“Everywhere we went, people pointed. ’Ew, what’s wrong with her eyes?’ I’d come home angry at the world. ‘I’ll just bubblewrap her and keep her by my side forever.’ She made her own path.”
‘They held her eyes open with metal prongs. ‘Your little girl is blind.’ I had to protect her.’: Mom gives birth to 2 albino babies, ‘They were meant to do this together’
‘Something’s happened to Drew. We were on our way to the park.’ I thought, ‘He’ll be OK.’ I had to keep my promise to him.’: Woman with CHD becomes advocate after losing nephew to disease
“The doctor said, ‘Time to pray.’ She’d never seen so many tubes in such a little body. They filled with blood. ‘We’re having a problem.’”
‘Will they make it on their own?’ The universal mom ache comes every time we say goodbye.’: Mom says ‘with each goodbye comes a sacred hello’
“Their first steps onto the school bus, that very first sleepover. As she backs out of the driveway with her newfound freedom, memories of a toddler in her car seat and seemingly endless pickups fade. ‘Will they make it on their own?’ The ache is fresh and raw.”
‘When your big kid texts, ‘Can I come home for the weekend?’ you jump at the chance and say a resounding ‘Y-E-S.’: Mom to ‘big kid’ reminds us to cherish every moment
“You run outside like you haven’t seen her in years—even though it’s only been 5 weeks. As she snuggles you on the couch, a lump forms in your throat while memories flood of that little girl spinning in a circle. Every day, you love her more than you ever have.”
‘When you meet him, good luck.’ Suddenly, I heard yelling. There he was – this short, scrawny kid. He changed my life in ways I never could have imagined.’: Foster mom talks mentoring teen in foster care, ‘He is part of our family’
“‘When can I talk to you again?’ I found him to be goofy and endearing. Playing basketball one afternoon turned into hanging out after work a few times a week. We began investing in his life outside of work. He started going to church with us and hanging out at our house on weekends. Our kids call him their big brother.”
‘I didn’t know it would be this hard. I feel like a failure on a daily basis. I give my all, and constantly wonder if it’s enough.’: Mom says ‘this is the most important job I’ll ever have’
“And yet, there’s nothing more breathtaking than learning to be your mama. Raising you is the most important job I’ll ever have. I didn’t know I could love like this.”
‘He probably needed a break. I took her from him and sent him to go get some time and space alone. I took over the parenting responsibilities.’: Mom of seven details ‘parental regret,’ urges ‘be honest about it’
“I snapped a pic, walked over, and took her from him. This photo sums up why I don’t regret becoming a parent.”
‘We did it. We went to the advertised ‘free, fresh, hot meals’ drive-thru at a local church. She said, ‘I’m so glad you came!’: Single mom recounts ‘act of service’ from local church
“She asked how many meals we needed, and I stated there were five of us. Then added, ‘These meals aren’t much, but they are warm and I hope it helps.’ I couldn’t even make it out of the parking lot. I pulled into an empty stall—tears suddenly streaming down my face.”
‘What will everyone think of me?’ I was a naïve 16-year-old, browsing ‘symptoms of pregnancy.’ I knew the only option was adoption.’: Teen mom details pregnancy and adoption journey, reunites with daughter 20 years later
“‘No, it hasn’t been long enough. I haven’t had enough time with her.’ I watched them drive away with her. I would always have this love for her, a love a mother carries for their child. I would always see the best of everything in her. She was the only perfect thing I have ever done. I never stopped missing her.”
‘My husband owed the store 53 cents. The cashier reached into her pocket and said, ‘Nope. It’s okay. I’ve got this.’: Woman details stranger’s act of kindness, ‘There is no act too small this week’
“We have a choice on how we move forward this week — with kindness or with hatred.”