“I was taught that men do not cry, so all of my emotions were kept inside. When the day came, I was extremely nervous. I changed my mind over 15 times. I was sweating and told myself I couldn’t do it. But I knew I had to.”
‘I came out during my valedictorian speech. For years, I kept my secret hidden until it ate away at my conscience. I cut everyone off, paranoid they’d notice.’
‘Instead of decorating a nursery or washing tiny clothes, I had to explain to your toddler sisters why you’re an angel.’: Family shares 1 ‘quick, beautiful’ hour with newborn son before his last breaths
“Little Fitz, oh how I wish we could bring you home. It pains me knowing we won’t be able to see you take your first steps or spit out mushed-up peas. I won’t be able to see a brace-faced boy awkwardly place a corsage on a girl’s wrist before a high school dance, freak out in a parking lot when teaching you to drive, or help you move into your college dorm. I wonder what you would’ve been like, what you would’ve done, and how you’d change the world.”
‘I yelled, ‘My baby can’t see me! What’s wrong?!’ They looked at me. ‘You know EXACTLY what happened to your baby. You shook her, threw her against the wall and bashed her head on the floor.’
“She appeared sleepy, so I laid her down in her crib. I figured since she was sleeping, I could wash my hair, but something told me to check on her again. ‘Momma someone tried to kill my baby, momma my baby, who hurt my baby?!’ I fell to the floor in tears, but her father appeared calm.”
‘7 years ago, Chase was taken from this Earth too early in a tragic car accident. Charlie was just 9 months old when his Daddy became an angel. I drove away crying. I couldn’t understand it.’
“Momma didn’t share very many details with me, and I didn’t ask her how she’s survived, or is surviving. But I witnessed it instead. I felt a frog in my throat as I looked at the resemblance of him and his Daddy.”
‘I no longer speak to my mom. Every day, I wonder about her. I look in the mirror and see her staring back. But I have to choose me over her.’
“Every day, I’m reminded that I’ve never felt the love of a mom. I know if I open the door to her, she’ll destroy me and all the progress I’ve made. I’m hurt and sad, but I’m also better off. You do not need to have a toxic person in your life just because you share DNA.”
‘My husband and I do NOT have a perfect marriage. We sought the help of a marriage counselor. We argue. Do I know we will live ‘Happily ever after’? No.’
“Stepping into this with 3 divorces, 4 kids and 1 career in law enforcement between us, we knew the odds of our family surviving were slim.”
‘You can have kids. Why adopt a BROWN baby? Look at that pretty blonde baby you made!’: Mom proud of her ‘beautiful biracial family’ despite hate and ‘constant stares’
“My siblings have brown curly hair, big brown eyes, and cocoa-colored skin. I have blonde hair, light skin, and blue eyes. We could not look more different from one another. But they have been my family since the moment I was born. I don’t know anything different.”
‘I took a hike into the woods. I see a man sitting around a fire. He was upset. He feels like he has no one. I sat and talked with him, and gave him numbers to call for assistance. He refused.’
“About 45 minutes into the playlist, a song played. ‘Can I borrow your phone?,’ he asked. I said yes. ‘I miss home. I want to go home,’ he said. I took in a deep breath; the goose bumps came over me and I realized THIS was the feeling.”
‘May we have our ball back?,’ the mom asked. She was ignored. Second attempt. No luck. ONE more time. The boy gave her careless smirk, then went back to ignoring her.’
“I kept watching. This time, the husband, calm as could be, approached the young boy. ‘May we have our ball back?,’ he asked. I could see the shock on his face. The boy’s mother wasn’t oblivious to what was happening. She SAW it go down.”
‘Breastfeed for a year, minimum. But not after 2, that makes you perverted. Also, not in public or anywhere that men might be unable to control themselves and leave their wives for you.’
“If you work, make sure you pump every 2 hours, but don’t let your performance at work fail. If you have to leave work early because they’re sick, please note you will be considered lazy and privileged, so don’t get offended if Bobby from IT gives you eye rolls.”