“She was playing basketball with all the neighborhood kids in our front yard when I got home from work. My heart fluttered. ‘What the heck am I doing? Can I even be a good mom? I know NOTHING.’ I walked up and tried to say hello to her.”
‘You would have to be prepared to adopt.’ My heart stopped fluttering; it just stopped. ‘How am I even allowed to be doing this?’: Woman becomes transracial foster mom, ‘We are the lucky ones’
‘She’s not just gone to the grocery store or gone on vacation, but she’s gone so far she’s never coming back.’: Motherless daughter shares reality of grief and loss
“It’s buying her cards for her birthday and not having an address to send them to. It’s asking her old friends and family members to tell you the same stories about her, over and over again. This is the life of a motherless daughter.”
‘He found her playing with a used drug syringe. ‘The kids can all come here!’ I didn’t even stop to talk to my husband.’: Couple fosters 5 siblings, deals with ‘roller coaster’ of 7 kids
“’Hey, I was thinking…’ I am the queen of crazy ideas. This was a single father with five children, ages 12 to 1. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn’t even hesitate.”
‘The manager said, ‘Could you please re-tell me your card number?’ I thought about the disrespect I’d seen this past week.’: Mom advocates for kindness after post office visit
“I was in my local post office sending a package. I realized our soup was missing. USPS. I think I’ll survive without mail for a few days.”
‘They blatantly said, ‘Stop having kids, it’s too much.’ Without restraint, we had babies 9 and 10.’: Birth mom to 10 says ‘I didn’t plan this, but I am so blessed!’
“People are curious. I’m a petite woman. They ask, ‘Are they ALL yours…like, came out of your body?’ When I say yes, they follow up with, ‘…How did you do it?’ I don’t. WE do it together.”
‘There are moments I think, ‘Can I give the baby back? I’m not cut out for this.’ And yet, there is nothing and no one else in the world who matters more.’: Mom shares candid reality of first month of motherhood
“I’m both eager for him to be able to hold his head up on his own and asking time to stand still so I can keep him this size in my arms forever. No book, YouTube video, or class could have prepared me for motherhood.”
‘His belly looks distended.’ Suddenly, he wasn’t fine. They had to run tests, but I just knew. I prayed a million prayers.’: Preemie saved by NICU nurse, ‘His personality shines’
“Things didn’t go as planned. Usually, when they call, they start by saying everything is fine. They did not say that. We had to learn how to touch him without causing him pain.”
Dear Society: Having Kids Doesn’t Entitle You To A Handicap Parking Spot
“I know your hands are full. I know it doesn’t feel like a big deal. I know other people are doing it. I know it’s a small store and there aren’t many patrons. I know it’s only for a few minutes. I know. I know. I know. AND I DON’T CARE.”
‘I can do it all!’ I was on the verge of tears at any given moment. And then COVID-19 hit.’: Pandemic reminds teacher ‘to savor and enjoy moments without thinking about the next thing’
“I went from being a youth pastor’s wife, youth leader, and teacher, to all of those things PLUS a mom of a pre-teen and teenager. My body screamed, ‘YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT,’ but my mind responded, ‘I don’t know how.’ Then, we were forced to stay home in our pajamas.”
‘Once this pile almost reached the ceiling. Now, it’s my turn to make a pile. Up in the closet on the high shelf, for future you.’: Mom has realization her son is growing up too fast
“‘You can’t get rid of this one. This is Tony the pony! Remember? You named him when you were four, and we all laughed and laughed because it was so cute.’ If I’m honest, half of that pile wouldn’t still be there if it weren’t for me begging to let them stay. It hit me, this pile won’t even be here in another year or two.”