“They printed out a sheet from Google explaining the condition. ‘He’ll never leave the NICU.’ He had his first seizure and stopped breathing. I knew God would heal him.”
‘We aren’t just going to let him die!’ I slammed my hands on the table. I knew this wouldn’t be our story.’: Baby survives terminal NKH diagnosis, ‘We take note of every little miracle’
‘Won’t you get too attached?’ Every every court date, every appointment, every 2 a.m. feeding, he may never even remember the slightest thought of me.’: Woman shares candid reality of being a foster parent
“Even after all these years, I feel my heart fall deep into the pit of my stomach when the caseworker calls. I’ve chosen to lose a little piece of my heart so that maybe, just maybe, it may help mend theirs.”
‘Your daughter needs a psych eval. She’s doing this to herself.’ I knew something was wrong.’: Woman describes journey with Chronic Lyme disease, ‘I turned my pain into purpose’
“Doctors loaded me up with medication and sent me to therapy. ‘It’s all in your head.’ I had no desire to live. I was grieving my old life.”
‘URGENT ADOPTION’ was in red marker. She left me breathless. I BEGGED for help. The fight was ON.’: Grieving couple inspired to adopt baby with Down syndrome
“I covered my mouth and held back tears. I felt like the entire earth had dropped out from under me. If I’m being truthful, I never thought it would be MY baby.”
‘You should prepare for lifelong care.’ Her little face made my heart go pitter-patter. I knew what we were in for.’: Couple adopts girls with autism, cerebral palsy, ‘Our family is complete’
“He labeled her ‘severe.’ Over the next weeks, I cried, I drank. One day, I just decided. This little girl didn’t need a mama paralyzed with fear. She needed a mama ready to take action.”
‘Are you my birth mom?’ I fought tears. ‘She searched all over for a Daddy and Papa who’d take care of you.’: Dads discuss blessing of open adoption
“‘I don’t have a mother.’ They see ‘mommies’ come to pick their kids up every day. ‘We searched everywhere for you, baby.’”
‘I’m stuck at my parent’s with a baby I don’t deserve. My 19-year-old body was overwhelmed.’: Mom forgives herself for her past, embraces blended family
“‘I don’t deserve to mother him.’ Am I mom or a person? He was too perfect and I was too flawed. I had to forgive myself.’”
‘It’s like being stung by a thousand bees.’ No one knew why I was in pain. And no one knew why the pain was spreading.’: Woman describes journey with Lyme disease, ‘It made me who I am’
“Even a feather-light touch could send me screaming in agony. It felt like I was being stabbed in my spine, over and over again. At a time when I could’ve really used a hug… I couldn’t receive one.”
‘What you see is what you get. If you only see the world’s problems, THAT’S what you’ll get.’: Woman urges ‘focus on what gives you peace’
“And nothing has been harder than having to try to stay in your lane, live purposefully, mindfully, and with lasting gratitude, during the seemingly never-ending (and, perhaps, disastrous?) year that is 2020.”
‘This is where I snapped the last living photo of my kids.’ You’re not supposed to bury your children. Your kids are supposed to bury you.’: Mom loses kids in car accident, discovers outdated car seat safety laws
“About an hour and a half into our trip, we stopped so Christine could have a smoke break. We pulled into one of those truck areas. This is where I snapped the last living photo of my kids.”