster kids, your coworkers, anyone you interact with! Everyone has things going on beneath the surface that you may know nothing about.

We need to understand that behind every behavior is a need. That need might be food, or sleep, or understanding, or connection. We need compassion when we are having a hard time, and others need the exact same thing!

Daren Jones, a presenter at this year's Empowered to Connect conference, shared a simple video of a mom who is bottle feeding her baby, stroking his cheek, and looking into his eyes. It's such a simple, but profound image of what we all need, at any age - connection, sustenance, love. So whether you have a baby who is 4 months or 44 years, or anything in between, we are all in need of these things. The way that we communicate those needs will be different, but we need to try our best to communicate better on the talking side, as well as the listening.

We also read this article written by a grandfather who is TBRI trained, and it was another great example of how we should be communicating with our children. We need to stop minimizing, or even trying to disregard children's feelings and experiences, and give them voice and opportunity to share their hearts. Instead of saying "You're ok", ask them "What happened? How do you feel?"

The (Good) Word of the Day

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

1 Corinthians 13:12

We are fully known by God, and we should seek to fully know those around us, especially our kids and our spouses. What is on the surface of a person is not a full reflection of everything that is going on in their hearts and minds. Let us be patient, kind, compassionate, putting aside our egos and fears, and do our best for those around us!

Happy Foster Care Awareness Month to everyone!

We also mentioned the amazing Justin Timberlake meme that shows up every year on May 1st, and it's because of this awesome song, that Chris could not remember.

You're welcome.

We also talked about our friend Mollie Bartholamew, who is a travel agent, and you can connect with her here, for all of your travel needs!

If you want to connect on Social Media:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Chris Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!