“I felt free. I felt like I was following my inner warrior as she told me how to do the right thing for this child. I had no job, no savings, and was in no place to raise a baby alone. I wanted more for this sweet child.”
‘I was holding my 4th pregnancy test. I know, birth control is a thing. I had to consider another adoption.’: Single mom pursues open adoption twice, ‘I was scared this would define me’
‘While walking through Walmart, we noticed his body becoming swollen. ‘Do not go home. Do not stop. Go directly to the hospital.’: Child with Eosinophilic Esophagitis survives near-death staph infection
“His fever had gone up to 101.5 We are usually sent home with antibiotics and told to come back a few days later. This time was different. ‘You are lucky you came in when you did, because if you would have waited, he would be dead.’”
‘Our seniors are still staying home. We wanted to do something meaningful. It was so worth it!’: Mom group hosts car parade for senior center, ‘The world could use some kindness’
“We were able to love on them from our cars and sent lots of smiles. Our children learned to be generous with their time and how to be kind.”
‘My MARRIED Corporal would call me drunk at all hours of the night, calling me ‘baby.’ I was punished for not wanting to socialize with him outside of work.’: Female veteran, assault survivor says ‘we are all Vanessa Guillen’
“I was young and naïve when I left home at 18 years old to join the Marine Corps. I remember lying awake in my empty barracks as Marines knocked on my door saying, ‘I’m gonna get you first.’ I was harassed and accused of ‘sleeping my way through the ranks.’ I quickly realized not everyone in the Corps was my ‘brother’ or ‘sister.'”
‘It’s a girl, but they saw something.’ I was told, ‘You only have a week to decide.’ I saw her and my heart dropped.’: Mom to daughter with Down syndrome adopts baby with special needs, ‘Our girls make our family better’
“I saw her and my heart stopped. I tried to scroll past, but I couldn’t. We took a HUGE leap of faith.”
‘He was too small to be saved. Have $120,000 cash ready if you want to move forward.’ Our jaws hit the floor.’: Sister becomes surrogate after unexplained infertility, still birth
“At 22 weeks, I started getting swollen. I gained 16 pounds in a week. ‘I advise you not to carry another pregnancy.’ We felt lost and alone until a glimmer of hope entered our lives.”
‘Miranda, you can’t be in that much pain. You’re being a killjoy. Knock it off.’ I was popping Advil. I lost all feeling in my leg.’: Teen battles Ewing’s Sarcoma after being written off, ‘I am a survivor, not a statistic’
“I was 15 and no one took me seriously. One day, the neurologist came back in and said, ‘Miranda, there’s no easy way to say this. We found something in your spine.’ Panic. Blackness. I nearly passed out. I was treated without any consent, which still haunts me to this day. I was hallucinating for 36 hours straight.”
‘My heart dropped. WHAT? ‘You have to tell me now!’ I will never look at this photo and not remember.’ Mom receives fetal Down syndrome diagnosis,’I’m so blessed to be on this ‘wheel of life’
“Ten minutes after taking this picture, we’d receive the most memorable phone call of our lives. ‘Have you thought about what you’re going to do?’ Trisomy 21. He was cold and very matter-of-fact.”
‘Aly, you need to drive home.’ He never asked me to drive. He was supposed to walk me down the aisle.’: Daughter remembers father in beautiful way, ‘he’s my guiding star’
“He hunched over as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He saw how worried I was. ‘Aly, you need to drive the rest of the way home.’ I knew something was incredibly wrong. I am forever grateful for the 3 months I had with him.”
‘I woke up screaming. My husband was next to me sleeping. I kept saying to myself, ‘Just do the next thing.’: Mom comes to terms with mental health struggles, ‘This is anxiety’
“The doctor prescribed a liver cleanse. They weren’t listening. I was devastated. I told myself I was lazy. I called another doctor. Together we made a plan.”