Life Matters! with Nancy Thomas...

Mariah’s special guest today is Nancy Thomas from Families by Design. Nancy has years of experience as a foster mom, helping the children with the ‘hopeless’ and critical issues. Nancy shares with us the things she has learned along the way that have helped so many children recover from their problems and learn to succeed in life.

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Legacy Ranch Volunteering...

Its always an ideal time to change the world… 

 Contact Nikki at nikki@familylinkkids.com or 

 Caitlin at caitlin@familylinkkids.com 

 for information and work weekend info 

 Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities: 

Beauty for ashes – Casey’s story...

I am going to take you back in time to a darker place in my life; my life has contained three T’s Tragedy, Trials, and Triumph. I would l would like you to close your eyes and picture this… In a suburban town in a quiet neighborhood there was a small yellow house across from the local fire department.

Inside the house was atrocity and chaos. Inside were my biological mother, my brothers Josh, Nathan, and Josef who were eight, five and two and a half and last but not least my little sister Alea Christina Nicole who was five months old. To look into the eyes of my Brother Josh’s was to look into the eyes of an old man that had seen far too much in his life. But his life had not yet begun. In Nathan’s eyes was heart wrenching fear, as wounded animal caged. The fear of death was there in his face, he had witnessed something that grown men shouldn’t see – his little sister murdered. It wasn’t till after her murder that Child Protective Services (CPS) intervened. Even though for months the fire department, school nurses, doctor, teachers and other local officials had reported abuse and neglect towards us children.

When we were removed the law officials who removed us has to put Josef in a strait jacket just to get him under control. I have been told that (more…)

Amy’s story...

     Nearly five years ago, my husband and I completed our paperwork as foster parents with Family Link.  We were both nervous and apprehensive about the life changing journey we were about to begin. Yet, we were both excited about the prospect of our home ringing with the music of childrens’ laughter and footsteps throughout.  We were ready to start changing the lives of abused and neglected children.        Not being able to conceive any children of our own, we had already adopted two children through Guatemala several years prior.  We were now ready to complete our family and open our doors to these children who needed a family so severely.  Over the next five years, we had the blessing of thirty two beautiful children come to our home.  We were open to accepting children of all ages from premature, very sick babies to teenagers. With these children, we have cried, laughed and have learned more about ourselves and capabilities then we ever would have imagined.

Fast forward five years, and I mean “fast”, and we are now blessed with two more adopted children, one of which was a three pound infant, Jenna was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Seizure disorder.  The doctors thought she would never walk and have severe medical issues her entire life.  I am proud to say that (more…)

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