Saturday morning we are speaking to a group of people who are about to finish their MAPP training with Children's Home Society. The end of this training means once their paperwork is done and approved, they are licensed foster parents and officially in line to adopt from foster care.

This will be our second time speaking to them - I say "our" and "we" but my husband is quiet and my daughter clammed up last time (she's seven). I'm naturally very talkative so I'll be doing most of the talking per usual.

The first time we did this it was not good. Everyone involved told us it was just fine but I didn't get the chance to really say the things I wanted to say because all the kids came down just as I launched into the meat of my talk. I didn't want to share even sanitized details in front of children.

This time I hope to share with these folks that YES they are on the right path and that great kids are just waiting for families out there. I want to tell them to be patience, listen to their social workers and be realistic about what they can handle. I want to tell them that the best tools they have are love and time. The two of those things can work wonders.

I want to impress on them that these kids can be hard work but oh the rewards can be amazing. I want to tell them to read everything they can get their hands on and go to every workshop they can because you never know what will help.

I want to explain how important counseling is, for their children and for their family. Children's Home Society has a staff counselor who does one on one and family sessions. She is amazing (big props out to Jody) and unlike any other therapist I've ever seen, is available by phone and email whenever you need her. CHS offers this free - I want to tell new parents to grab hold of these services and any others.

I'll challenge them to be advocates for their child at school, with teachers and administration. To make sure their child is in the best environment they can be and to be as involved as possible.

I plan to open up about how we've tried to maintain birth ties. That you have to put this child's needs first and if contacting their birth family is a positive, keep the communication going. Save everything, even copies of what you and your child send. Don't condemn but don't sugar coat the truth. Most of the time, these kids know what happened even if they don't know all the worlds.

And I'll ask them not to hide their adoption. Sharing about adoption is healthy, don't isolate yourself or your child from the adoption issues. Adoption involves loss and foster adoption is never the ideal solution - but it is the best solution in many cases. Honor the good and bad but don't hide from it. Be proud of how your family was made, in all ways.

Who knows if I'll get this all out but I'm sure gonna try.