Barely Braided: A Foster Care, Adoption and Parenting Journey

In this episode, Joel and I give a typical, off-balance life update regarding our adopted son, our foster daughter, and our lives as newly South Dakotans.

Amanda Wall, a biological mother of 2 and adoptive mother of 2, as well as Children's book author, tells the story of adopting her two daughters from India. She has documented their experience in a book called Finding Family in a Far-Away Land. Check out her website and purchase the book at www.amandawall.org.

Erin is our foster/adoptive mom friend from Canada, and I was pleased to chat with her about double home studies, kinship foster care, and children who have experienced trauma. Here's where you can find her:Love What Matters Article by Erin: https://www.lovewhatmatters.com/when-will-i-be-adopted-by-another-family-he-couldnt-accept-he-was-safe-adoptive-mom/Trauma Informed Parenting FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/watch/Trauma-Informed-Parenting-101773102021813/Trauma Informed Parenting Website: https://www.traumainformedfosterparenting.com

Natalie Chavis Fisher is a best-selling author, third-generation attorney and executive producer for the feature documentary Foster Care: Perfect Imperfection. She is a leading expert in foster care adoption committed to helping improve the lives of vulnerable children and their caretakers. Natalie believes broken systems break children and has dedicated her life to help foster healing. She has been honored with the Congressional “Angel in Adoption” award for her work in child welfare.Find her at the platforms below:Website: https://www.chavisfisher.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChavisFisher (@ChavisFisher)Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chavisfisher/ (@ChavisFisher)Foster Care Docuseries: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/fcperfectimperfection"Adopting Tiger" Novel: https://www.amazon.com/Adopting-Tiger-Chavis-Fisher/dp/0999456008Foster Apparel and Novelty Store https://fosterbychavisfisher.com (15% discount for listeners, Code: BRAIDED2021)

Let me apologize in advance for my audio quality! I was so excited to chat with Kayla from Ohio. She and her husband have 3-year-old twin biological children and they've recently become licensed for foster care as well as their local foster-to-adopt program. They're also involved in the process of inquiring about adoptive children on AdoptUSKids.org. Feel free to reach out to her with any questions at kayla.b.bias@gmail.com.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Will from The Foster Dad podcast. He's a fairly new foster parent with tons of experience in his short time being involved in this crazy world! This episode is cross-posted to his platform as well. Check out The Foster Dad podcast on Instagram as well as all major podcast platforms.

In listening to Phil's podcast, Finding the Joys in the Journey, I realized that he and his wife have so many similarities with Joel and I. In this cross-posted episode, we discuss each of our stories as foster parents. Check out Finding the Joys in the Journey on all major podcast platforms.

Hallie Riggs is the Clinical Director at Simply Smiles, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing bright futures for children, their families, and their communities. Hallie works with Lakota children living on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in South Dakota. One of their recent projects is a Children's Village which aims to provide housing and care for up to 36 children in their community. Reach Hallie by emailing hallie@simplysmiles.org or visit their website at www.simplysmiles.org.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris and Ciera, former foster parents in Texas. We discuss their foster care story as well as introduce listeners to a product they've created, the Techless Wisephone. The Wisephone is a stylish, smart, and SAFE alternative to cell phones for children and teens. It allows essential functions like calling and texting, with a sleek, stylish design. View the Wisephone here: https://techless.com/

Joel and I sit down for another closet chat to discuss what's happening in Nashville and provide updates for Ari's case.

I was so pleased to meet and speak with Simon Benn. The insight he shares as an adoptee is invaluable. He describes what he remembers of his adoption as an infant, his childhood, and how those experiences shaped him as an adult. We discuss personal development, identity, familial honesty, and more. To contact Simon, email simon@simonbenn.co.uk or visit his website at www.simonbenn.co.uk.

In this episode, Kayla, Jil and Brooke provide insight into the many facets of Bethany Christian Services. Many people associate their organization as an adoption agency but in reality, they offer so much more! Kayla, Jil and Brooke kindly offer their contact information for anyone hoping to reach them with further questions:Kayla Reis (Therapeutic Foster Care): kreis@bethany.orgJil Resendiz (Transitional Foster Care): jresendiz@bethany.orgBrooke Borchers (Foster Parent Licensing): bborchers@bethany.org

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to sit down with a former foster youth who has taken her experiences with childhood trauma, foster care and adoption, to better serve the community through continued advocacy work. Check out her podcast, Foster Features, available on all major podcast platforms.

Krislyn Mossman is the Executive Director at Best Kids, Inc., a one-on-one volunteer mentoring organization providing services to youth in foster care. Get involved here: https://www.bestkids.org/get-involved.html

I gotta be honest - the idea of letting Joel and Dale loose in the podcast room was a little scary, but they absolutely killed it! They discuss their friendship, their families, and provide dad advice in this heartfelt conversation from two great dads.

Michelle Batten, MS, is a TBRI® Educator and ACPI Certified Parent Coach with a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies. She is also the owner of Hopeful Connections Parenting, a service available to parents nationwide in need of assistance in creating a healing home. Visit her website at www.hopeparenting.com or send her an email at michelle@hopeparenting.comFind more information about Safe & Sound Protocol: https://integratedlistening.com/science-of-feeling-safe/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=sharpspring&sslid=MzM0MTSxNDQ0tDA0BAA&sseid=MzI0NDU1NTayMAYA&jobid=764e62e4-05ac-4d59-939a-1fb88b4b72a6We also discussed the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development. More information is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBW9RKLvTR5C46ey7gy3NuA

In episode 21, I have the pleasure of sitting down with Ginger Baerg. Her family began with 3 biological children before she and her husband began fostercare. From fostercare, they went on to adopt 2 children, and she's authored a children's book (written from the perspective of her oldest son) about her family and their journey. Sign up to be notified when the book becomes available at www.mypatchworkfamilybook.com.

I get to sit down for another joyous episode with my husband, Joel. We talk about my new-found TikTok fame, our recent trip with both babies, and what's on our bucket lists.

In a MUCH NEEDED episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kanisha from Tutus & Tennis Shoes, an organization providing haircare education to parents of black or multiracial children. She graciously offers promo code "bbraided" to podcast listeners for 15% off her introductory course!

Joel and I take a break from our weekend to provide an update on our crazy busy lives. From buying a new house to working full time to fostering to everything in between, we definitely have a lot on our plates right now!

Our friends across the pond, David and Michelle Saint Martin from the UK, tell their story of multiple pregnancy losses as well as the adoption of their son. Learn more by checking out their video journey on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/blueiesaint1

I had the pleasure of interviewing newly-licensed foster mom, Shelby Ballard. Shelby lives in Iowa, and talks about her experience living with chronic illness, Myasthenia Gravis. She is the author of Chronically Caring blog, which can be found at www.chronicallycaringblog.com.

I recently had the honor of interviewing Hannah Nelson. She graciously shares her story about being emancipated at 16, infertility and IVF, and being a foster parent.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stacy Roof, the mama of a treatment foster care home. She explains the difference between treatment foster care vs. traditional foster care, and tells her story as both a bio and foster mama.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing the beautiful Lydia Gerber, a bio mama, NICU mama and a (fairly) new foster mama from the Minnesota/North Dakota area. She shares her journey about infant loss and entering the fostercare world.

In this episode, Joel and I have a casual chat about our foster daughter, our adopted son and what's going on this week!

Corey Taylor was an absolute pleasure to speak with. He talks about his journey becoming an approved foster dad at only 22 years old, his current placement, and his experience on this crazy rollercoaster.

In this episode, Joel and I sit down for a casual chat about what's going on in our world right now. Big thanks to Reuben Andrews for editing this weeks episode!

This episode is jam-packed with information about DCS/private/independent/agency adoptions in Tennessee. I had the honor of interviewing the lovely Anne Austin, who provided loads of information based on her decades of expertise.

In this episode, I recap recent events like the Nashville/Mid-TN tornado and the Evelyn Boswell case. I also tell the story about DCS threatening to put our foster family on a PIP (personal improvement plan), as well as discuss our current foster daughter placement.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Barbara Goodman. This amazing mama was adopted as a child and tells her story of adoption, infertility, pregnancy loss and foster parenting.

In this impromptu, casual episode, join me in discussing the things that are really irritating to me these days (long Starbucks orders, bad drivers and unclear packaging just to name a few), as well as a few things that I'm really loving.

In this short bonus episode, we discuss all that happened during our recent adoption day! Big thanks to this weeks editor, Reuben Andrews.

On this episode, we discuss a huge DCS fail that recently hit the news, our frustration with foster care continuing education, our upcoming adoption (this week!!!) and Joel plays "Guess the Baby Product". Big thanks to this weeks editor, Reuben Andrews.

This week, we're taking a dive into all requirements necessary to complete the foster care homestudy through Tennessee DCS prior to becoming approved foster parents. Big thanks to Reuben Andrews as this weeks editor. Also, take a drink (beverage of your choosing) every time you hear the word “basically” or “however” during this episode.

Join us for a Q & A session where we've collected questions from our Instagram page and answered some of the most commonly discussed questions surrounding foster care and adoption.

Welcome to Episode 1! Joined by my husband and co-host, Joel, we skim over our journey in foster care and adoption.