Creating Connection: A Foster-to-Adopt Family's Legacy Through Stories | Mark & Jenna Marino

What happens when a foster-to-adopt family channels their journey into creativity, imagination, and storytelling?

In this heartwarming episode of From Foster to Forever, Rachel sits down with father-daughter writing team Mark and Genevieve Marino to share the remarkable story of how their family was formed through foster care adoption—and how that experience inspired the creation of the whimsical Mrs. Wobble's Tangerine House book series.

Inspired by friends, Mark and his wife always dreamed of adopting through foster care. When they received a life-changing call about a two-and-a-half-year-old boy who needed a family, they welcomed him into their home and began a journey that would transform all of their lives. Years later, that experience became the inspiration for a magical fictional world where foster children discover belonging, adventure, healing, and choice.

Together, Mark, Genevieve, and their adopted son Dayveon collaborated on stories that explore themes of family, identity, resilience, imagination, and foster care—all through the lens of fantasy and humor.

This conversation explores the realities of foster care adoption, sibling relationships, open adoption connections, trauma-informed parenting, and the powerful role storytelling can play in helping families process difficult experiences. It's an inspiring reminder that creativity can be a bridge to healing, understanding, and connection.

Mark and Genevieve Marino, alongside host Rachel Fulginiti, share their unique familial bond that emerged from their creative endeavors. The episode showcases how creativity can bridge gaps in understanding and foster deeper connections. Mark recounts heartwarming anecdotes about their first encounters with Dayveon, the joys and challenges of creating stories that resonate with children, and how they integrate elements of their lives into the narrative without compromising the privacy or dignity of their experiences. With humor and sincerity, they highlight the role of empathy and support in their family, offering listeners a candid look at the highs and lows of their journey while celebrating the power of stories to heal and connect.

In This EpisodeWhy Mark and his wife chose foster-to-adoptThe emotional phone call that led them to their sonBringing a foster child home for the first timeHelping biological and adopted siblings build connectionNavigating early trauma and attachment challengesWhat foster parents should know about incomplete records and diagnosesMaintaining connections with birth family membersReuniting with biological family as an adult adopteeHow storytelling helped their family process foster care experiencesCreating Mrs. Wobble's Tangerine HouseWhy representation of foster care in children's literature mattersThe healing power of creativity and imaginationRaising empathetic, resilient children through collaboration and play

Siblings Can Be Powerful BridgesGenevieve shares how empathy helped her bond with her younger brother from the beginning, even serving as a "translator" when others struggled to understand him. Their relationship became a foundation for mutual growth and understanding.

Stories Create Safe SpacesRather than directly retelling difficult experiences, the Marino family found healing through fictional storytelling. Their fantasy world allowed them to explore themes of foster care, belonging, grief, identity, and resilience in a way that felt safe and empowering.

Creativity Can Strengthen FamiliesThe family's collaborative writing process became more than a creative project—it became a way of connecting, communicating, and building lasting memories together.

About Mark & Genevieve MarinoMark Marino is a writer, professor, and digital storytelling innovator who teaches at the University of Southern California. Alongside his daughter Genevieve and son Dayveon, he co-created the Mrs. Wobble's Tangerine House series, a collection of imaginative stories inspired by their family's foster care and adoption