“We closed the door on having biological children. I woke up to ten missed calls from my husband. ‘I know how we’re going to grow our family!’ We’d just found our greatest blessing.”
‘Your chances of naturally conceiving are less than 1%.’ I’d spent half my life dreaming of being a mom. I was shattered.’: Couple share ‘miraculous’ parenthood journey, ‘Life is precious’
‘Shayla, stop bothering me!’ Now, 7 years later, I’d give anything to hear her call to me. I long to hear my baby say, ‘Mommy.’: Autism mom shares daughter’s diagnosis, ‘We’re her voice’
“We knew it was coming. I thought I was prepared to hear it, to see it made official. I was not. ‘She has autism.’ I was in denial. How could I have done this to my baby?”
‘My cousin is pregnant and incarcerated.’ Could it be real? I told him, ‘This MIGHT be the answer to our prayers.’: Couple pens emotional adoption journey, ‘She WILL know where she came from’
“I took one look at her and said, ‘She’s perfect.’ We had to sit nervously and wait. It was the most nerve-wracking 24 hours of my life.”
‘If you had autism, you’d be a unicorn.’ My social life was thriving, but I was a mess on the inside. I hated not being myself.’: Woman shares autism diagnosis journey, ‘My differences are a gift’
“I was told I was special or unique. I was the center of attention, and not in a good way. From the clothes I wore to the things I said, everything was wrong. I couldn’t fit in with the ‘normal’ people.”
‘Oh god, did I just pee myself?!’ I watched the midwife’s face suddenly drop. ‘I am SO sorry, but your amniotic sac has broken.’ I was only 18 weeks pregnant.’: Mom births warrior 1-pound baby, ‘I’m holding a living, breathing miracle’
“The doctors gave me pitiful looks and left the room. I sat there, alone, stunned. Miscarry?! Was that even a term they used at 18 weeks pregnant?! My baby had a heartbeat. I put my hand on my stomach; I could feel little flutters in my stomach. No, I thought. I’m not miscarrying. Not today.”
‘I live in physical agony. The sea welcomed me into her icy embrace. The first touch of water began to lick my pain away.’: Chronic illness warrior finds pain relief, ‘The tools are within us’
“No reservations of nerves played on my mind. I tasted the salted air and strode into the ocean. You begin to realize nothing really mattered but your mind, your focus, your control. ‘Until next time, my love. I will be back.’”
After 1,460 Days Of Battling Infertility, I Gave Birth To Miracle Twins
“Three years into the adoption process, I had a strange urge to take a pregnancy test.”
‘We need Native American families for these kids. Are you interested?’ It took us two seconds to say, ‘Yes, we’re ready.’: Foster mom shares journey, ‘Every child deserves a family’
“When you hold these sweet babies in your arms, you’re entrusted with a lot. They need you showing up for them, fighting for them. No one else is doing it. All you need is a heart that has room to love them. Everything else falls into place.”
‘Whatever it is, we can fix it.’ She was exceeding milestones, then she started regressing.’: Parents pass law to save others after losing daughter to Krabbe disease
“Justin asked, ‘Is she okay?’ They said, ‘Yes, she is perfect!’ We heard a knock on the door. Our world shattered. I prayed they’d find a cure.”
‘We think you have depression.’ I felt like a freak. What would people say? I thought no one could ‘fix’ me.’: Woman becomes mental health advocate, ‘This is my purpose’
“I started skipping classes. My family called me, but I ignored them. I didn’t actually know what depression was. All I knew about it were the cheesy commercials advertising anti-depressants. I felt ashamed of myself.”