“’This is supposed to be the HAPPIEST time in your life!’ I can’t do this AGAIN. I felt forgotten.”
‘You CHOSE to have him!’ It was as if he was a patient and not my own baby.’: Mom battling postpartum depression urges ‘you are worthy of help’
‘I loved you before them. But with them between us now, I love you even more. As a dad, your light shines even brighter.’: Mom shares ode to father of her children
“You have seen me at my worst, my weakest, my most challenging of moments and tiredness of years. Of pregnancies, of births, of postpartum. Yet you hold my hand even tighter.”
Sweet Child, May We Forever Be Each Other’s Constant
“‘Mama, can you rest with me?’ She points to her chest and has me lay my head down. Oh, the sweet sound of her breath. Her soft hands gently stroking my hair as we lay in silence. Her hands comforting and soothing this restless heart of mine. One night, the air will be silent, only filled with a hug and a kiss goodnight.”
‘I silently mouthed to my husband, ‘We have a little girl.’ At that moment, we became parents.’: Adoptive mom of 4 shares journey
“She asked us to be Elijah’s parents over a meal. I was scared but determined as I wrote my cell number down on a scrap piece of paper and pushed it across the wooden table.”
‘3 days postpartum, I looked at my husband. ‘I want to throw our son.’: Mom says ‘even through the fog of depression, I am worthy’
“I had a massive panic attack while feeding him. His latch pierced me with pain. I had nightly terrors one or both of us were left dead on the hospital table. My doctor asked, ‘How are you doing?’ I just cried.”
‘Two men should not father two little boys.’ It was a kick in the gut.’: Gay foster dads find ‘happy ending,’ adopt siblings
“’Are they trying to turn us off to being foster parents?’ My anxiety was through the roof. The judge made eye contact with us both. ‘Wow.’ We could not hold back our tears.”
‘How did we get here?’ After 12 years, we turned into unrecognizable strangers. I was 27, a mom to the sweetest boy, and getting divorced. This wasn’t the plan.’: Single mom takes the risk, meets ‘knight in shining armor’ on Tinder
“My friend encouraged me to make a dating profile. ‘Find 3 guys you feel a connection with, give 2 your number, and go on a date with 1… ‘ I found myself driving towards Applebee’s, my heart racing. I just wanted to get ‘this’ going or over with, then my phone rings. ‘Ashton – Cute Tinder Guy’ flashes across my phone screen. Time and my breathing stop.”
To The Daughter Waking Up Father’s Day Without Her Daddy
“He will be the last thing on your mind when you go to bed Saturday night, and the very first thing on your mind when you wake up Sunday morning.”
‘I’m so sorry. I can’t do this anymore, Chelsea.’ I didn’t know it would be his last Father’s Day.’: Woman mourning father declares ‘to grieve is to have felt love’
“I waited until I heard my dad come home to sleep. I took off his shoes after he passed out on the couch and put my finger under his nose to check his breathing. I learned to love his scent—grass, sweat, and booze.”
‘They didn’t know if I’d ever wake up. The first thing I said was, ‘I can’t see. Everything is completely black.’: Woman navigates new normal with sight loss
“After my tonsils were removed, my mom woke me up to check on my throat and give me some water. I was completely unresponsive. They didn’t know if I’d be able to breathe, talk, walk, or think ever again.”