“The next hour is a blur. She has until 12:30 to make her final decision and she is spending the morning cuddling her sweet boy.”
‘They tell us a baby boy has been born in Texas, our home state. They don’t know many details, but ask if we would be interested. I cannot imagine what she must be feeling.’
‘There is something wrong. She won’t open her eyes and is very weak.’ I drove to the babysitter’s house like a rocket! I collapsed in tears. Everything was chaos after that.’
“At lunchtime, I received a call no mother should ever receive. Who could be capable of hurting our baby? We trusted everyone around her.”
‘No matter what he says, we’ll be OK.’ He told us we had a .001% chance of conceiving on our own. ‘You’re pregnant, with twins!’: Foster mom becomes pregnant, ‘God doesn’t give you more than you can handle’
“My heart started racing. Why was she calling? ‘Would you be open to the placement of this sweet boy again?’ I blurted, “YES, of course.’ Then I started sobbing. How can I care for a toddler AND twins?”
‘As a little girl, I remember running in the forest over dead bodies, hearing gunshots, and seeing people killed by machetes. I don’t think we ever slept.’: Refugee shares overcoming painful past through ‘kind people’
“There was no looking back. Kids knew to hide, and run as fast as you could, even if you got separated from your parents.”
‘I find myself apologizing a lot lately. ‘Hey, I’m so sorry, can we reschedule?’ ‘Man, I forgot to respond to your text, I’m so sorry.’ I’m saying I’m sorry ALL. THE. TIME.’
“Can I be honest for a second? I don’t want to be apologizing anymore.”
‘Are you sure you want to marry her? She comes from a broken home. Her parents are divorced.’: Woman assures others they are not defined by something that happened in their past
“My heart sank into my stomach as I read those words. They were written in a letter addressed to my soon to be husband.”
‘What’s going on, dear?’ Weeping, I shamefully got in the front seat. The veins in my neck bulging like a hose.’: Woman living in ‘epic bliss’ after overcoming extreme PTSD, ‘I transformed from victim to viking’
“‘Stay with us Katie, stay with us.’ I either had the option of being victim to my trauma or I had to stare at it head on, whatever that meant. I trusted her. I had to put on my big girl panties and fiercely bring light to my inside compass. At a ripe 19-years-old, I wasn’t expecting to be fighting for my life, especially at a random house party.”
‘Every doctor told me, ‘He will be brain damaged. We just have to see how much.’ They wanted to put me under, but I said, ‘If I am put under, I will never wake up.’
“Something felt ‘off.’ She noticed the same thing. Then, things moved quickly. They had never seen this happen.”
‘The mother left them like this. Our 3-year-old Lily looks up at me longingly. ‘Mommy, can baby stay?’: Family founds children’s hospital to help orphans
“’How old is he?’ I asked. ‘More than 4,’ the relative said quietly. ‘Months?’ I asked. ‘No, 4 years,’ he clarified. ‘This is his twin sister,’ he said pointing to Selena. There were no shoes, socks, or undergarments. I pressed him against my body, attempting to cover him as best I could as we passed the crowds of school children on the street.”
‘He looks at me. ‘What’s wrong?’ I respond, ‘I’ve been punched by your son and your daughter has done a massive poop in the bath.’: Mom recounts funny ‘stay at home mom’ instance
“He hands me a paper towel. I mean dude, what the hell am I gonna do with a paper towel? Dry the poop? Soak the bath water?”