11/28/2025
Yes, my hands are full.
Full of wiping noses and tying shoes.
Full of medications, appointments, and therapies.
Full of meals to make and messes to clean.
Full of small voices calling my name and little hands reaching for mine.
And today, especially, I’m thankful they’re not empty.
Our home is loud and busy and often overwhelming, but it’s also a place where healing happens, where children who have walked through more than most adults are held, advocated for, and loved fiercely. Through foster care, adoption, and our nonprofit work, our days have been stretched far beyond ordinary motherhood—and yet, I wouldn’t trade a single piece of it. These children have changed me, shaped me, and taught me about resilience in a way life never had before.
I’m grateful for the exhaustion that means love was poured out.
For the chaos that means a table surrounded by life.
For the medical needs that taught me what true strength looks like.
For the nights spent comforting, advocating, and showing up—again and again.
For the seasons that pass too quickly and the moments I wish I could hold onto longer.
Loss has carved its place in my story too.
Losing two children.
Losing my father earlier this year.
Each loss shifted the ground beneath me, teaching me how fragile time is, how quickly the world can change, and how sacred every ordinary day really is. Maybe that’s why I hold these moments tighter—even the messy, exhausting ones.
Because someday the shoes will be tied without my help, the messes will be theirs to clean, and the house will be quieter than I’m ready for. These days don’t last, even when they feel endless. And though the weight of them is real, so is the gift.
So today, I’m choosing gratitude for hands that are full.
Full of work, full of noise, full of purpose, and full of love.
Full of miracles I get to witness, children I get to fight for, and a mission I get to pour myself into.
And absolutely overflowing with everything that matters most.
If you want to support us in a practical, everyday way, Mad Hatter Farm is one of the biggest parts of how we keep this mission going. Every loaf of sourdough, every batch of cookies, every hand-poured soap, every item we bake or make in the shed directly supports the children here and the work we continue to do. When you shop with us, you’re not just buying something—you’re helping us provide stability, care, and love for kids who need it most.
Thank you for being part of this with us.
