loss

“Real” Parents

/ Sara Lynn Payne / 32 Comments

Real Parents: Adoption and Foster Care

I’m late in posting this because I feel like I am still processing what has happened.

Friday was a profound day: my foster daughter had a court hearing to make some decisions for her case. I’ve always hated court dates because they are such a poignant reminder of how broken everything is. It’s heartbreaking that a situation could go so off the rails that it ends up being debated and decisions made by outside parties in a court of law. Nobody wins. Ever. It is simply about mitigating the damages.

I’m feeling the strangest mix of emotions as I’m absolutely elated and wretchedly heartbroken. My foster daughter’s biological mom had her parental rights terminated on Friday.

We are going to adopt her.

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Thoughtful Reads: Till We Have Faces

/ Sara Lynn Payne / 18 Comments

Till We Have FacesThis post uses affiliate links. For more information see the disclosure policy.

Learning To Live

Five years ago this week I lost a friend. The word friend doesn’t seem to even adequately describe her because she was so much more. Emily changed my life.

I met her during a very dark period in my life since I was just diagnosed as being chronically ill and I was so bitter at the prospect of being in constant pain for the rest of my life. I was grieving since my plans were upended and life wasn’t going to be what I thought. We ended up in the same dorm at college and instantly, I thought she was one of the sweetest and brightest people I’d ever met.

And then I found out she had cystic fibrosis.

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It’s Better This Way?

/ Sara Lynn Payne / 2 Comments

UG Baby Jack

This time in May is hard since I always remember the birthday we should be celebrating, but aren’t.

It has been awhile; like most women who’ve miscarried, I can be far more specific about how long ago, but it probably wouldn’t interest anyone to know how many years, months, weeks, days and even hours. The point is it is still with me. I think about the baby I never got to hold, but I will always hold in my heart.

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