Adoptive, foster and stepmothers, like biological mothers, find their lives completely changed by motherhood although they are not always granted the rights and privileges accorded to those who give birth. Barbara Waterman explores the common experiences that are shared by all those who enter the motherhood portal. She highlights the importance of wider family, community and professional support for non-biological parents and primary care-givers of both genders, and their children. A stepmother herself and a practicing psychologist, Waterman's writing is illustrated throughout with vignettes of children and parents from a range of backgrounds. She shows the important ways in which a non-biological attachment is both more similar to and more different from a biological attachment than is currently understood. In doing this, Waterman broadens the notion of the `traditional' family, and offers a positive alternative to the myth of the perfect mother. All kinds of step-, adoptive and foster families and those coming into contact with them will find this thoroughly researched and personal book an indispensable guide.
The definitive biography of a trailblazing actress who entertained—and shocked—the nation and the world Marilyn Monroe might never have become the legend she did without America’s original tragic starlet: actress and poet Adah Isaacs Menken (1835–68). In a century remembered for Victorian restraint, Menken’s modern flair for action, scandal, and unpopular causes—especially that of the Jewish people—revolutionized show business. On stage, she was the first actress to bare all. Off stage, she originated the front-page scandal and became the world’s most highly paid actress—celebrated on Broadway, as well as in San Francisco, London, and Paris. At thirty-three, she mysteriously died. A Dangerous Woman is the first book to tell Menken’s fascinating story. Born in New Orleans to a “kept woman of color” and to a father whose identity is debated, Menken eventually moved to the Midwest, where she became an outspoken protégé of the rabbi who founded Reform Judaism. In New York City, she became Walt Whitman’s disciple. During the Civil War she was arrested as a Confederate agent—and became America’s first pin-up superstar. Menken married and left five husbands. Ultimately, she paid dearly for success. A major biography of a remarkable woman, A Dangerous Woman is must reading for those interested in women’s history, the roots of modern-day American Judaism, and African-American history. Praise for a previous book by Barbara and Michael Foster, Forbidden Journey: The Life of Alexandra David-Neel “Hers was a great human life, very well written up in Forbidden Journey. . . . Surely this biography will provoke even more interest.” —New York Times Book Review
Fremont F. Ellis, a famous landscape painter, was born in Virginia City, Montana in 1897. His father was a nomadic dentist and theater operator who traveled from the bustling gold towns of the American West to the metropolitan cities of the east. Ellis began painting at about twelve years of age although he had little art instruction or formal education of any kind. He had his first art showing in El Paso, Texas while still in his teens and was immediately praised for his work. However, his father thought he should have a profession along with his art work, so he studied optometry and had his own practice. But he wasn't happy with the life of a businessman, and after visiting friends in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he decided to make his home there and pursue his art work seriously. In 1921, Ellis joined with four other young painters in Santa Fe-Josef Bakos, Walter Mruk, Will Shuster, and Willard Nash-and together they founded an art society called "Los Cinco Pintores." They called themselves modern artists who encouraged freedom of expression and they made a definite impression on the art movement in Santa Fe. The group disbanded in 1926, but Ellis continued painting until his death in 1985. He showed his work actively in Santa Fe and Los Angeles, his unique impressionistic style earning him a large and dedicated following. His work is in many museum collections including the Museum of New Mexico, the El Paso Museum, the Art Institute in Lubbock, Texas, and the Stark Museum in Orange, Texas. Barbara Spencer Foster is a third generation native New Mexican. She grew up in the shadows of the Manzano Mountains where her ancestors had settled in the 1800s. She is the author of "Girl of the Manzanos," "Pecos Queen," "Fire in the Bosque," and "Santa Fe Woman," all from Sunstone Press.
How can you discover and exploit the ways you are unique and be able to accomplish great things? “A Walk with the Black Moses: Sandy Stephens’ Inspiring Stories of Hope and Determination— How You Too Can Aspire to a Legacy of Greatness” gives insights into the background, attributes, belief system and approach to life of a legend. Sandy Stephens believed in himself and his ability to leave a legacy for others to follow. “A Walk with the Black Moses: Sandy Stephens’ Inspiring Stories of Hope and Determination— ....” reveals practical ways for readers to transform their gifts and talents into tools for success. It helps the reader recognize the faith, hope, and determination needed for Sandy to set his sights on uncharted summits and spend a lifetime in pursuit of his dreams. Sandy’s model of belief in self, hard work, and resistance to inequitable treatment fueled his legacy.
Exit Narratives examines what constitutes good teaching and engaged learning and how to use this knowledge to support teachers in their efforts to create learning environments that encourage academic mastery and nourish students as social beings. The authors explore a range of issues: why they became teachers, their first years of teaching, what worked for them, the micropolitics of teacher interactions, becoming proficient teachers, as well as their last year of teaching and what they did next. These former teachers took a stand in their careers to create a better environment for both teaching and learning.
Karen loved teaching, but wanted more. With no money for traveling, perhaps a summer vacation at the family lake cabin would refresh her.But the summer would be anything but refreshing, or as peaceful as she hoped. The sudden death of her brother leaves her feeling responsible and in despair. Meeting a childhood friend, Mark Davis, only adds to her dilemma and makes another change in her life. She isn't sure she can trust Mark as she struggles through the obstacles put before her. When Mark wants to help her after her accident, she rejects him. Upon receipt of a letter, she realizes her time for change has come. Karen has come to a crossroads and has to make a decision, one which will change her life forever.
The essential guide to parenting adopted and foster kids--learn to create felt safety, heal attachment trauma, and navigate challenging behaviors and triggers Children who have been adopted and/or shuttled through the foster-care system experience trauma at a much higher rate than other kids, which can make it difficult for them to trust, relax, regulate their emotions, and connect with their new families. As a parent, learning how to heal attachment trauma, attune to your child's needs, identify triggers, and create felt safety is essential to providing the loving, supportive, and stable home they need to thrive. Written for parents of adopted and foster kids of all ages, this book offers resources for handling common concerns like sleep issues, food sensitivities, anger, fear, and reactivity. It also provides guidance on navigating transracial adoptions, working through parents' own hang-ups, and recognizing signs of developmental and psychological conditions. The book highlights practical strategies and provides real-life examples to address questions like: How do I help my adopted child adjust? Is this kind of behavior "normal"? How do I help my child live, heal, and thrive with PTSD?
During the mid-1800s, a small band of farsighted men convened to form a college for the mental and moral training of youth. They also pledged that no person will be refused admission on account of Color, Caste or Sex. This was a bold move on the eve of the Civil War. As Presbyterian Church representatives, the founders selected the name Westminster Collegiate Institute. In 1852, Westminster became the first integrated and unrestricted coeducational college in the country. Today it is one of Americas most admired small liberal arts colleges. Westminster remains on the cutting edge of teaching and learning while valuing the interaction between faculty and students. The New Wilmington campus has been home to successive generations of scholars who have gone on to excel in a wide range of endeavors. Westminster College serves as a tribute to the schools past and present students, preserving the images of their special memories and favorite places.
Mom Foster struggles to raise twelve children. She faces hardships, poverty and opposition from some of the neighbors. They are so jealous of her that they poison the chickens. What a heartbreak-pronounced sentence for a miscarriage. After being married for three days, William deserts me. William's great deceit and deception chatters my life. It leaves me heartbroken, lonely and full of pain. In my second marriage, I marry a man named Victor. At first he's kind. He even professed to be a Christian. Later I find out, he drinks a lot. He's also very abusive. Later, I become pregnant. Then I miscarry. My husband calls me a killer. In my way, I became involved in other relationships but they didn't lead into marriage. It wasn't God's way. I walked in the path of unrighteousness. I didn't have any peace in my mind. When I accepted Jesus into my heart. He changed my life. Jesus made everything all right.
What is the full gift of Yoga for us moderns? Dedicated educators Foster and Barbara draw on their professional and personal experience to provide an organic perspective on the whole of Yoga. Their book offers a concise overview of the history and purpose of Yoga and its relevance to our concerns, needs, and our deep longing. Numerous quotes selected from the classic texts highlight Yoga as the natural movement of examining mind and consciousness. Yoga is revealed as the inner work of self-inquiry, how to awaken to innate peace and happiness. This book demonstrates how the millennia-old path of Yoga, congruent with the best of contemporary spiritual teachings, is a practiced and proven approach to the dismantling of ego-mind, freeing one from patterns of reactivity and discontent. Classical Yoga answers the heart’s yearning to transcend suffering, to realize the truth of what we really are—the presence of awareness that is True Self. Yoga—Timeless Wisdom: The Path of Awakening to Your True Self throws light on an ancient practice that resonates with the inborn urge to fulfill our human destiny. In this introduction to Classical Yoga discover how to: • Integrate the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras • Unpack the essence of the Four Paths and Eight Limbs of Yoga • Embody the transformative practice of being present • Connect with the truth that all sages point to • Experience the clarity and joy of realizing True Self
Do you ever wonder what animals need in order to live and be healthy? Learn all about animals and their needs on a trip to the zoo. See science at work in the real world and discover what makes animals different and what makes them the same. Use what you learn to solve the puzzle and find out who is new at the zoo! Includes a note to caregivers, a glossary, a discover activity, and career connections, as well as connections to science history.
Like cowboys turning in the saddle to look at where they came from, Searching for the Castle documents the backtrail of author Barbara Leigh Ohrstrom’s adoption. It begins with her urgency as an eighteen-year-old woman initiating her search for her birth parents. Her recollection includes court petitions, letters, Division of Social Service documents, and other original documents usually buried behind the lock and key of the law. In this memoir, she narrates the unearthing of her history and that of her family. Some of her discoveries are filled with pain, while others are joyful, including locating sisters, another brother, and eventually nieces and a nephew. A story of how one woman comes to terms with her identity, Searching for the Castle tells of real people doing the best they can to live and love in the often heartbreaking circumstances of life. As Ohrstrom shares her journey to find her birth parents, she reveals her emotions throughout the process, discovering that her identity is self-created, but also that her being is governed, in part, by her ancestors and family lines. Searching for the Castle communicates the message that love creates families and that the family to which Ohrstrom belonged in foster care gave her a mother, father, and family filled with love and decency.
The ROSE OF DARBLEY is a story set in the Victorian era about a young man named Fredric (Freddie) Allon Harrington, who at the age of twenty attends Trinity College at Cambridge in England during mid-1840s. His close knit family lives at Greenhaven Estate near Cary, England, an agrarian community in Hampshire. His soon-to-be brother-in-law describes him as "the son of a country gentleman with all the charm and delights that position can bring. He is extremely intelligent. His country manners are--delightful. He is unpretentious, witty, likable, discernible, and amiable. He could be confortable in the society of the lowest field worker or the Queen of England." At the age of fourteen, after a severe illness, Freddie experiences a spiritual vision that has given direction for his life until he meets JoAnna Fleming, the young sister of William Fleming. It is JoAnna who keeps Freddie faithful to his vision.
Calvin McAlester promised his mother he would become a minister. He fulfilled his promise, but could he change? Calvin was a con man, and a good one. He bullied his way through school, quoting Bible verses to get out of trouble. He got his church and the perfect wife, but it wasn't enough for Calvin. With his wife's bout of depression, will he use it to get what he really wants?
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