“The first few weeks of motherhood felt very lonely. I felt so uncomfortable in my body and was searching for someone, anyone, to relate to. I saw other moms celebrating their postpartum bodies, but I could never find another plus size mother who was celebrated in the same way.”
“That’s how I knew he was the one: I didn’t care.”
“If she uses a Snapchat filter every time she takes a picture because it makes her feel pretty, let her do it. If she takes gym selfies to track her progress every day, let her do it. If she poses the same way in every picture because she likes that angle of her body the best, let her do it.”
“My husband, Jonas, began to look pale. We both chalked it up to jet lag and went on with the week. We had two small children and I was 14 weeks pregnant with our third, so being tired wasn’t out of the norm. Later that week, even picking up the kids’ toys would make him dizzy. Another week went by, all the while he continued to ride his bicycle over 20 miles a day. He came home that night after riding and had almost passed out while riding. ‘Enough is enough.’ I figured it couldn’t hurt to go to the doctor.”
“I stood and stared at myself half-naked. I missed pre-pregnancy me. I missed how my jeans used to fit. How I didn’t have to wear Spanx when I wore something fitted. I missed the way my boobs looked in a bra that actually fit me. I missed it all.”
“During my dad’s visit, he reminded me of a story that helped me to accept everything happens for a reason. I️ don’t think it was a coincidence I received the email on my daughter’s second birthday, September 6th. But I’ll let you decide.”
“Riley’s response when we left was, ‘Mom, this is why kids have anorexia or feel like they want to hurt themselves.’ She is exactly right!”
“These scars are my war marks of fighting to LIVE.”
“‘Is she OK? Who is watching her?’ Who could possibly love her like he does, to know what being apart is doing to his heart? He doesn’t understand why no one will listen. Why no one realizes how much she needs him, and more importantly, how much he needs her.”
“I set him down as I cleared away the fancy bowl of potpourri that was not helping this situation. I was about 25 wipes into the situation when, to make the mess worse, he starts projectile vomiting while I am changing him.”
