Welcome to the very first episode of Beyond the Home Study! We’re Lora Rose, an adoptive mom, consultant, and OT, and Abbey, an adoptive mom through embryo adoption and waiting for the call to welcome home twins. We’re here to talk about the real side of adoptive parenting—the messy, hilarious, and sometimes overwhelming parts that don’t make it into the adoption books.

In this episode, we share our journeys, the expectations vs. reality of adoption, and some of our funniest parenting fails (ever found a sausage in your car door?). If you’ve ever thought, Why didn’t anyone tell me this part of adoption?!—you’re in the right place.