Meet Shauna

I have been involved in my niece and nephew's lives before they were even born.  I wasn't present for the birth of my niece, but I knew the second my sister went into labour, and was the first call when my niece was born.  My sister and niece stayed with me while we anxiously awaited the arrival of my nephew.  This time, I was able to be there for my sister's labour, and my nephews' arrival into the world. I continued to be present in their lives for every first step, word, snuggles, birthdays, and awesome report cards.  I was also there for every single moment of worry, despair, and heartbreak.  Nothing is linear.  It's hard to convey everything we have been through together since 2003 when my sister found out she was pregnant.  So let's talk about it.  Let's talk about the real conversations that have happened in our home since 2003, almost 20 years later.  Inter family adoption, early childhood trauma, navigating the education and health care systems, advocating for your children, having a blended family with respect to birth order (it's a thing), social workers and home visits, lawyers, open adoption, maternal mental health, domestic abuse, addictions etc.  Let's talk about how it is a million times harder than you think it will be, all the sacrifices, and in the end it is all okay because advocating for your children and watching them thrive (even when you set them up for it) will be the most impactful thing you ever do in your life.