“‘Can I hold him?’ I went in with an open heart, not knowing what to expect, and my heart came back full. I HAD to do something.”
‘The house had no roof or door. He was lying on a towel. ‘You should adopt him!’ He was abandoned with his sisters.’: Couple adopts siblings after missionary work
Instead Of Hiding My Burn Scars, I Wear Them Like Diamonds
“Pressure makes diamonds. After all I’ve been through, I’m almost indestructible, with a sparkle to match.”
‘When are you hopping on the baby train?’ I didn’t want a baby. I wanted to spend my money on traveling and selfish things, not diapers.’: New mom says motherhood is ‘easily the best thing to happen to me’
“Even after 7 years of marriage, a baby was the furthest thing from my mind. I felt like I was being left behind. ‘How can a teacher not want kids? Am I a good person?’ The idea of having kids was terrifying.”
‘It’s okay, Mommy, just breeaathe.’ My toddler was mirroring my emotions. I knew we were onto something.’: Mom creates ‘peaceful habits’ during pandemic, ‘Focus on what matters most’
“I felt like I was drowning. I needed to up my self-care game or I’d lose it. We were not the only ones experiencing these challenges. I was definitely not alone! It was time to share the discoveries we’d made.”
‘If it happens, it happens.’ I stared at the negative test. I was right, but it still stung. My body had betrayed me.’: Endometriosis warrior shares motherhood journey, ‘My dream came true’
“There was a HUGE chance I’d never get pregnant. My hands were shaking. I turned the test over. ‘Wait, what?’ After seeing negative after negative, you don’t think you’ll ever see a positive.”
‘Mom asked, ‘Will boys find you attractive?’ But I wasn’t a boy OR a girl. I acted feminine to avoid bullying.’: Non-binary person shares journey, ‘I want my body to feel like mine’
“I destroyed all my relationships because I was living a lie. ‘Will people think I’m a freak?’ I wanted to be proud of who I was.”
‘The doctor said, ‘Do you know what this might mean?’ I felt CHEATED. ‘There’s NOTHING wrong with him!’ I had to ‘fix it.’: Mom of autistic son navigates challenges, ‘I embrace him for who he is’
“She saw him and said, ‘’My grandson has it, too.’ What? I was in denial.”
‘My child’s teacher tossed a grenade into my well-manicured world. ‘Stella reminds me of a girl I used to teach.’ Once I saw the images, I knew.’: Mom advocates for daughter with Williams Syndrome
“As I walked to my car, I couldn’t type those words into the search bar fast enough. Williams Syndrome. I was completely blindsided. That’s when I left the old version of me.”
‘Your baby LOOKS sick.’ His lips were blue and he’d lost 4 pounds. We hadn’t realized he was slowly fading.’: Baby diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, ‘His diagnosis doesn’t define him’
“He’d been nursing nonstop and drinking large amounts of water. He woke up soaked. ‘His hands and feet are freezing.’ It was 75 degrees outside. His body was attacking itself.”
‘You don’t even like kids.’ But there they were, two pink lines. I laughed. There was no way I could raise a girl.’: New mom shares reality of motherhood, ‘It’s okay not to love every second’
“It wasn’t that I didn’t like kids. It’s just I never felt motherly enough. I was still selfishly self-absorbed. ’Maybe my career is my main focus.’ It’s funny how things change, isn’t it? She changed me.”