“Everyone has scars. I happen to visibly wear mine for the world to see.”
‘A friend expressed concern about our plans. ‘It scares me to look at you because of your eyes.’: Young woman with 1 in a million OFCD embraces ‘divine uniqueness’
12-Year-Old Starts Nonprofit Providing Kindness For Less Fortunate In His Community
“Even with the pandemic hitting nationwide, that has not stopped me from doing what I love the most, helping the less fortunate. I will always spread kindness anyway I can. It’s just glued in my heart.”
‘I ripped off the dress that was now too tight. Then, out of rage, I ripped it in half, tears pouring down my face.’: Mom accepts postpartum body changes
“It’s okay to sometimes break down during postpartum. It’s okay to be sad about your transformation with each pregnancy, or to not love your postpartum body at times.”
‘He would tease me for ‘waddling across the room.’ I felt wildly inadequate and humiliated.’: Woman shares relationship with diet culture, advice for others during the holidays
“‘You can jump off the wagon now,’ they say. But the moment we wake up on January 1, we have to ‘get back on track’ with an extreme diet to ‘undo’ all the ‘bad behavior’ of the holidays.”
I Gave My Kids $7 Each, And It Started A Christmas Kindness Tradition
“We wanted our children to learn about kindness and being part of this outreach.”
‘Want 3 boys? 3, 5, and 6?’ Something was tugging on our hearts, encouraging us to take another chance.’: Mom candidly shares ‘deep love’ and heartbreak of foster care
“This time, we said goodbye to three. THREE. Losing one was hard enough, but three? A friend and fellow foster mom texted me and reminded me our kids aren’t ever really ‘ours.'”
‘My struggles were passed off because of ‘my Christian upbringing and shy temperament.’ The best way to survive was to fly under the radar.’: Mom diagnosed with autism at 29
“My heart beat violently in my chest and my face prickled hot with anxiety. ‘I think I might actually be autistic…’ It could’ve cost me all I held dear: my husband, my daughter, even my independence.”
I Photographed Twins—One Earthside And One In Heaven—And It Will Stick With Me Forever
“Back in August I took maternity photos for a friend having identical twin boys. Unfortunately, one of those twins only joined us for 24 hours on earth, before leaving to join the angels in Heaven. I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to capture these images for this sweet family.”
When It Comes To Postpartum Moms, The Most Valuable Help Has Nothing To Do With The Baby At All
“While holding a fresh baby might be fabulous for you, it isn’t necessarily helpful for her.”
Dear Special Needs Child, The World Has Failed You
“We returned to IEP world today. I listened for over an hour of how far behind you are. Of how and where you struggle. Parenting was easy from preschool to elementary. There were so many services and supports. Then they ended. Some days I don’t even know the question, let alone the answers.”