“I was loving life and living my dream…yet I knew I wanted more.”
I Became An Adoptive Mom At 50, Because It’s Never Too Late To Live Your Dreams
‘Someone commented on my postpartum appearance. I cried instantly. You have a choice, every day. Will you heal or will you hurt?’: New mom receives hurtful comment, ‘It did a number on my heart’
“It did a number on my already-raw heart. A week later, I was FaceTiming my mother-in-law. I kept the camera angled towards my husband Luke—careful to ensure no one caught a glimpse of my healing body I was suddenly insecure about. During the call, I was thrust into the camera view.”
’26 years ago, he was laid into my arms for the first time. Love settled on me like a weighted blanket. I prayed for his health and happiness with every inch of my heart space.’: Mom says ‘the dreams we dare to dream for our children really do come true’
“Last weekend, we met on the dance floor for our mother-son dance at his wedding. This time when our eyes met, time stopped and his entire childhood flashed before me—every milestone and precious memory rose to the surface of my heart, slaying me to the core. Just yesterday, I was rocking him to sleep.”
‘Mismatched socks. In a world filled with chaos, mismatched socks add joy to my day.’: Mom urges ‘there are bigger battles’
“Keeping track of those stubborn mates for four girls is near impossible. Actually, it IS an impossible task, and I’m not willing or ready to even begin to tackle it.”
‘They let children go to TWO MEN? And she’s BLACK!’ She stood with a pen in one hand and paper in the other.’: Gay dads encounter judgement, ‘See the love, not the people”
“’How’d you get her?’ I responded, ‘We adopted her.’ Her eyes bulged. ‘I’m just in shock. TWO WHITE MEN?’’
‘I can’t foster. I’m a single mom!’ I dropped my daughter off at school and the phone rang. It was just the beginning.’: Mom becomes foster parent, ‘My singleness was a gift’
“Never in a million years did I think I’d be taking on foster care. ’Would you welcome in a 12-year-old girl?’ She was just 3 months older than my daughter.”
‘I asked Audonte what he wanted for his birthday. ‘Just some cupcakes.’ Every day, he’s at the park by himself.’: Mom shares act of kindness for wandering boy at park, ‘It takes a village’
“Audonte is at the park every single day and never has anyone with him. He’s become like a 4th son to me.”
‘They aren’t mine to keep.’ She can’t leave her husband. They’re just as scared as I am.’: Foster mom fights for reunification, ‘I want families to be whole again’
“‘I couldn’t give them back.’ It can happen to anyone. She can’t make it without you.”
‘Did I make you feel invisible, like you didn’t matter?’ I felt torn in two. Her needs surpassed yours, and I couldn’t change it.’: Autism mom pens touching letter to son, ‘You are my life raft’
“You went on to say it’s okay, and it’s not her fault, and it’s not my fault. It’s just what is. I cry as I type this.”
‘I heard him opening the safe. I asked what he was doing. I thought he fell. That’s when I saw the smoke and his lifeless body next to me.’: Woman loses husband to suicide, ‘Have courage and talk about the hard things’
“At 6 a.m., he got up to get a glass of water. I do not know what he actually drank, but when he came back into the bedroom, I heard him opening the safe. The next thing I knew, I heard a loud noise.”