“It’s just a couple kids sharing a table. There’s nothing I can do. But you should never have to sit that far away from your friends. I know it’s smart. I know it’s necessary. Then I stopped and I started to cry.”
‘I started to cry. You should never have to sit that far away from your friends.’: Mom talks social distancing and kids, ‘You don’t have to be emotionally distant’
‘Can you take 3 siblings?’ You question yourself. Am I in over my head? Don’t let the pain stop you.’: Foster mom gives tips on how to be successful, ‘Love is what defines a family’
“Who would be calling at this time of night? ‘Would you be interested in taking them?’ Your heart quickens and your breath deepens, both to an uncomfortable level. ‘Three kids? Really?’ You feel obligated to say yes.”
‘One line. Please, one line.’ I was 17, peeing on a stick in a McDonald’s bathroom. 3 minutes later, two pink lines showed my fate.’: Single teen mom becomes twin mom, birth mom, adoptive mom, and stepmom, now mom of 8
“The ultrasound tech made a funny face. ‘I’ll be right back.’ Moments later, she entered with another technician. ‘See this?’ she said. ‘This is baby A, and this is baby B.’ TWINS? From a one-night stand? I was 6 months pregnant when I came home from school to my dad wanting to talk. ‘Mom and I think you should give this child away.’ I was angry, heartbroken, and completely beside myself. 13 days later, I found myself in a courtroom.”
‘Mom, why are you keeping a homework assignment?’ I had to sit facing her. I wanted her to know I wasn’t afraid.’ Mom shares grief journey after losing daughter to cancer, ‘We’re going to be okay’
“We walk in the room, and stand quietly. I start to cry. Well, that was fast. One outfit sends you spinning into a memory. We had stopped at a light and flagged down a police officer to escort us. She was bleeding everywhere. The outfit was ruined.”
‘Do you want my boys? We don’t want them anymore.’ They were broken. We were at a crossroad.’: Mom adopts teenage twins, one with brain tumor, ‘We are still here as a family‘
“Tears would well up in Victor’s eyes. ‘Why didn’t she love me?’ Those days were over. ‘Mom? If I’m being admitted, it means I have to stay here, right?’ I said, ‘Then that means I’m staying here too.’ We were going to pick up the pieces.”
‘A guy passed me and asked, ‘Are you okay?’ I was preparing to jump into the cold lake and end everything once and for all.’: Suicide attempt survivor urges ‘the sun will shine again for you’
“My body was shaking. Handful after handful of pills, I could feel myself fading away. I remember the familiar sound of sirens blaring. ‘Lay still!’ I cried and screamed and tried to fight as they held me down. The nurse said, ‘I have to do this if I’m going to save your life and I have every intention of doing just that.’ I was begging to die.”
‘Nobody wants a woman with a handicapped child.’ Stories of affairs started. We both chose to hold on tight.’: Single, special needs mom finds true love, ‘He is my best friend’
“My son is 3 year-old trapped in a 20 year-old body. I had to care for him myself. Then Victor came to paint my kitchen. We talked for hours on end. Our able-bodied children disowned us. But Victor wanted to take care of me.”
‘You’re sure they didn’t mix up the vials?’ My healthy husband suddenly looked terrible. He developed a painful cough and couldn’t walk 100 feet.’: Woman births late husband’s son through IVF after leukemia battle
“My husband told the doctors not to resuscitate him. ‘What am I supposed to do without you?’ I remember telling the crew, ‘I am not leaving.’ I promised to hold his hand. ‘I am so proud of you and so grateful to have been your wife.’ His dream was to have children. I still had some of his sperm saved. I knew this would be the last time I saw him awake.”
‘I think my water broke!’ It was a dark, thick blood, flowing out of me. They worried I’d birth in the helicopter.’: Woman suffers placental abruption in traumatic childbirth, ‘I thank God she’s ok’
“I was bawling my eyes out, thinking, ‘No, no. My baby is gone.’ I could feel panic in the room. There were probably 20 people rushing around, getting me prepped. Half were for me, and half were for the baby when she was born.”
‘His opinions became my own. ‘You need to figure out who you are.’ I was terrified of being alone.’: After toxic relationship, woman turns to yoga, ‘I finally know who I am’
“‘What did I do wrong?’ It took many years to learn about that question. To say I was crushed is an understatement. I was numb. My ex-boyfriend was trying to teach me all along. Be selfish.”