‘Next time just shut up and listen.’ I’d been married 13 years. I’ll be honest, his advice pissed me off.’: Husband shocked random advice was actually correct, ‘You don’t need to fix her problems. Just listen to her’

“She was frustrated. With each concern I told her I could ‘fix it.’ I told her to calm down (not a wise move, I know) and with each ‘fix it,’ she grew more frustrated. ‘You’re not getting it!’ And hung up. He laughed. ‘She isn’t worried about you fixing anything,’ he said. ‘She wanted to vent.’ Naturally, I let out a condescending breath.”

‘What does your son want to be when he grows up?’ ‘Um, well. He’s autistic.’ Silence. I could tell she was uncomfortable.’: Mom to son with autism encourages us to ‘share, normalize’ differences

“There it was. A question I couldn’t really answer without sharing autism. After just telling me all about the things her grandson is doing and will most likely achieve, she felt bad for me. I knew this would happen. It always does. People hear autism, nonverbal, lifelong care and feel bad. I get it. I’m not offended. But his world is not less. It’s just different.”

‘You HAVE to start dating guys,’ my wife insisted. I was 37, but 13 in exploring my sexual identity.’: Man comes out as gay, still lives with ex-wife to raise 4 daughters with boyfriend peacefully

“I had never held a man’s hand. I hadn’t had my first kiss. I was basically a tween. ‘You have to do it,’ my wife said when I waffled in terror. ‘You have to go out with him.’ I was terrified, but totally pumped. I started chatting with Carlos. Holy smokes, this was AMAZING. I was 37 years old (getting uncomfortably close to the famous 40-year-old virgin trope), virginal in almost every way, and totally inexperienced. It was a revelation! But I could just feel it. I started falling in love. Oh wow did I fall hard.”

‘Have you been punched in the face?’ I was ‘mystery girl,’ being ‘strangled alive’ as my tongue blackened.’: Woman survives severe sepsis caused by infected, impacted wisdom tooth

“I was having a quiet dinner with a friend. It felt like I had bitten my tongue, but I ignored it and continued our night. Little did I know, the pain I was feeling was my first clue to something much more sinister. I snuggled into my winter pajamas and closed my eyes. Less than an hour later, I awoke choking, short of breath, with a numb feeling on my tongue. I remember the fear and panic in her eyes as I choked on the antihistamine. I knew it wasn’t good.”

‘Is she really your child? Are you really her mother?,’ strangers ask. It’s hard. I’m just a mom caring for her 4 kids.’: Biracial couple adopts white niece, ‘I am so proud to call her one of my children’

“‘Your sister-in-law has been arrested. Her kids will be placed in foster care.’ Our hearts sank! We went to court hopeful, but scared. We bought an inmate phone card just to make the 15-minute phone call to plead our case. I was so nervous I’d say the wrong thing. ‘No, I just don’t think my daughter staying with you would be best,’ the bio mom said. As simple as that. No reason or explanation. I looked at Drue with desperation hoping he’d press the issue. He just shook his head no.”

‘We’re going to have this baby, like right now!’ On the bed of our Ford pickup truck, I felt him crowning.’: Woman names baby ‘Ford’ after accidental birth in the back of her truck, ‘he’ll always have a story to tell’

“I felt my body pushing. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn’t hold back any longer. He came out as we turned from the main road to the hospital. I looked at my husband and said, ‘Why isn’t he crying?!’ We were both in shock. The umbilical chord was wrapped around his neck. All I wanted was to hear that first deep breath and newborn baby cry.”

‘My therapist said it might be a good idea to hire a ‘personal assistant.’ I’m a stay-at-home-mom. Am I crazy to consider it?’: Mother recalls how extra help would get her ‘sparkle’ back

“I was at brunch slurping up a delectable chai with a girlfriend when I confessed all my help. ‘So, I have this gal who does our house’s big deep cleans and then another gal who does light tidying and takes care of all the laundry a few times a week and this other gal who babysits one day a week during the afterschool hours to give me a break from, well, the after school hours.’ P.S. I’m a stay-at-home mom.”

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