“The mama who had ‘given up the chance at a good life to raise two young children.’ The one who had chosen ‘mama’ over ‘life.’ Full stop. I had to show them both how everyone else was wrong.”
‘I was the ‘teen mama with no prospects.’ But being a mom doesn’t mean your life has ended. Not even a little bit.’: Mom graduates nursing school with her children as inspiration, ‘I wouldn’t change a d*mn thing’
‘Your condition is dangerous.’ Blood came pouring out. I couldn’t live another day like this.’: Woman reveals ‘highs and lows’ of Crohn’s Disease, ‘I’m ready to take on what’s next’
“I ran to the bathroom thirty times a day, losing blood each time. I broke down and sobbed. I felt defeated by this disease. I was only a shadow of myself.”
‘When will you make your own babies?’ I’ve never been pregnant, but I am a mother. She doesn’t have my skin color, but her little arms reached for me the very first time I called her name.’: Adoptive mom details emotional journey, ‘She is our Plan A’
“It didn’t happen the way we had imagined or planned, but she was always our Plan A. Every pain, every setback, every prayer was all worth it. She may not have my eyes, my hair, or my skin color, but she has my heart. I can’t imagine loving my little girl as anything less than a true daughter.”
‘We don’t have a perfect relationship. We yell, we cry, we get into petty fights. But in the end, we’d give our lives for one another.’: Woman shares ode to sister, ‘God gave me my best friend through biology’
“No one can make me as angry as my sister. However, no one can make me feel more loved. God gave me my best friend through biology.”
‘I know you wanted to hide and eat a snack in peace. Maybe you did. Little fingers slid under the door to get to you.’: Woman reminds other moms ‘Mama, you did great today’
“I know it was a lot. It was loud and messy. You said things that were hurtful. It’s okay that today wasn’t perfect. No day will ever be.”
‘My 4-year-old came running. ‘Ms. Susan is bleeding. I need Band-Aids!’ He was by her side the whole time.’: Mom details sweet friendship between son and neighbor, ‘I am blown away’
“Every morning he gets up, brushes his teeth, and asks, ‘Can I go by Ms. Susan’s house?’ When she goes out of town, he gets upset and says, ‘She’s been gone for too long!’ She is the perfect best friend and neighbor my little boy could ask for.”
‘Is there a family history of cancer?’ I said, ‘I’m adopted. I have no idea.’ The search began.’: Adoptee reunites with birth family, ‘They accepted me with open arms’
“My whole life, I had wondered what she looked like. The social worker warned me. ‘It may not be what you thought or hoped for.’ This was really about to happen.”
‘Newborn strapped to my chest, I said, ‘I think we should foster.’ We knew it would take a village.’: Couple is ‘changed’ by foster care, ‘Our love grows each day’
“There have been some really hard days of tantrums, yelling, and crying. ‘Are we crazy? What are we doing?’ We wouldn’t be here without our village.”
‘I’m worried to give you the spot because of your hearing.’ I was mortified. I needed to prove him wrong.’: Student with hearing loss becomes advocate, ‘I’m proud of myself’
“The coach pulled me aside. ‘You have the skills, but I’m worried you’ll miss commands.’ I wasn’t about to let someone make assumptions based on my disability.”
‘Anthony was the ‘throw away child,’ in and out of foster care since 4 years old.’: Family adopt teen stuck in foster care
“At 6 years old, his brother died of child abuse. He was separated from his sisters, adopted without him. People could not see the child he was going to become. They only saw the broken child. ‘Is he available for adoption?’ I was ready to be his mama.”