Goodwins' Feed

It's Gonna Take a Village

lindsay — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 21:40:49 +0000

Six days ago, we were officially approved and licensed to provide foster care in the State of Massachusetts. It's been a long time coming...more than nine months in the making.

And if there's anything I know about this journey as a provider of foster care, I know this:

I cannot do it alone.

Our family cannot do it alone.

We couldn't have even gotten to this point without the love and support of our friends and family.

Goodbye, Uncle Darryl. And Thank You, for Everything.

lindsay — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 05:22:51 +0000

Growing up, I knew I had an Aunt Judy. My Grandma Ruby told me stories about her: how she'd dress my dad up like a little girl when they were kids and other silly things. I could see her face in pictures hanging on the walls of our home, in the albums on Grandma Ruby's shelves. One time, she even sent me a real porcelain doll. I loved porcelain dolls, and, apparently, she did, too. I knew I had an Aunt Judy, but I didn't know my Aunt Judy. She lived way out in California, and, as far as I could remember, I hadn't ever met her.

God's People

lindsay — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 04:24:04 +0000

I needed to be with the church this morning more than I've needed to be with her in a long, long, long time.

I'm facing a challenge that is bigger than me. So much bigger than me that I've cried myself to sleep the past two nights, and tonight's not shaping up to be any different.

I needed to be surrounded by other people who are leaning on God, depending on Him, and trusting Him with the details of their lives.

Happy 8th Birthday, Ruby!

lindsay — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 19:06:29 +0000

Ruby,

Today, on your eighth birthday, I find myself uncharacteristically at a loss for words. It's not that I don't have anything to say. It's just that, whatever I say, I don't think you'll believe me. Despite the fact that you're still a FULL five years away from your teens, I see them creeping into your regular everyday eight-year-old existence.

These Grateful Days

lindsay — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 05:07:41 +0000

Does anyone else feel like it's nearly impossible to raise grateful children (or even be a grateful adult) in America these days?

It would be easy to blame the problem on capitalism and corporate America: we're bombarded with commercials that tell us we "deserve it" and media campaigns that try to convince us that everyone else already has it. The day after Halloween (a full 27 days before Thanksgiving), my kids were enamored by the Christmas decorations at Target...complete with a cardboard Santa being swallowed alive by a massive Wish List. See, it would be easy!

30 Days of Thanksgiving 2014

lindsay — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Day 1 - My First Family

You are the first ones who taught me how to love, how to laugh, how to argue, how to share, how to apologize, how to have fun...how to live...how to really live. Thank you so much for being my first loves. I am blessed that God chose me to be your daughter and sister.

Day 2 - My Forever Family

Sometimes

lindsay — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 16:03:55 +0000

Sometimes, the Steelers wear stupid uniforms, and your Colts lose by a couple dozen points.

Sometimes, life just feels sucky.

I didn't say that it *is* sucky, because life doesn't have to *be* sucky to *feel* sucky. That's the silly thing about emotions.

Sometimes, they take the truth and twist it around.

Lately, my emotions have been twisting me up inside until I was feeling like my beautiful life was sucky.

Holiday Playdates at The Goodwins' Place!

lindsay — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 03:38:37 +0000

Need to get some holiday shopping done without the "help" of your little elves? Want to sneak in a few dates before the holiday season takes over your calendar?

Well, I've got a treat for you!

Rwanda: One Brother

lindsay — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 21:44:33 +0000

It's been nearly six years since we started sponsoring our first child through Compassion International. We chose the youngest child in Rwanda, because we wanted to walk the entire length of the journey with our first kiddo. A couple of years later, I learned that older males are typically the last-chosen sponsored children. We wanted to help change that reality for at least one young man, and we added Rabuma to our family. We wanted to make sure that he didn't walk the last few years of his journey with Compassion alone.

Rwanda: One Sister

lindsay — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 03:58:19 +0000

As each day passes, it gets harder and harder to write or talk about Rwanda. You'd think it'd be because of faded memories...time taking its inevitable toll.

Nothing could be further from the truth.