“On top of a pandemic, I heard the words I’d hoped to never hear: ‘Your cancer is back.’ It seems my son had been talking about how much he missed me on his school bus each time I went to the hospital. Mrs. Hammonds went above and beyond to make us feel so special and loved.”
“I felt cheated from having a good father who’d watch me grow up, dance with me at my wedding. Father’s Day may be extremely hard to get through, but you’re complete with or without. You are enough.”
“The doctor said, ‘Someone up there really is looking down on you. Someone up there really wants you to be a mom. There are THREE healthy heartbeats beating here.’ SORRY, WHAT?! That was the moment life changed forever.”
“I was 30 years old and living with my four children in my mother’s basement. I lost the family I’d grown to love. I’ve lived life with my small family, working every day, paying my mortgage. I did that. I felt fulfilled. I never knew I wasn’t until Amber 2.0 was created.”
“I chose to workout BEFORE going to check on a friend who’d just been in a car accident.”
“For almost 30 years, I watched my mom be an advocate. I heard the words, ‘Your baby will be born with Down syndrome.’ I knew my daughter would be okay.”
“‘It’s okay, Mommy’s here.’ Your eyes roll back as every muscle in your body tenses. The monitor starts beeping as your oxygen levels drop. You have 50 or more seizures in a day.”
“I was devastated. I thought all my growth would lead to a healthier marriage. I never could’ve guessed what all of that growth was really preparing me for.”
“Alcohol never left me, broke up with me, or rejected me. By the time I realized I needed to slow down, the brakes were off, and I had no control.”
“The harder I tried, the more I knew I didn’t fit in. I was hated by those who were supposed to love me, and I hated myself. If I can thrive, anyone can do it.”
