“‘When can I talk to you again?’ I found him to be goofy and endearing. Playing basketball one afternoon turned into hanging out after work a few times a week. We began investing in his life outside of work. He started going to church with us and hanging out at our house on weekends. Our kids call him their big brother.”
‘When you meet him, good luck.’ Suddenly, I heard yelling. There he was – this short, scrawny kid. He changed my life in ways I never could have imagined.’: Foster mom talks mentoring teen in foster care, ‘He is part of our family’
‘I didn’t know it would be this hard. I feel like a failure on a daily basis. I give my all, and constantly wonder if it’s enough.’: Mom says ‘this is the most important job I’ll ever have’
“And yet, there’s nothing more breathtaking than learning to be your mama. Raising you is the most important job I’ll ever have. I didn’t know I could love like this.”
‘He probably needed a break. I took her from him and sent him to go get some time and space alone. I took over the parenting responsibilities.’: Mom of seven details ‘parental regret,’ urges ‘be honest about it’
“I snapped a pic, walked over, and took her from him. This photo sums up why I don’t regret becoming a parent.”
‘We did it. We went to the advertised ‘free, fresh, hot meals’ drive-thru at a local church. She said, ‘I’m so glad you came!’: Single mom recounts ‘act of service’ from local church
“She asked how many meals we needed, and I stated there were five of us. Then added, ‘These meals aren’t much, but they are warm and I hope it helps.’ I couldn’t even make it out of the parking lot. I pulled into an empty stall—tears suddenly streaming down my face.”
‘What will everyone think of me?’ I was a naïve 16-year-old, browsing ‘symptoms of pregnancy.’ I knew the only option was adoption.’: Teen mom details pregnancy and adoption journey, reunites with daughter 20 years later
“‘No, it hasn’t been long enough. I haven’t had enough time with her.’ I watched them drive away with her. I would always have this love for her, a love a mother carries for their child. I would always see the best of everything in her. She was the only perfect thing I have ever done. I never stopped missing her.”
‘My husband owed the store 53 cents. The cashier reached into her pocket and said, ‘Nope. It’s okay. I’ve got this.’: Woman details stranger’s act of kindness, ‘There is no act too small this week’
“We have a choice on how we move forward this week — with kindness or with hatred.”
‘My baby is supposed to be with you.’ I thought it was a scam. She had every right to keep him.’: Couple battling infertility pursue open adoption, ‘It’s been so beautiful’
“I told my husband, ‘I’m almost out of hope.’ Then an expectant mother reached out to us. It didn’t seem real. I should have felt relief and joy, but what if she changed her mind?”
‘I’m so happy my daddy isn’t sick anymore.’ She knew what addiction was before I ever explained to her.’: Recovered addict explains why you must ‘put yourself first’
“You have to put yourself first. Because if you don’t, they’ll spend their entire lives looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places.”
‘There are THREE babies in there.’ I yelled, ‘No there’s not!’ I couldn’t see all the blessings yet.’: Mom of 2 surprised with triplets, ‘My heart is full’
“I started crying, laughing, swearing, and apologizing. Suddenly, I was out-armed and out-boobed. I had more babies growing inside of me than I had Earthside! We were embarking on a very unique journey.”
‘You’re just lazy. Breast is best.’ People who didn’t even know me bashed my decision. I choose to react with kindness.’: Mom promises to ‘teach my babies to love your babies’
“Breast versus bottle. Co-sleeping versus crib. Screen time versus no screen time. The list goes on and on. This year, we’ve seen so much hate. Kindness begins at home.”
‘Aren’t you going to tell me congratulations?’ She wanted me to cry, but she wasn’t going to break me.’: Mom becomes Down syndrome advocate, ‘This is HIS journey’
“The social worker slowly sauntered into my room. She spoke with a soft, low tone as if she was attending a funeral. ’How are you feeling about his diagnosis?’ I was furious.”
I Adopted 3 Kids From Foster Care: Our Transracial Family’s Story
“The social worker on the phone said, ‘She’s white. Is that okay?’ Without hesitating, my husband said, ‘She needs a home, right? Her race is not relevant.’ Our skin may not match, but we are still a family.”
‘He pulled out a baggy from his sock. ‘I think you might like this.’ I’d do anything for him.’: Woman recovers from drug and alcohol addiction, ‘I needed to change for ME’
“I drank every day, starting at 5. I’d pour vodka into mini shampoo bottles. When I moved in with my husband, I hid vodka in the closet. It was like my secret, a game.”
‘It might be neurological.’ My heart plummeted. How can I go on if my kids have this rare disease?’: Mom’s 2 sons diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, ‘We cling to hope’
“It started as a normal day. When I read about the symptoms, grief consumed me. Up until this point, I thought I had two perfectly healthy children. Then one of my boys ended up in the ICU.”
‘Of course you’re OK!’ He’s 36, the prime of his life! ‘We don’t need sirens.’ Halfway there, the sirens turned on.’: Widow shares grief journey, ‘This won’t define our family’
‘I heard a guttural scream and wondered where it was coming from. It was coming from me.”
‘This one won’t last.’ I was scared to get pregnant again. Anxiety can fool you, make you believe a lie.’: Mom opens up about anxiety after loss, ‘There’s no rulebook’
“We felt robbed. ‘I must have done something wrong.’ I shouldn’t have had that cup of coffee. I was angry at my body. The past comes to haunt your present.”
‘His mom is a crackhead, isn’t she?’ The woman in line was relentless. She just didn’t get it.’: Mom reflects on complexities of foster care, ‘We are merely called to love’
“This woman, who I’d never met before, inserted herself where she didn’t belong, asking questions about the 2-week-old baby in the car seat. I stared into her judging eyes. She couldn’t possibly begin to understand.”
‘We’ll never ask a child to leave our home.’ The most terrified child was dropped off. She was haunted.’: Cancer survivor bonds with adopted daughter, ‘We stepped into her grief with her’
“I came up with ALL the excuses, all of them rooted in fear. ’I could never love a child and give them back.’ Grief isn’t something to fear. Love like that is worth it.”
‘Remember why you’re getting sober.’ I took the onesie with me to rehab. I had to get better.’: Woman sobriety journey leads to twins, ‘We made this possible’
“I’d been happily drinking since I turned 21. I’d been UNhappily drinking for years. ‘It’s okay, I switched to wine.’ I couldn’t imagine my life without alcohol. I was so selfish.”
‘You need to place our child for adoption.’ How could he ask me to do that? I was totally alone.’: Birth mom becomes part of son’s adoptive family, ‘The moments we share are priceless’
“I was 24, barely able to make ends meet. As he woke up for the day, I was peeing on a stick. We’d turn into those vindictive co-parents. It was a reason to save our child from parents like us.”
‘We got our first call, a baby girl. ‘It’s just until we find her family.’ I wanted to say yes, but I was terrified.’: Couple adopts daughter from foster care, ‘She’s always been part of our family’
“During our first week, we found out we were pregnant with our miracle baby. ‘Can you come pick her up?’ I turned to my husband. His face said it all.”
‘I’ll never forget sitting in a hospital room watching you fight for your life, wishing I could fast forward to today. Today wasn’t supposed to happen.’: Mom pens emotional open letter to son on his first day of Kindergarten
“You’ll ask me when you’re older I’m sure. Why not high school or college graduation for a dream? Because ALL dreams begin with a stepping stone and this is yours. Some dream of puddles but you; the ocean. God knows you’ve swam through several already. It’s independence, it’s normalcy, it’s ‘just being a kid.'”
‘I used to dread Halloween. The costumes, wigs, the masks. Now it’s almost over. How did this happen?’: Mom with growing kids savors time with youngest this Halloween
“The choosing of the costumes, so much expense on a tiny budget for just a few hours. And the choices…oh, the choices. More thought went into what these children would trick or treat as than went into us choosing our first house. Saving your costume for trick or treating isn’t even a thing this year.”
‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ I was at a crossroads. I knew it was my calling.’: Mom turns down dream job to foster, ‘I wanted to make a difference’
“This summer, we said ‘Yes!’ It was a leap of faith. I suited up in PPE and they placed her in my arms. ‘Meet Julia.’ All I could do was thank God.”
‘I handed her baby to her. ‘I’m so excited and proud of you.’ It was a precious moment between two mothers.’: Foster mom celebrates reunion, ‘It’s a blessing to see others heal’
“One of my kids screamed, ‘They’re here!’ I gathered her things and met her momma. The exchange spoke a million words. That was it. The moment that healed.”