Real Talk: Recent Episodes
Ralene Challinor
Jennifer Hamilton shares their story of having the privilege of adopting a sibling group of three Native American girls. Jennifer is an amazing artist: website foxartandsoulstudio.com
Stephanie Duensing Adoptive mom. “ adoption and having our son in our life was the most important spiritual growth journey” Hear her story and be blessed.
Cindy Schulze : mama to 10, 8 adopted. She Real Talks with us about their families journey through the death of one of their children.
My kids (Lenny 11 and Sofia 10) share their birth stories (with some help from me). They give us their safe wisdom. They’re cute and a little annoying:)
Lara Stafford part 2 … TBRI talk: Trust Based Relational Intervention. If you DON’T know -you NEED to know!
Lara Stafford went into her foster care journey kicking and screaming, she liked the life she had. Hear how life changed when she looked at her home through the eyes of an orphan.
Amie Putnam … foster mama for 15 years, adopted 6 and 30 + kids in her home and in her heart. Here is some wisdom from Amie 💕
Raising a child with a rare chromosome disorder and non verbal. “What we think we can’t handle, God really knows better. We would have said NO had we had known before and missed the blessing.”
Amie Putnam had to have a hysterectomy at age 33. She believed God was telling her she was a terrible mother and should not have more children. She had 2 boys but desperately wanted a girl. This is her adoption story.
Jackie and Jess Boyd. Military family, local pastor, cancer survivor and adoptive parents. “We weren’t going to let Satan stop us from doing what God showed us to do”
Jen Real Talks about how hard it is versus what a blessing fostering and adoption is at the same time… she does it, she shares both!
Jen was adopted. Her up bringing nurtured a passion to make sure kids did not go to bed wondering if they are loved. She adopted 2 making her mama to 6!
Chris Wilson (episode 52) Married 29 years- has given up an empty nest to love on a little person in foster care. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything even with the loss of sleep”
Jodi and I Real Talk about resources for those of us living and/or working with kids with Fetal Alcohol syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorder. @creatinghealthyfamiliesnaturally
Jodi Randolph, my friend, a sponsor and regular on the show… we Real Talk about raising kids that have fetal alcohol diagnosis. it’s always a joy to have Jodi on the show! @creatinghealthyfamiliesnaturally
Darcy Razo … the Yoda of fostering kids from hard places! Over 25 years of experience. 264 foster kids in her home and her heart. They adopted 9 children having 11 in total! She gives us encouragement. She gives us advice. “The more you know, the easier it is to understand what’s happening.”
Darcy Razo… licensed foster mama for over 20 years. She worked for Child Protective Services. She has been a CASA volunteer and has worked in the justice system. 264 foster kiddos in their home and hearts! I think she can teach us a think or two 😉
Kimberly Langford. We talk trauma! “It’s common to think of trauma as an event but when we peel back the layers on trauma it’s important to think of it more as a psychological change that’s taking place within the body.” *AZ Trauma Institute
Lori and family adopted a 13 year old girl. Their now daughter had been adopted at age 5 from China by another family but put back up for adoption at age 13. Friends said “don’t do it!” Friends are over rated … they did it anyway… here’s their story 😉
Lauren was found on a train station as an infant in China. She was taken to a Chinese orphanage. She was adopted by an American family at age 5. At age 13 she was put up for adoption again. She was then adopted by her now forever family… we are privileged to have her in our families life… listen to Lauren’s story ❤️
Mark Stafford: hubby, dad, Pastor, awesome bass player, owner and creative genius of Ablaze Media, podcaster AND foster dad. He admits it took him more than 7 years to say ‘yes’ to fostering! But he did, eventually 😉@markstafford @ablazemedia @atriskradio
Jodi Randolph and friends give us adoption advice... words of wisdom for future adoptive parents: “sometimes no matter what you do, the result is the result” other advice:”grieve your expectations”! There’s good stuff in this episode... share it with those who are getting ready to adopt. Thank you to Tiffany Upton, Jeff Rich, Wade Randolph and Cindy Schulze @nevereasyalwaysgood and to Jodi@jodirandolph.com
Charity Brock: Mark and Charity shepherd the flock at Crossway Baptist on Bakersfield, CA. They pursue parenting with intention. After 4 kids they thought they were done but God... He thought differently. After being challenged on contentment and comfort, the door to foster care opened! Quite the journey. @brockcharity @crossway.baptist crosswaybaptist.org
Ray and Misty Aguilar: 13 + years of Foster Care. They consider foster care their mission field. Listen to hear how God provides!!
Cindy and Kevin Schulze... 10 kids Real family, real hopes and real hurts. They share their journey into foster care/adoption AND life with Down Syndrome. @nevereasyalwaysgood. Nevereasyalwaysgood.com Twitter:4evrmom
Cindy and Kevin Schulze... 10 kids Real family with Real hopes and Real hurts. They share their journey into foster care/adoption and life with Down Syndrome. Nevereasyalwaysgood.com @nevereasyalwaysgood Twitter: 4evrmom
Jessica Parker... Loves the Lord,LEO wife, mom to 6, Adoptive/Foster mom, Foster Care Advocate and living the homeschool life. Daily Grace Affiliate. Thedailygraceco.com
Jessica Parker’s Instagram bio says: Loves the Lord, LEO wife, mom to 6, Adoptive/Foster mom, Foster Care Advocate and living the homeschool life. She is also a Daily Grace Affiliate. She’s all this and ... my friend. We talk and talk and talk ... listen and then learn more about Jessica at @simplyjessicaparker thedailygraceco.com
Dave Huss and his wife Sylvia(yes Mickey?) Have 8 children through adoption. Dave shares that story with us. They are empty nesters now so he gives back by volunteering for one of the agencies that helped create their family. It’s quite the story! He mentions holtinternational.org and cfcare.org
Josette Kehl is an adoption specialist and a Trust Based Relational Intervention practitioner who specializes in foster and adoptive family relationships. Arizonafamilycounseling.org cfcare.org
Jen got a call to take a teen- She said “ if this is what you want us to do God let Dave bring it up”... you know what happened ☺️ beyondmyplan.Wordpress.com
Team Mengarelli share the ups and downs of adoption. They Real Talk about how God used the TV show Extreme Home Makeover to inspire them to adopt. “ we may not feel like their best option but we may be the best option they’re gonna get” Sheila M. “We thought we had a handle on how to parent with our bios and then... enter trauma!” Mayor Greg M. It’s Real Talk with Real People 😉
Team Mengarelli, Prescott royalty ☺️they share their love story with us- they are so cute, so in love and so passionate about loving others.
Don Biele is a retired businessman that didn’t retire 😉 He volunteers as a CASA for kids from hard places. He walks us through what a CASA volunteer is. He shares his thoughts on why one should consider becoming a ‘CASA’. He also shares some pretty RAD stories with us. I like him, you will too! @casaofyavapaicounty
Shelly is a foster/adoptive mama with TONS of experience- even ran a group home! She now brings all that experience to @christianfamilycare as Foster Care Supervisor. Shelly shares what makes a good foster family, in her expert opinion. She’s a friend, a co- worker and sister in Christ! And she knows about stuff 😉 ChristianFamilycare.org
Judge Young part 2 from lawyer to Judge. We Real Talk about foster care and the Court. Judge Young is Real, open and honest. I like her, think you will too.
Judge Young. She is the Presiding Juvenile Judge of Yavapai County. Find out about the amazing woman behind the gavel. (Did you know she was born in merry ole England?)
Real Talk with Lauren about Infertility. Private adoption. Brave bio mamas. Lauren is passionate and honest! You’re gonna dig her 😉
Lauren and hubby Shaun have privately adopted four sweet kids. Lauren shares that journey with us. We Real TAlk about infertility, using resources for adoption and Gods’ goodness! Lauren’s honest. We like that at Real Talk 😉
Part 2 of our foster care to adoption journey. We never desired children. I felt my barrenness was actually a blessing. God had other plans... better plans! He also allowed us the best adventure of our lives this far(not including parenting)- life in the inner city of Milwaukee! Nothing has been as fulfilling or as thrilling as life with our friends in the ‘hood’. It was a gift! But everything has its season... and in His infinite wisdom He brought us to where we are now. It’s a joy to share the story of our wandering with you❤️
No interview- just Real Talk with me, the host, about how God used our relationship with our first foster kids and their bios to move us from the burbs to live in the ‘hood’, the inner city of Milwaukee. Oh! And I ugly cry at the end, so glad it’s not TV 😉
Teens’ Closet provides free, quality clothing to our vulnerable youth. Krystal has a heart for teens from hard places. Teens’ Closet is a result of her tender heart towards these youth. Listen to her story and how God has used her in such a creative way.
Emily shares with us Real Talk listeners about how the Lord uses lattes to help and heal kids from hard places... The Cracked Pot Coffee Shop is so much more than JUST a coffee shop. Just listen ... thecrackedpotcoffeeshop.com
Quincy Castleberry: hear her passion for what she gets to do... keeps the CASA program running! CASA volunteers are amazing people, coming alongside our foster youth. Listen to Quincy... she explains it all so well :) azcourts.gov
Glenn Ellison: Marine, Pro-Football walk on for the Oakland Raiders but found his calling ... The Parent Help Center! Non- confrontational behavior modification program. Theparenthelpcenter.com
Have you lost a jury trial? The Hayes family have... Adri walks us through their foster care experience and how it feels to loose a jury trial. She speaks to us about learning to wait ... and how God is in the waiting. Adri writes for the woman’s magazine:justbetweenus.org or you can find her on Instagram @madebyadri
Adriana and Chris Hayes... the people we prayed for to take up the fostering torch for us when we left Milwaukee. They did and they are running with IT!! Adri is mom to her bio daughter and a foster mama. Adri also lives with Spina Bifida. In this episode she shares her journey with pain and how she has chronic HOPE! Reach out to her at: justbetweenus.org or read her blog: chronichopeblog.wordpress.com or find her on Instagram: @madebyadri
My boss and brother in Christ... Dallas Henderson. He’s the Family Recruiter and Community Engagement Manager for Christian Family Care. He talks to us about seeing Foster Care as a mission field... “a call to sow into generations of children” He says “if you don’t know the need and aren’t exposed to it, it stays hidden” well, if you’re listening... you’ve been exposed to the need! ;) cfcare.org
Yes, essential oils! We love them!! God’s gift to us in this fallen world! My friend Jodi, who adopted internationally, schools us on the benefits of essential oils. She shares her story of adoption and fetal alcohol syndrome. She cried out to God for help! Kids with chronic health issues and behaviors - she needed answers! God heard her cries and ... enter Essential Oils! Listen to our time together... you will be blessed. Reach out to Jodi for more info about the benefits of Essential Oils! http://www.mydoterra.com/jodirandolph
Ken and Lisa give us resources to help us not only survive but thrive with our kids living with Reactive Attachment Disorder. They tell us about The Parent Help Center (theparenthelpcenter.com) and Glen Ellison. Check them out as a resource for kids from hard places dealing with behavioral issues. Their heart for the Lord, each other and their kids breaks through the airwaves... you’re gonna dig them
Team May gets Real with us and graciously gives us a glimpse of living with a kiddo with Reactive Attachment Disorder. They explain that loving someone with RAD is like “hugging someone wrapped in shards of glass” but “we still hug” and THAT’S why Team May is one of my favs! Their story has Gods fingerprints all over it... PrescottChristian.com
“Their tummy mommy is a child of God, valued and full of potential...” Yeah, we go there- seeing bios as God sees them. It’s good stuff but Real and kinda in your face 😉
This one was fun guys... Lindsay is a straight shooter - Real Talker, that is to say “honest”. She walks us through their infertility to placement of their first sibling group. She’s great and has great hair too! @lindsay.kulturesalon
This one was fun guys... Lindsay is a straight shooter - Real Talker, that is to say “honest”. She walks us through their infertility to placement of their first sibling group. She’s great and has great hair too! @lindsay.kulturesalon
Jon schools us on LOvE... “ love does surrender” what does THAT mean? Give us a listen :)
Jon Rocha : pilot, firefighter, Real estate mogul, hubby and dad. Is there anything he CAN’T do? Yes, sleep! He and Heather’s adoption journey is straight up Faith guys!! Enjoy
Amy continues sharing her foster to adopt story ... she shares the hardships and joys of letting bio family in...
Amy tells her foster care adoption story with us... Dinner at Denny’s ends up in adoption, whaaat? Yep. Cuz God does things like that.