Empowered to Connect

Last Thursday night, I packed my bags and drove to Reston, Virginia for an "Empowered to Connect" conference. 

From their website:
Empowered to Connect, together with Show Hope, hosts the Empowered to Connect Conference - a two-day conference designed to help adoptive and foster parents, ministry leaders, and professionals better understand how to connect with "children from hard places" in order to help them heal and become all that God desires for them to be.

The conference did not disappoint. It was totally worth the frantic preparations making lesson plans for the substitute teacher (thanks Darin!), meal prep for those left behind, the late night drive and expenses. I'm really thankful that Darin was willing and eager to send me to this conference. Oh how I wish he could have been there with me to absorb all this eye-opening information.

It was definitely two full days (9-5pm) of education. I didn't think I'd be able to sit still that long, but the speakers were a mix of funny, heart wrenching, and so informative. I learned about brain development, self-regulation, sensory processing disorder, and so much more. Quite a bit of what was being shared resonated with me as we meet many challenges with Irina. However, so much of the content was pertinent for parenting the boys too. They have their own set of challenges! And yes, I had my tissues for the tears that just wouldn't behave. ;)

My biggest prayer for the weekend was that God would continue to cultivate in me compassion for Irina. Day in and day out, I can fall into the trap of just being irritated. Last weekend I was reminded of the "why" behind difficult behavior and the importance of setting appropriate expectations. Overall Irina is doing great, but it is a work in progress. But so am I! If there is anything I've learned over the past year, it is that I'm not free from the weeds that can choke out life. I have a lot of weed pulling to do too.

"You cannot lead a child to a place of healing if you do not know the way yourself."  Dr. Karyn Purvis

"We are not capable of healing our kids, but we are capable of being used by God to help heal our kids." Michael Monroe  

And can I just say how amazing it was to sit in a room full of 700+ adoptive, foster, pre-adoptive parents and social workers? It was great to be in the company of people who "get it." (2 of whom go to church with me, 2 from my adoptive momma support group, and 1 friend of a friend whose blog I stalk. )

Thanks again, Darin, for wearing my "hats" for the weekend.