We knew it from the moment we walked in- this was our crowd. No one faking it, no one pretending to be something they were not, no one in denial over the reality of this journey. Just a real, authentic, and safe community of like-minded people. Where we came from didn’t matter. Whether we were rich, poor, or somewhere in the middle mattered not. Neither did the fact that we were wounded in one way or another, and had each failed a time or two on this journey.
What mattered was hope…camaraderie…authenticity. What mattered was that we were all there because our hearts bled openly for children. We all shared a common bond- We were adoptive parents, foster parents, moms, and dads. We were all wading through the murky trenches of adopting children from difficult places; raising a kid who was drug or alcohol exposed at birth; dealing with a screwed up foster care system that was taking the life out of us; needing a place we could be honest about our deepest wounds and not feel judged.
All of this in one place. All at The Refresh Conference this coming March in beautiful Seattle, Washington.
We’re not paid to say this, nor are we receiving any benefits to do so (other than the joy of attending this amazing event). We believe this with all of our heart- The Refresh Conference is the one event during the year that foster and adoptive parents simply cannot miss.
Here are 5 reasons why:
- It’s an authentic community. From the opening session to the very end, it’s clear- this place is the real deal. Nothing’s sugar coated and they let you know pretty quickly- it’s okay to not be okay. Adoption and foster care is hard parenting. Really hard, in fact. Refresh is a community that gets it.
- It’s designed with you in mind. This is not a conference designed by a corporation or executives from a resource company. It’s designed by adoptive and foster parents just like you and me. Every element, every breakout session, every visual is custom-made with the real life of a foster or adoptive parent in mind.
- It points you to hope. It’s easy to give in to defeat. It’s easy to want to give up. Hope changes all of that. When you have hope, you have the strength you need to pull yourself out of bed each day. Refresh Conference points you to the hope you need to make it to the next day, and the day after that.
- You gain life-long friends. Refresh shows you just how small this world is and how easy it is to connect with others who get you, even if they live across the country, or the world. Last year, we met people from different parts of the country whom we now consider to be life-long friends. They are a text message, email, or phone call away.
- You walk away rejuvenated. To be honest, you walk away with a spirit of “I can do this!” You find this strength because you discover how not alone in this world you really are. You find out there are others who feel the same as you, think the same as you, and struggle the same as you!
Sound like the place for you? We can assure you…it is. We can’t wait to get to Refresh in Seattle this coming March. It’s been circled on our calendar since the end of last year’s event. We would love to connect with you there and hear your story. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your spot now. We’ll be there with a bunch of our friends and we would love to hang out….
Have you been to The Refresh Conference? What was your experience like? Share your story with us.
