Author Archives: johnnastein

The T-shirt Quest

Posted on March 30, 2017 by johnnastein

I’m a sucker for challenges and contests with deadlines. They force me into self-discipline, which doesn’t always come naturally for me. For the past five years, I’ve attempted to keep this earth suit from falling apart by working out at … Continue reading →

Posted in Foster Care | 1 Comment

Two Years and Counting …

Posted on August 11, 2016 by johnnastein

The average time a child spends in foster care is 23 months. Our Princess now has 24 months under her belt of which the last 19 have been in our home with no end in sight. Her life hangs in … Continue reading →

Posted in Foster Care | 5 Comments

Good Good Father

Posted on March 17, 2016 by johnnastein

We don’t always know what’s best for us… Last summer our foster daughter wasn’t too sure about the overnight camp we’d signed her up for. Yet now, Princess’s favorite place to be is Camp Horizon or at Camp Horizon’s special … Continue reading →

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Fostering Firsts

Posted on February 24, 2016 by johnnastein

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”  Martin Luther King Jr. The privilege of experiencing our foster daughter’s firsts is not lost on us. Even our adult children love being privy to those precious first moments: Her toes … Continue reading →

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5 Ways to Encourage Foster Families

Posted on October 8, 2015 by johnnastein

We all wonder how best to support our friends and family who are fostering. Let’s face it, foster families are usually in it for the long haul and they need a large safety net of people they can rely on … Continue reading →

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Hair Today Hair Tomorrow

Posted on August 19, 2015 by johnnastein

We had been prepared for many of foster care’s challenges: abused children, uncooperative birth parents, and poor hygiene. But, no one ever mentioned HAIR. A few years ago, I vaguely remember a friend of mine took in an African-American child … Continue reading →

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Shades of Black and White

Posted on July 28, 2015 by johnnastein

My milky white hand holds her dark mocha hand in mine. She skips beside me, with joy in her heart, not a care in the world. We’re outside taking the dog for a walk in the neighborhood. It’s a safe place … Continue reading →

Posted in Foster Care | 2 Comments

(Un)lovable

Posted on July 15, 2015 by johnnastein

“There is the great lesson of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ that a thing must be loved before it is lovable.” ― G.K. Chesterton Hurt people hurt people. It’s sad but oh so true! If you think about it, our gut reaction to … Continue reading →

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Good Enough

Posted on June 30, 2015 by johnnastein

The most common question we hear as foster parents is, “So, how’s it going with the girls?” That’s a loaded question even though it’s meant to be kind and inquiring. We can’t tell most people how it’s really going because … Continue reading →

Posted in Foster Care | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Super Powers

Posted on June 24, 2015 by johnnastein

If you could have any super power, what would it be? Me, I’ve always wished I could fly. Then I’d truly experience freedom. I could defy gravity and not feel so tethered to this world. I would soar above everything, … Continue reading →

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