“We scheduled a secret meeting in the woods. We slid down the hill and walked farther and farther away from carnival rides, screams, laughs, and funnel cake air. Phone in my hand, I looked down in an outer body experience to realize ‘911’ had been punched in. This was my turning point. I was terrified of the boy I loved.”
‘If I can’t have you…nobody will.’ I’d hear breathing on end of random calls. I was being watched, followed, tormented.’: Teen dating abuse survivor shares ‘warning signs’
‘People say, ‘You’re so strong.’ I didn’t want to be strong. I wanted to be pregnant, and we were willing to do whatever it took.’: Couple battling infertility say ‘the future will be beautiful’
“It’s odd being THAT couple. We began to truly wonder: are children just not in our future?”
‘As I lay food on the dining table, my phone vibrates. A short, familiar text lights up the screen. Hubby: late.’: Woman shares ode to the ‘working man’
“This man of ours has worked those hands to the bone since day one. Since the 1st Response showed that 2nd pink line, he went to work. And he’s never stopped working. Never will stop working. For us.”
‘Mommy and Deanna, I love you both, and it hurts me when you say bad things.’ Ashamed, we went from enemies to sisters.’: Mom shares journey to peaceful co-parenting
“Our first meeting nearly came to blows. It escalated quickly after that: passive-aggressive texts and Facebook posts (and even people spying for us). Heated meetings and phone calls. Constant jabs and undermining each other. Now, we are stitched together forever through the love of our children, and for the love we have for one another.”
‘What happens when my parents find out? Will they send me back to the Philippines?’ I suppressed my feelings.’: LGBT transracial adoptee candidly shares story
“A stranger asked my mom, ’Why would you do that?’ She didn’t expect to see a brown-skinned baby with brown eyes. I’m tired of having to explain my family to strangers.”
‘I can’t do it anymore.’ She was crying. For the first time ever, I felt I didn’t know her.’: Twin shares story of sister’s suicide to raise awareness, ‘I’ll never be whole again’
“‘I am so proud of you, and I love you.’ She hung up on me. I didn’t believe her at first. At 1:38 a.m., I received the email. ‘I am about to jump off the Market St. bridge…’”
‘We had one egg left, but couldn’t afford it. ‘I can be happy with just the four of us.’ It dawned on me… I never got my period.’: Mom battling infertility welcomes ‘miracle’ twins
“The moment the doctor turned on the ultrasound screen, there was a pause. ‘Remind me, did I give you anything to help trigger this pregnancy?’ Worried, we quickly replied, ‘No.’ She smiled even bigger and announced, ‘There are TWO babies in there!’”
‘If I’m not in a relationship when I’m 30, I’m using a sperm donor!’ I never took it seriously.’: Single mom by choice pens journey, ‘I hope she’s proud to be my daughter’
“‘I thought I ‘d be married long before now!’ I had to mourn the life I thought I’d have.”
‘Were my jeans too tight? Should I have NEVER used tampons? We were not in control.’: LGBTQ mom shares journey to motherhood, urges ’embrace the suck and keep perspective’
“’We’re pregnant!’ Thank the LORD the lights were off so no one could see my tears. The concept of ‘deserving to be parents’ is a privilege too many take for granted.”
‘I want to be Tiana for Halloween!’ he screamed. I stopped listening to others and listened to my kid.’: Mom shares gender fluid parenting journey, ‘Every kid deserves happiness’
“My daughter was so upset. ‘All the kids will make fun of him!’ She began to cry. Each time I look at that picture, my heart melts because I remember the lesson learned that morning.”
‘I was at a baby shower when I started to bleed. All I could think of was sitting in a cold ultrasound room, hearing those words, ‘I’m sorry.’: Couple shares heartbreaking infertility story
“I gave birth on our bathroom floor. My husband held my hand tightly, telling me it’d be okay when we knew it wouldn’t. With tears in our eyes, we said goodbye to another baby.”
Doctors Tested For Everything BUT Autism and ADHD
“I started jerking my head and losing control of my body. I was hitting myself, swearing and shouting. I was beyond frustrated.”
‘She looks different. So what? Who doesn’t?’: Mom to daughter with rare conditions urges ‘being different IS normal’
“We got the most life-altering news. Our baby’s left arm curved in and her right leg was underdeveloped. Her thumb was missing all of its bones. She’s literally the only person in the world like her.”
‘No, GOD NO!’ He was face up in the lake, in his dinosaur footie pajamas.’: Mom recounts son’s near drowning experience, ‘I cherish every second with him’
“My dad ran down to the lake saying, ‘NO BUDDY!’ There were SO many people around I couldn’t get to him. Another fire truck showed up, because my dad was also having a heart attack from the trauma.”
‘Stop Googling. Enjoy that little baby in front of you, exactly where they are at. Because this little person will astound you.’: Mom to child with Down syndrome shares 12 touching reminders
“To all the mamas who will hear the words ‘Down syndrome’ for the first time this year, I need you to remember a few important things.”
It’s Time To Pay Attention And Shop Local
“People are getting paid peanuts by big corporations to maximize profits while laborers scrape by with miniscule paychecks.”
‘You look so thin!’ The first trimester, I threw up anything I dared put in my mouth. I lost 25 pounds.’: Woman recounts ‘emotional’ journey to body positivity
“Honestly, I liked it. I liked that I was 4 months pregnant and you couldn’t even tell. I tried to breastfeed my daughter but my body was weak and malnourished.”
‘You sure you want to eat that? You’d be so pretty if you lost weight.’ I watched girls develop cute figures while I hid behind baggy clothes.’: Binge eating disorder warrior details emotional 140-pound weight loss journey
“I wanted so badly to fit in that when a boy I liked asked me out I was so excited I didn’t even think about it and said yes! But my excitement was short lived, only to find out he was dared to do it and said he’d never go out with a ‘lard a–‘ like me. In 2019, I was tired of not enjoying my life. I wanted to get healthy, for ME.”
‘My son likes to wear dresses, and I am so damn proud of his bravery.’: Dad embraces son’s free gender expression
“In my house, we accept people as they are and support them to be who they want to be. Because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
‘She just happened to be available after a match fell through. It was meant to be.’: Same-sex couple welcome twins via surrogate
“Due to COVID, we were only allowed to join through a Zoom call. We sat in the parking lot and watched the doctor take two small dots and implant them into the surrogate. That faint blue line instantly changed everything.”
‘The doctor said, ‘We don’t know why it happened but it’ll never happen again.’ He made a very big mistake.’: Amputee fights unknown illness
“My leg tore open and blood vessels were bursting. A washbasin was held under my leg because it poured out like a tap. A student nurse gagged while I tried to hold it together.”
‘A police officer was on the other end of the phone. ‘He didn’t have enough time to stop.’ They told me to take him off the ventilator.’: Woman becomes caretaker to husband after accident
“His body lay lifeless in the small bed. Monitors beeping, tubes coming out of every direction, ventilator helping him breathe. My husband of 7 years was in a critical condition, fighting for his life right before my eyes.”
‘I woke up with a tube down my throat. I couldn’t talk. On a piece of paper, I wrote, ‘I want my mom.’: Chronic illness warrior says ‘faith can do wonders’
“Halfway through my 12-hour shift, I began to feel very sick. ‘You need to sit down.’ I had a fever and my oxygen level was low. The next few weeks were a blur.”
‘I felt incredibly optimistic, CERTAIN my old life would return. Boy, was I WRONG.’: Young woman battles Lyme Disease, turns to alternative medicine
“I was losing my vision, and could barely breathe. I spilled onto the platform packed with HUNDREDS of commuting New Yorkers.”
‘Am I going to throw up? Surprise! It’s s—t. There’s diarrhea all over. My husband is helping me with my hospital gown while simultaneously WIPING MY ASS.’: Mom hilariously recounts precipitous labor experience
“Doctor finally comes. ‘I NEED DRUGS! WHERE IS THE EPIDURAL MAN? TELL HIM I NEED HIM.’ I am screaming, begging, pleading. The doctor smiles at me while the nurses put an IV in my arm. They tell me they need to check to make sure my water broke. I spread my legs and they can already see my baby’s head. 7 centimeters dilated. F–k…me.”