“At the foot of the crib, I saw something I’d never forget for the rest of my life. The doctor had written, ‘There’s no chance of having a meaningful life.’ I was crushed.”
‘Her brain barely exists. Enjoy her while you can.’ I pinched my arm. I wanted to wake up from the nightmare.’: Special needs dad recalls daughter’s journey, ‘Her spirit is contagious’
‘This is what the brink of 35 looks like. A D*MN imperfect woman, who likes this whole ‘aging’ thing.’: Mom shares thoughts on ‘life-changing experience’ of aging
“It looks like looking into a dirty mirror, taking a silent selfie I’ll surely put a filter on later, flashing a goofy-*ss grin, feeling proud I ran two miles, mowed the lawn, and got a shower in while the kids are at grandma’s. Then we remember, alas, it’s only Tuesday, and though the kiddies have a day off of school tomorrow, it’s back to work, the grind, and the monotony a typical Monday through Friday delivers.”
‘If I make her breakfast at 3 a.m. and wash her hair, maybe I can save her!’ I won’t tell her yet.’: Daughter takes care of mom before she passes, ‘I never gave up on you’
“‘Why me?’ she’d ask. But I was 22 and very much alive, how could I know? ‘We aren’t done fighting.’”
‘You need to prepare your son.’ I wasn’t ready for that. I fought attached to an IV pole. I wanted to LIVE.’: Mom with Cystic Fibrosis receives miracle drug, ‘We won the life lottery’
“My mama bear instincts told me to find another way. I told anyone who would listen what my dream for survival was. I fought until I required full-time oxygen.”
‘My mom is sick and can’t look after me.’ When someone asks, ‘What does adoption mean?’ he says, ‘It means I stay with my mama and dad forever.’: Couple foster 15 kids, adopt, ‘No child should go without love’
“The judge said, ‘When I stamp this, he is legally your son.’ I’ve never seen my husband cry like he did then. No child should ever go without love and safety. No child should ever have to worry about anything other than just being a kid.”
‘How can you hurt yourself when you’re pregnant?’ I wasn’t the mother I dreamed of being. I was scared, not excited.’: Woman recovers from self-harm addiction for son, ‘We’re not alone’
“My addiction was the only thing bringing me peace. Keeping it a secret made me feel stronger. I felt like I was going to let my son down before I even had him.”
‘We have some kids that might be a good fit.’ Did she say KIDS? As in plural? We became an instant family.’: Foster parents welcome sibling group, ‘We plan to spend forever loving them’
“A car pulled up. I held my breath and watched as the 2-year-old, in an act of pure bravery, walked by herself up our steps. She was crying. I didn’t know what to do, so I just opened my arms.”
‘I was alone in a dark delivery room. My husband called out, ‘Jill?’ His tone told me to brace myself.’: Mom births baby with Down syndrome, ‘She’s absolutely perfect’
“I had every negative thought you can think of. ‘Will she be okay? Will our lives revolve around hospital visits now?’ The little girl I envisioned was fading away.”
‘I’ve been a mom for 27 years. I still have no idea what I’m doing, but God does.’: Mom says ‘a family that prays together, stays together’
“I’ve watched him carry all the slack and fill in every gap as I’ve fumbled my way through the heart rush and heartache of raising three kids. When we pray, time seems to stand still. All the noise in the world fades, and we are able to experience the fullness of God’s abundant love.”
‘She’s been exposed to drugs.’ The last thing we needed was MORE kids. I accepted the challenge’: Mom of 4 opens home to foster kids, ‘It’s who we are now’
“The truth is, I needed another kid like I needed a hole in the head. Every place I looked, I would see something about foster care. God was trying to tell me something.”