Bonus Podcast #4: Pick & Choose Your Battles

One specific way we're approaching our job as foster parents differently than before.

Every Monday I send a letter with an exclusive podcast episode to my paying subscribers. It’s nothing fancy, but it is raw, intentional, and fun! Today, I’m giving access to everyone. If being a paid subscriber isn’t for you right now, you will still get my letters every Tuesday. I hope you enjoy today’s extra as a small token of my appreciation that you’re here.

After nearly two years of not having foster kids in our care, we’re back at it and better than before. I don’t say that with pride, rather deep sincerity. We made intentional changes to improve our role as foster parents, and credit our extensive break for enlightening us.

Photo of us by Clay House Photography at Venice Beach in October ‘22

Hit play below to listen to this week’s bonus episode of E and I reflecting on our re-entry to fostering. In it, we spill the tea on one seemingly small shift we’ve made and explain how its brought peace and ease to our most recent family addition, a 15-year-old girl.

Buckle up for 19 minutes of reminiscing, laughter, and my confession of a snack I’ve never tried, which absolutely shocks E…

The diet of a teenager, exhibit A.

My Weekend in a Nutshell

On Friday my mom flew in— a huge gift since E was out of town on an annual guys trip. She cleaned my kitchen (does your mom do this too?!) and bought Crumbl Cookies. (Normally I’m a chocolate gal, but the lemon one. OMG.) We had cozy night in and I was asleep by 8:30pm. Seriously. Does it get any better?

Saturday was full of soccer (Shia), school (Big Sis, our foster daughter), and shopping. I took Big Sis on a mother-daughter date. Thrift-shopping, per her request. As she lovingly pointed out, I lived in this jean jacket for the last four days in a row. Teens…always keeping us humble, eh?

Don’t forget to use promo code ALONGERTABLE15 when you shop Able.

Yesterday we spent the day at the “happiest place on earth” — aka: Disneyland! It was my first time, and we went thanks to free tickets from generous friends. Shia had a BLAST, and mom and I enjoyed all of the theme park food staples: corn dog, pretzel with cheese, Carmel apples… :-) Although the food is great and I loved seeing my son light up all day long, I would argue it’s not my happiest place on earth. #IntrovertProblems

Before you wonder why she’s not mentioned or in any photos, Big Sis decided not to come with us to Disney at the last second. I was really bummed, but am trying to embrace a posture of surrendered open hands. Any control I thought I had was just my imagination anyways.

What was your favorite part of this weekend? Tell me in the comments! I’ll pick one commenter to send a Starbucks gift card.

Finally, I would normally save this for my monthly Spilling Secrets newsletter, but I feel such a sense of urgency to share…

I am SO disheartened that my post acknowledging a man’s tragic death is considered controversial somehow. I am devastated that anyone would try to justify his death. I feel sick over the fact that 300 people hit ‘unfollow’ after seeing that post. (I know this because of insights shown on my account as a creator.) To be clear, I don’t care that people wouldn’t want to follow me. That’s totally ok! I do, however, care that calling out police brutality is the thing that made 300+ people leave. It actually scares me. Sometimes I wonder if we’re speaking the same language or living in the same world. I wish, instead of leaving, people would engage in a productive conversation; be curious and ask questions. My curiosity for them would be: What about that post in specific made you decide that you didn’t want to see any content I share going forward? I’d listen. And then I’d wish them well.

Concluding with a final prayer for all of us:

May we be tolerable of others.

Especially those who hold a differing viewpoint than us.

It would be a tragedy to live in an echo chamber.

Longer table living is rich.

It requires my tolerance.

Help me grow in this.

Please. Thank you. Amen.