<![CDATA[Nothing Wasted]]>Hosted by sisters Misty Van Hooser and Mikayla O'Conner, the series follows two women who were separated by foster care as children and reunited as adults. One was adopted. One was not. They grew up in different homes, different states, and under very different circumstances, yet somehow remained connected by a bond neither time nor distance could break.

Through honest conversations, they explore childhood memories, foster care, adoption, motherhood, family, resilience, healing, and the people who helped shape their lives along the way. Together, they revisit the moments that changed them, challenge old assumptions, and discover what it means to reconnect after years apart.

This isn’t a podcast about what was lost.

It’s about what survived.

Sometimes the most meaningful parts of our lives come from the chapters we never would have chosen...and in the end, nothing is wasted.


]]>https://riverside.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Fri, 11 Sep 2026 02:52:06 GMTWed, 10 Jun 2026 22:43:27 GMT60Misty Van Hooser<p>Hosted by sisters Misty Van Hooser and Mikayla O'Conner, the series follows two women who were separated by foster care as children and reunited as adults. One was adopted. One was not. They grew up in different homes, different states, and under very different circumstances, yet somehow remained connected by a bond neither time nor distance could break.</p><p></p><p>Through honest conversations, they explore childhood memories, foster care, adoption, motherhood, family, resilience, healing, and the people who helped shape their lives along the way. Together, they revisit the moments that changed them, challenge old assumptions, and discover what it means to reconnect after years apart.</p><p></p><p>This isn’t a podcast about what was lost.</p><p></p><p>It’s about what survived.</p><p></p><p>Sometimes the most meaningful parts of our lives come from the chapters we never would have chosen...and in the end, nothing is wasted.</p><p><br /></p>episodicMisty Van Hoosermistylvanhooser@gmail.comno<![CDATA[Choosing a Different Life]]>What happens when two sisters separated by foster care sit down and begin sharing the stories of the lives they built apart?

In our very first episode of Nothing Wasted, we start with question: What is your first memory of me?

From there, we begin discovering how different our paths have been, and how much alike we somehow became/. We talk about the moments each of us realized we wanted something different for our lives, the choices that followed, and why we're finally opening these conversations and inviting you into them.

Mikayla hopes these conversations bring greater awareness and understanding to foster care, adoption, and the people whose lives are shaped by them. Misty hopes they create a safe place where anyone can feel welcomed, less aloe, and hopeful that even the difficult pieces of their story can be repurposed into something meaningful.

This is our first conversation. It isn't perfect. Neither is our story.

But we're using every part of it for good and inviting you join us as we do. <3

Welcome to Nothing Wasted.

]]>abf52416-24f0-4d43-b3da-36403b921978Sat, 22 Aug 2026 23:18:39 GMT<p>What happens when two sisters separated by foster care sit down and begin sharing the stories of the lives they built apart? </p><p></p><p>In our very first episode of Nothing Wasted, we start with question: What is your first memory of me? </p><p></p><p>From there, we begin discovering how different our paths have been, and how much alike we somehow became/. We talk about the moments each of us realized we wanted something different for our lives, the choices that followed, and why we're finally opening these conversations and inviting you into them. </p><p></p><p>Mikayla hopes these conversations bring greater awareness and understanding to foster care, adoption, and the people whose lives are shaped by them. Misty hopes they create a safe place where anyone can feel welcomed, less aloe, and hopeful that even the difficult pieces of their story can be repurposed into something meaningful. </p><p></p><p>This is our first conversation. It isn't perfect. Neither is our story. </p><p></p><p>But we're using every part of it for good and inviting you join us as we do. &lt;3 </p><p></p><p>Welcome to Nothing Wasted. </p>no00:32:5511Choosing a Different Lifefull