Beyond the Home Study

Some families ease into foster care... Amber and Alex hit the gas. After welcoming 12 children through foster care, adoption, and biologically, they're sharing what they've learned about building a big family, creating systems that actually work, and staying committed through the chaos. We talk about what motivated them to foster, how they balance individual attention with the needs of a l...

Sometimes the best conversations deserve a sequel. Emily first joined us years ago to share her embryo adoption journey, and now she's back to give us an update on where life has taken her family. We chat about talking with kids about their adoption story, open versus closed embryo adoption, sibling relationships, and the questions that naturally come as children grow. It's an honest, thou...

Welcome back to another edition of Wins, Woes, & What’s Happening! This episode is a little life update, a little therapy session, and a lot of laughter. We’re sharing recent wins, a few woes, and the everyday moments that have kept us humble lately. From summer adventures and parenting mishaps to personal growth and finding humor in the chaos, we’re catching you up on what life has looked lik...

In this special Father’s Day episode of Beyond the Home Study , Abbey and Lora Rose step aside and hand the microphones over to their husbands for a candid conversation about fatherhood, adoption, and family life. From the joys and challenges of parenting to the unique experience of becoming a dad through adoption, the guys share their perspectives on building connection, navigating hard moments,...

Embryo adoption can be complex, emotional, hopeful, and life-changing for families navigating infertility. In this special re-release, we revisit our very first guest interview, an episode that also became our most listened-to conversation ever! Our guest shares her family's journey to embryo adoption, what the process looked like, and the joys and challenges of building a family in an unexpec...

Summer at home can be beautiful, slow, challenging, healing, and surprisingly meaningful, especially for foster and adoptive families. In this episode, we talk about why some families choose to stay home during the summer and how to create connection, rhythm, and fun without the pressure to constantly travel or entertain. We share practical ideas for simple summer routines, managing sensory needs,...

Traveling with kids can be beautiful, stressful, meaningful, and unpredictable all at the same time—especially for adoptive families. In this re-release episode, we revisit our conversation about traveling with flexibility, realistic expectations, and grace for both parents and kids. We share practical tips for road trips, routines, snacks, sleep, entertainment, and creating felt safety while away...

Mother’s Day can bring joy, gratitude, and celebration, but for many, it can also bring grief, longing, guilt, overwhelm, or complicated emotions. In this episode, we’re having an honest conversation about what it looks like when you don’t feel like celebrating Mother’s Day. We talk about the different experiences that can make this day difficult for adoptive moms, foster moms, biological moms, ad...

In this episode, we sit down with Sara, National Director of Family Recruitment and Retention at a large child welfare agency, adoptee , and adoptive mom of 13 , for a conversation that brings together both professional expertise and deeply lived experience. Sara offers a rare perspective on adoption and foster care, shaped not only by her leadership in the child welfare system but also by her own...

Welcome back to our not-so-regular monthly life download. In this episode, we’re sharing our personal wins from April, the things that stretched us (because there’s always something), and what’s currently unfolding in our day-to-day lives. We also chat through what’s been on our minds lately and the little things helping us unwind when we’re running on empty. It’s honest, a little all over the pla...

In this episode, Dan and Lindsay share their journey through infertility, adoption, and a situation that took an unexpected turn, including navigating an adoption scam and the ethical gaps that made it possible. Their story sheds light on the realities that aren’t always talked about and the importance of asking hard questions along the way. We talk about red flags , due diligence , and what it lo...

Thanks for joining us for this meaningful conversation! In this episode, we sit down with Erin to talk about her international adoption journey and the unexpected challenges along the way. She shares how she went into the process knowing there could be unknowns—but later discovered her child had a cleft palate that wasn’t disclosed in the paperwork and required surgery. We talk through the emotion...

Thanks for joining us for this fun, off-the-cuff episode! We’re ditching the usual format and just catching up on real life—what’s been happening in our homes, what’s making us laugh, and what’s stretching us in this season. From Easter celebrations to the everyday rhythms of family life, this conversation moves through the real highs and lows of parenting little ones in a way that feels honest an...

Thanks for joining us for our final episode in the March Behavior Series! In this episode, we host a casual book club conversation on The Whole-Brain Child by  Daniel J. Siegel M.D.  ,  Tina Payne Bryson . Earlier this month, we invited you to read along with us, and now we’re sharing our honest thoughts—what we loved, what didn’t quite land for us, and whether we’d recommend it to a friend. Liste...

Thanks for joining us for a bonus conversation in our March Behavior Series. In this episode, we sit down with adoptive mom Jess Pruess as she shares her journey through adoption, early behavioral challenges, and learning to advocate for her son. Jess opens up about the gap between expectations and reality, recognizing early signs of trauma, and learning to trust her instincts when something felt...

Thanks for joining us for another conversation in our March Behavior Series . In this episode, we sit down with adoptive mom Kristi Powell as she shares her firsthand experience parenting children with significant trauma and big behaviors. Kristi opens up about adopting four biological siblings from Brazil during the pandemic, and what it looked like to navigate intense transitions, unexpected cha...

Welcome back to our March Behavior Series on Beyond the Home Study. In this episode (Part 2 of 2), we continue our conversation with TBRI practitioners Amie Huggins and Marti Smith as we talk even more about the relationship between trauma and behavior. Listen in as we dig into why behavior charts often miss the mark for kids from hard places, how schools can better support regulation and connecti...

Welcome back to our March Behavior Series on Beyond the Home Study. In this episode (Part 1 of 2), we sit down with TBRI practitioners Amie Huggins and Marti Smith to talk about what’s really going on underneath the behaviors we see in foster and adoptive children. We explore how Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and occupational therapy help us better understand things like regulation, s...

It's March and this month we’re talking all about behavior. Today's episode is about the realities of parenting foster and adopted children: big behaviors , unmet expectations, emotional triggers , and the differences between bio and adopted dynamics. Listen as we talk through the moments that leave you exhausted, second-guessing yourself, and wondering if you’re doing any of this right. D...

Welcome to Wins, Woes & What’s Happening — our monthly download on life. We’re covering our personal wins, what's been weighing on us this month, and new legislation affecting the system. Plus, what we’re watching when our brains are officially done for the day. Real life. Real foster care. No sugarcoating. Don't forget to Like, Follow, & Share! Instagram Facebook Website

In this powerful episode of Beyond the Home Study, we sit down with former foster youth and author Lainie Hartley to hear the story behind the system. Lainie shares what foster care felt like from her side — the pain, the hope, and the complicated relationships between foster and birth families. She challenges us to lead with empathy, not assumptions, and introduces her Bridge Program, designed to...

In this episode of Beyond the Home Study, we sit down with Karen Henderson, Director of Programs at CASA of the River Region, to talk about the life-changing impact of a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in the foster care system. Karen shares how CASA advocates support children through the court process, provide a consistent adult presence, and help ensure a child’s voice is heard...

Foster care is beautiful—and heartbreaking. In this Season 2 premiere, Lora Rose & Abbey are back and going deep! In this episode they share personal stories from inside foster care, including the joy of welcoming children in, the reality of reunification, and the grief that comes with letting go. Don't forget to Like, Follow, & Share! 📸 Instagram: @beyondthehomestudy 🌐 Website: www....

In this season finale of Beyond the Home Study , hosts Lora Rose & Abbey share all their favorite things—from the sensory tools they can’t parent without to the coffee, books, apps, and even nail polish that help them feel human on the hard days. If you’re looking for fresh ideas, practical tools, or just a few fun favorites to brighten your week, this episode is for you. Resources These are a...

In this episode of Beyond the Home Study , Lora Rose & Abbey talk with Johanna Choate, who shares her powerful story of perseverance through the ups and downs of adoption. From unexpected twists in the process to the emotional toll of waiting, Johanna opens up about what it’s like to hold onto hope when things don’t go as planned. Memorable Quotes:  “God doesn't call the equipped, he equip...