Parenting on Purpose

The sun came out in all its glory. We seized the opportunity, and set up a picnic lunch in Shenandoah National Park, a gorgeous natural scenic site overlooking the Shenandoah River and Valley from which it is named. It was surreal to simply enjoy the beauty of the Big Meadows site, a vast area that apparently contains the highest concentration of rare plants in the Park, as well as an abundance of animals not found anywhere else here. After lunch, we attended one of the ranger programmes, which was a guided walk along the Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only trail in the world. This is a massive trail which spans some 2,200 miles (about 3,500 kilometres), and cuts across 14 states in the Eastern United States. It runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Ranger Ginny, our guide for the hike. Her fascinating stories provided tremendous insights into why the trail was established and what it would take to embark on such a journey. It was conceiv...

Edelweiss, Edelweiss Every morning you greet me Small and white, clean and bright You look happy to meet me. Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow Bloom and grow forever Edelweiss, Edelweiss Bless my homeland forever. This is a song that I sing to my little foster girl on a regular basis. In many ways, the song has become a metaphor for little R - the small, pure and innocent girl who is  oblivious to the cares of the world. It is also a metaphor of  our relationship with R - each morning, as she wakes us up with her gentle cries for milk. Yet I see in her bright eyes the look of deep peace and contentment as we feed her; and the gurgling sounds and squeals of excitement when we engage in play with her tell us that she is deeply secure and happy in her attachment with us. It's precious the moments we share with our little R! But we know that little R will not remain with us forever. Unlike adopted children, who become "forever family", foster children remain...