“A neighbor at a playgroup asked all the kids to go around the room and say what color they were. They all laughed when it was Eli’s turn. He said he was white, like everyone else did. They made sure he left knowing he wasn’t.”
‘For us, he was only ever our son. Not our black or adopted son. Even though most folks find him adorable right now, they might feel differently when he dates their daughters.’ Mom adopts black child, hopes for more acceptance for his future
‘I am the person who listens to you cry as you’re begging your mother to take another breath.’
“To my kids, please understand when I’m strict and paranoid wanting to track your every movement, it’s because I know a child didn’t make it home to their family that day.”
‘His dad said loudly, ‘Oh hush, you were worse. You know? You would scream so loud, run up and down the tables, throw things. Your mother and I stopped going out because of you.’
One of the kids stood up on the chair and said a big ‘hello!’ The guy immediately looked down, and wouldn’t look up. The kid was trying to get his attention and say hi, but the guy looked at his partner and rolled his eye
‘I drove home crying, feeling forgotten. That same night, I received a call. ‘We have a 4-day old baby in the NICU who needs a family. We think it should be you.’
“I got home and, on a whim, took a test. It was POSITIVE. Let me remind you, we NOW have a 3-year-old, 2-year-old, 9-month-old, and two foster daughters, ages 2 and 7. Okay, you are just messing with us, right?”
‘We are forgetting about our boys and that’s not OK.’
“Article after article is about raising daughters, not sons. And, when I do come across an essay on raising sons, it’s about how and why we need to raise our boys with particular values for the sake of the females and daughters of the world. This is something I’m not entirely on board with.”
‘My daughter looked up at me. ‘What’s that,’ she innocently asked. I wiped away tears. ‘I miss your brother and sister.’ She leaned her head against mine. ‘I miss them too,’ she whispered.’
“As I opened her closet door, something tumbled to the ground. I reached down and picked up the small storage container, knowing instantly what was inside. I took a deep breath as I rubbed my fingers across the sticker that said ‘hospital things.’”
‘I’m sorry, but I don’t think he’s going to make it.’ I sat flabbergasted, tears instantly streaming. This was not how this day was supposed to go.’
“We were so stunned when the doctor informed us our baby didn’t stand a chance. I began questioning his claims. He became increasingly uncomfortable. He finally excused himself, but not before adding, ‘and if by some miracle he lives, he will never walk.’”
‘As I wheeled the adoptive mom out toward the elevator, I could see her shoulders shaking with sobs. I knelt down beside her and took her hand in mine.’
“She looked deep into my soul and cried, ‘How can something that is so painful for someone, bring me so much joy?'”
‘I was 20, got drugged, sexually assaulted and pregnant. ‘Why did you keep the baby?’ Well, this baby was a MIRACLE.’: Single mom overcomes abusive relationship to find her ‘prince charming’
“When my son was 10 months old, I fell in love with a guy who I thought was the one. I was positive I was going to marry him. Everything was great – or so it seemed. He would go through my phone. He’d go from saying how much he loved my child, to saying he would hit him after taking his diaper off. Later, I met my price charming. Did I mention he was excited to date a single mom? I have a keeper.”
‘Did you just see that? Is anyone watching this? Mom just stripped down and gave me her tank top.’ I love that she gets it. She was in awe actually.’
“A few nights ago we ran out of brownies before Sam could have seconds. Mine was still on my napkin, so I offered it to him. Kate replied, ‘Sam, if you take that, Mom won’t even be a stump. You’ll be digging the actual stump up out of the ground.’”
