Emily Richey is a graduate of Pace University NYC. She has written and edited for multiple online platforms, including Love What Matters. She spends her free time petting stray cats.
‘I woke up one day with a burning sensation in my arm. ‘You brought this on yourself with stress.’ I wasn’t convinced.’: Woman with Multiple Sclerosis urges ‘keep pushing for answers’
“It was clear people expected me to look different. ‘You’re too young to be diagnosed.’ I was handed a folder with my brain scans for ‘peace of mind.’”
‘Do you want to meet my daughter?’ That night, he showed up with flowers in one hand and diapers in the other.’: Stepdad adopts wife’s daughter, ‘I’ll love her as my own for the rest of my life’
“We realized Mia was losing weight every time she’d visit her biological dad. She’d come back in a dirty diaper, unbathed, and in smelly clothes. Then we got a call we never saw coming.”
‘He’s gone, Lex, he’s gone,’ my poor mom repeated between her sobs. I knew I’d never see my dad’s face again.’: Woman loses father in tragic accident, ‘The grief is always with you’
“I found two police officers parked in front of my house. They wouldn’t tell me what was going on. ‘You’ll find out soon.’ I fell to the ground in shock. I couldn’t believe I was ‘the girl whose dad died.’”
‘The social worker brought out a 5-day-old baby, wrapped in a blanket, and said, ‘Here you go!’ There were so many unknowns.’: Foster mom shares journey, ‘It’s beautiful chaos’
“There have been days we want to throw in the towel and choose an ‘easier life.’ But we know this is what our family is called to do.”
‘Surprise! It’s two kids, not one.’ My husband said, ‘Tell them YES!’ I was terrified my babies would be taken from us.’: Foster family shares adoption journey, ‘It was worth every fear’
“Packing their things was hard. The house felt empty the more I packed. I was loading the car up when my phone rang. ‘I know you’re saying goodbye, but we have a newborn.’ We decided right there to say yes.”
‘I’d relax into thinking, ‘I’m finally a mom.’ We’d have a bad day, and I’d sob at my demotion back to ‘just a stepmom.’: Stepmom shares journey, ‘I’m done with the word JUST’
“At 36, I said ‘I do’ to a handsome soldier and his 13-year-old son. I was a mom at last. That’s when I learned the harsh reality of labels. I wasn’t a ‘real mom.’”
‘At your age and with your history, you will miscarry.’ I was an unlikely pregnant 40-year-old, but I knew they were wrong.’: Mom battling infertility welcomes rainbow baby, ‘He is my heart’
“One day, after 4 years of losing battles and babies, I woke up pregnant for the seventh time at 40 years old.”
‘Are you ready for another?’ What would we do with a newborn? We knew he was supposed to be with his siblings.’: Couple adopts 4 siblings from foster care, ‘They changed our lives’
“On a yellow post-it, I wrote, ‘7, 4, 2.’ I didn’t know their names, just their ages. My heart desperately wanted to meet them. We didn’t hesitate.”
‘His feet were bare and his toenails were broken on every single toe. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘Mama?’: Couple fosters brothers, ‘I knew these were my sons’
“I smiled and it felt like I was looking into the face of someone I’d always known. ‘I’m so happy you’re here. Would you like to come play?’ I knew these two tiny humans were going to change everything in my life.”
‘Mommy, why are you crying?’ How do you explain to a 3-year-old her daddy has passed? I had just shattered her life forever.’: Widow shares grief journey, ‘We’ll make you proud every day’
“I opened the door to two police officers, our baby in my arms. They took off their hats and the world started spinning. It couldn’t be real.”