Adoptive Mom Life | Open Adoption, Adoptive Parenting, Birth Family, Christian Community, Biblical Encouragement
Do you struggle to find the right words to share your adopted child’s stories with them? Do you pray that your child will be able to maintain a strong relationship with their birth families? Do you worry about your child’s mental health or behavioral diagnoses? Ever feel like you’re never enough? Do you find yourself parenting from a place of fear? I am so glad God led you here! This podcast will help you raise connected and self-aware kids, navigate their stories with love and intention, cultivate healthy, open relationships with their birth families, and guide you through seasons of mental health or trauma-related challenges, all while supporting your own needs as a mama. Hey, I’m Carly. A believer, work-at-home-mom, wife, and adoptive mom to two amazing kids. After a long journey with infertility, we felt the Lord calling us to adopt our children. I realized that I didn’t really know how to parent kids from hard beginnings, navigate open relationships with birth families, or handle behavioral or mental health challenges that may come our way. Not only was there not a manual for raising children, there certainly wasn’t a manual for raising adopted children. I felt alone. Once I let go of my own plans and fully embraced God’s plans for our family, I learned to lean into Him more than myself. I learned how to communicate in a healthy way with our birth families, and I figured out ways to parent my kids that worked for their unique needs. I also learned that I need to unapologetically fill my cup so I can better pour into my kids, especially when things get tough. I found my voice as an adoptive mom and found other adoptive moms to link arms with. I created a sounding board and support system for myself and other adoptive moms through this podcast, where I talk candidly about parenting adopted kids, and bring in experts in areas where we need the most help. I pray these honest conversations bless you as much as they’ve blessed me! If you’re ready to... Be the best mom you can be to your children, Gain skills in parenting their unique needs, Support your child’s identity and their sense of belonging in your family, Help share their stories in an age-appropriate and supportive way, Navigate birth family relationships for the long haul, Fill your cup so you can be a joyful, present mom, And trust God with the outcome of your child’s life - this podcast is for you! Top off that iced coffee and grab a comfy seat - it’s time to dive in.
Episodes
What if you stopped trying to do motherhood “right”… and just let it be easy?
In this episode, I’m sharing what it’s looked like to recalibrate our week as my husband has been working longer hours and I'm solo parenting a few nights per week.
Letting things be easy doesn’t mean lowering your standards. It doesn’t mean giving up. It doesn’t mean you’re ruining your kids.
Sometimes it just means creating space — space to breat...
Adoptive mama, bio mama, foster mama? This is for all mamas and wives! We're talking about L-O-V-E, how we show it and how we receive it.
We all love our kids — but are we loving them in a way they actually understand?
In this Valentine’s-season episode, we talk about the 5 Love Languages and how they show up in real family life with your kids and your spouse.
From quality time and words of affirmation to acts of service, gi...
Adoption can feel lonely in ways no one prepares you for. Even when you’re surrounded by people, playdates, church, and activities, there’s often a quiet ache of feeling unseen, misunderstood, or like you don’t quite belong.
In this episode, we explore loneliness as an epidemic among ALL mothers — and then we look at what makes loneliness even more complex for adoptive moms.
We talk about identity shifts, unmet expectations, tr...
Preparing to bring home a new puppy surprised me in ways I didn’t expect. As we count down to welcoming “Mr. Green,” I noticed familiar emotions rising in my heart — the excitement, the nerves, the planning, the what-ifs, and the deep need to trust God before something precious comes home.
While adopting a puppy is not the same as adopting a child at all, the emotional posture of waiting for any big change in your life can stir u...
As a new year begins, goal setting can feel both exciting and overwhelming—especially for Christian moms. Do we need a word for the year? Do we seek to become a completely new person on January 1st? Do we need to work out 5 days a week to move the needle? Is any of this striving even Godly or wise?
Friends, there is a better way.
You’ll be encouraged to shift the question from “What do I want to accomplish?” to “Who do I want ...
Welcome to week 4, our final week, of our Advent for Adoptive Moms series — a four-week journey through Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love designed to help your heart slow down and meet God in the middle of your unique motherhood story (even among the holiday chaos).
In this week’s (Christmas Eve!) episode, we’re talking about loving our kids in the same way God pours His love out on us. You’ll hear encouragement, scripture reflections, ...
Welcome to week three of our Advent for Adoptive Moms series — a four-week journey through Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love designed to help your heart slow down and meet God in the middle of your unique motherhood story (even among the holiday chaos).
In this week’s episode, we’re talking about joy as we hold space for grief. You’ll hear biblical encouragement, personal stories, scripture reflections, and simple ways to center your he...
Welcome to week two of our Advent for Adoptive Moms series — a four-week journey through Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love designed to help your heart slow down and meet God in the middle of your unique motherhood story (even among the holiday chaos).
In this week’s episode, we’re talking about finding peace when everything feels messy. You’ll hear gentle truth, personal stories, biblical encouragement, and simple ways to center your he...
Welcome to week one of our Advent for Adoptive Moms series — a four-week journey through Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love designed to help your heart slow down and meet God in the middle of your unique motherhood story (even among the holiday chaos).
In this week’s episode, we’re talking about HOPE and ways to find hope in a waiting season.
You’ll hear gentle truth, personal stories, scripture reflections, and simple ways to center y...
As we head into Thanksgiving, today’s episode is all about preparing our heart posture for gratitude. Whether you’re excited to gather with family, feeling conflicted about plans, or navigating the unique layers of adoptive motherhood during the holidays — this conversation is for you.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
- Why gratitude rewires your brain and reduces stress
- The spiritual side of thankfulness and how it recenters you...
Holiday traditions — what memories do they spark for you? Was it your grandmother’s famous pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, Christmas caroling with your family, matching jammies on Christmas Eve, driving around to see lights, or the candlelight service at church?
Traditions and rituals are an important part of every family’s unique bond. As adoptive families, they are equally — if not even more — important for creating a sense of bel...
Ready or not, it’s that time of year again — time for holiday shopping!
Do you send Christmas gifts to your child’s birth mom or birth family? In today’s episode, we’re talking about heartfelt, personal gift ideas for your child’s biological family — from simple, thoughtful gestures to more meaningful presents they’re sure to enjoy.
Whether you have an open adoption with ongoing contact or very little connection right now, this...
November is National Adoption Month, a time to raise awareness for children still waiting for families and to honor the stories of those already formed through adoption. But as adoptive moms, this month can stir up a lot of mixed emotions — gratitude, grief, and everything in between.
In this episode, I’m sharing how I’m holding space for both the beautiful and the broken parts of my kids’ stories — and how you can, too. From the...
Every adoptive parent wrestles with the same questions...
How do I share my child’s adoption story without saying too much or too little?
How do I even approach such a thing?
How do I know if they’re old enough to handle it?
In this episode, I walk you through what it looks like to share your child’s adoption story with honesty, discernment, and most importantly, God’s leading.
If you’ve ever second-guessed your words or w...
How do you know if your adopted child’s behavior is normal… or rooted in trauma? This is a question I hear from adoptive moms all the time!
In this episode, I chat with Jeanette Yoffe — adoptee, therapist, author, speaker, and founder of Celia Center and Yoffe Therapy — about how to parent with connection and compassion.
Here's what we talk about:
How do you know if your adopted child’s behavior is normal… or rooted in trauma? This is a question I hear from adoptive moms all the time!
In this episode, I chat with Jeanette Yoffe — adoptee, therapist, author, speaker, and founder of Celia Center and Yoffe Therapy — about how to parent with connection and compassion.
We cover:
Have you ever caught yourself running on autopilot—snapping at your family, juggling endless tasks, and realizing you’re stuck in survival mode? As moms of adopted children, those heavy, chaotic weeks can leave us feeling drained and defeated.
In this episode, I share a simple reset you can use anytime, anywhere, to calm your mind, steady your heart, and step back into presence with your kids. It’s practical, faith-filled, and de...
Are you drowning in screen time struggles with your kids?
After a long, hot summer where screens slowly shifted from an ‘extra’ to the default, I knew it was time to try something different. I came across a simple reward system from a first grade teacher, and it’s been a game-changer for our family.
As moms, we know too much screen time can impact our children’s brains, development, and attention spans. And as adoptive moms, we...
Ever feel like you’re stuck in survival mode as an adoptive mom? In the second half of this two-part episode, I’m joined by Keli Tondre, adoptive mom, trauma therapist, and founder of Tondre Therapeutics.
Keli shares both her personal adoption journey and her professional expertise to help us understand trauma, regulate our nervous systems, and find hope in the hard places...
Ever feel like you’re stuck in survival mode as an adoptive mom? In this episode, I’m joined by Keli Tondre, adoptive mom, trauma therapist, and founder of Tondre Therapeutics.
Keli shares both her personal adoption journey and her professional expertise to help us understand trauma, regulate our nervous systems, and find hope in the hard places.
We talk about:
- Why adoption always carries trauma (even in the best sit...
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