This episode of Instamommas is near and dear to our hearts! We will dive into all things Foster Care! This is a complicated topic that we cannot cover in one episode but we hope this talk gives you a great overview from Rachel who is the InstaMomma who has been there. She fostered 26 children in  4 years and learned so much about love, life, healing, and brokenness along the way. 

We are not experts but I hope we can help you understand this complex and beautiful topic that is so close to the heart of God. 

Extra Note: There is a huge need for Foster Parents because of Covid-19. As our country suffers, some of the most vulnerable children are being displaced from existing foster homes, Some families had to stop fostering for many reasons such as job loss or needing to work from home. Also, school closures have hurt foster children as many get their services in school and families need those services to thrive. Also, the stay at home orders around the country, have had a negative effect on families that were already struggling. Domestic violence cases are on the rise as families are stressed to the point of breaking. This leads to more children in Foster Care needing love, safety, and a home. Many of us are living in the unknown and fear so imagine how these children are feeling. 

Please consider how you can help! Every state is different but we would love to help you get started. Find us @instamommasnatandrach for more ideas to help even if you cant be a foster parent there is still so much you can do! 

Thanks for listening! 

This season of staying home and dealing with extra stresses of losing jobs and more has shown us more than every how lonely being a mom can be. 

Motherhood can be lonely for so many reasons but it doesn't have to be that way. This podcast talks about how we can deal with loneliness in a healthy way. 

Today Rachel and Natalie discuss the challenges of motherhood during the stay at home order and how they have worked through those challenges. 

They also talk through loneliness in whatever stage of motherhood you may find yourself in. This may seem like a heavy episode but there are love and laughter to be found here! 

If you want more of the InstaMommas follow us on Instagram @instamommasnatandrach 

Thanks for listening! 

I am so excited for this episode of InstaMommas! I got to interview a dear friend of mine from way back when! Brittany is a mother of 5, runs her perfectly posh business, and owns a horsemanship business as well! On top of that, she homeschools her kids! 

Brittany is raising her kids to be resilient, hard workers who never give up! She believes in putting down the screens and picking up a shovel! She also speaks about her passions and how important it is for moms to pursue things in life that bring us joy! 

I hope you enjoy this amazing episode of InstaMommas!

If you want to learn more about the InstaMommas or adoption or cleaning living or just to chat, catch us on Instagram @instamommasnatandrach

Here is a link to Brittany's Posh page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1762990030640093/

Here is a link to her horsemanship business as well https://www.facebook.com/EicherHorsemanship/ 

This is the second part of our Gatcha Day stories! We so appreciate your love and support throughout our adoption journeys as well as us starting up this podcast! 

Thank you also for your patience as we work through schedules and technical difficulties while navigating new motherhood! Natalie normally edits and uploads our podcasts and she is learning every day how to be an InstaMomma to her beautiful daughter from India! 

As always, thanks for listening! 

If you want to learn more about the InstaMommas or adoption or cleaning living or just to chat, catch us on Instagram @instamommasnatandrach 

Natalie has received exciting news you can listen to here! We are both telling our Gatcha Day stories! Both our girls were born in 2017, adopted in 2019 and now they are best friends in 2020!

Listen as Natalie recaps her time in India adopting her daughter! There is adventure and heartache and be prepared to cry a few times. Rachel and Natalie also a young guest who wants to become a podcaster/ journalist when she grows up! 

There is so much to the conversation of the feelings, excitement, pain, and pure joy the day a woman becomes a mother! In this two-part episode, Rachel and Natalie recount the stories of how they became InstaMommas!

Thanks for listening!

If you want to see more fun InstaMomma content check out our Instagram @instamommasnatandrach

In this episode, another sister and the original InstaMomma, our mother,  joins Rachel and Natalie as we talk about a topic near and dear to our hearts. 

TBRI is a scientific parenting method that can help every parent and has found popularity in adoptive communities and families.  Trust-Based Relational Intervention or TBRI is life-changing and multifaceted so we had to push our conversation into a two-part episode that we will put out over the next few weeks. 

Our sister Bekah and our mother Rose talk the science behind this method as well as the nitty-gritty of actually using this method on a daily basis. There is so much love and healing through TBRI and every parent can benefit from this method!  Disclaimer: we are not doctors or professionals. We are just Mommas trying to share our experiences and hopefully share some laughs and hope. If you want to learn more there are tons of resources online and here are a few books we recommend.

 The Whole-Brain Child     https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+whole-brain+child&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6eTtBRDdARIsANZWjYY4GUEKN0Wu-tKpoEh-4TYqyCXPBNYNt-m1vaefXFuLOnlX7xG1vP0aAvj_EALw_wcB&hvadid=241637591426&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1016191&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1986656601779792303&hvtargid=kwd-38058487196&hydadcr=22561_10354861&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_3fbrqo0reu_e The Connected Child  https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Child-healing-adoptive-family/dp/0071475001/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=karyn+purvis&qid=1572465641&sr=8-1 Thank you for listening! 

If you want to see more fun InstaMomma content check out our Instagram @instamommasnatandrach

Oh Lord Bless this mess. We laughed so much recording this episode. We discuss the art of storytelling and how it is so important for family, community, and even mental health. Telling stories goes back to the beginning of human civilizations but in our fast-paced world we forget to sit down and reminisce and tell stories about our lives. We tell very short stories on social media but we do not take the time to really get to know one another or learn about their past or the stories of their families. 

This week we tell stories. Many are embarrassing and hilarious and we hope you laugh as much as we did. We encourage families to tell their children the stories of their childhood and adolescent hood.  Start small and who knows you may be laughing for hours and hours creating family memories that will one day be told in the form of a story. Thank you for listening! 

If you want to see more fun InstaMomma content check out our Instagram @instamommasnatandrach

We are so excited about today's episode and this interview. Natalie did the interview several weeks ago and now our dear friend Rissa is out of the country and it is much more difficult to get a hold of her. That makes the time she gave us so much more special!  We are thrilled she gave us an interview before she and her family left the US to live permanently in Asia, a dream they had for over 10 years!

This episode covers topics ranging from homeschooling to hosting exchange students from around the world, to how to raise children that love people no matter how different they may be. We talk about some of the adventures of traveling with children and we discuss if frogs should be considered food! Spoiler alert: In Asia they are!  Rissa is an amazing mother with a wonderful story to tell! Thank you for listening!

If you want to see more fun InstaMomma content check out our Instagram @instamommasnatandrach

Extra Note: We apologize for posting this episode late! We want to have all our episodes posted by Tuesday evening but because our producer, Natalie was sick, she had trouble getting it out on time! That being said, we totally believe that this interview is worth the wait! Thank you, loyal listeners! 

In this episode, Rachel and Natalie discuss some summer fun they had and the ways they stayed true to their healthy lifestyle choices. We will also talk about our fall bucket lists. It is difficult to stay healthy and active when the weather gets cold but there are easy and creative ways to keep you and your family moving this cold season. You should not have to spend a ton of money to have fun and stay healthy and active and this podcast will help you get started! Thanks for listening! 

If you want to see more fun InstaMomma content check out our Instagram @instamommasnatandrach

Disclaimer: We are not health professionals and we do not give professional advice. We are only telling our stories and what has worked for us. Please meet with a medical professional or doctor before making any health changes.

In today's episode, Rachel and Natalie talk about their health journies and how they have lost a combined 85 pounds in about 6 months. We will discuss what leads to our issues with emotional eating. We won't just talk about a "diet" plan because weight loss is about so much more! It is about wellness, lifestyle, and above all, mindset. 

Join us as we dive into all things Ketosis, and living a healthy lifestyle. If you hear toddler giggles that are all part of motherhood and we had a small and adorable cohost who interrupted our recording several times. Spoiler alert: we won't discuss all that this topic has to offer. However, do not worry we have many more episodes to come! Motherhood makes healthy living difficult but for many of us, taking care of our children is why we want to live well! Thank you for listening! 

If you want to see more fun InstaMomma content check out our Instagram @instamommasnatandrach 

Disclaimer: We are not health professionals and we do not give professional advice. We are only telling our stories and what has worked for us. Please meet with a medical professional or doctor before making any health changes.