“‘I’m sorry, I’m not detecting a heartbeat.’ What followed is a blur. I recall Reece shouting NO repeatedly, but I stayed silent. The world seemed to stop, and I felt like I was watching myself on a TV screen.”
‘I remember walking out of the hospital thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can survive this.’: Bereaved mom shares heartbreaking loss of baby boy at 40 weeks
‘This was not my plan, but I put on a smile and prepared to meet my daughter.’: Mom shares intense labor and delivery story
“Just as they were putting the sheet up to block my view, I started hearing everyone scream PUSH, PUSH, PUSH! Push what? I’m pretty sure there isn’t any pushing involved with a C-section. Was I tripping from the drugs? I was on the freaking OR table!”
Child Sexual Abuse Survivor Shares Messages She’s Had To ‘Unlearn’ In Her Healing Journey
“All these thoughts, feelings, and meanings you have belong to the perpetrator, who managed to download them onto you by way of the abuse. They’re not part of you, and once you really understand that, all those feelings and beliefs about yourself can disappear just as quickly as they were formed.”
Daughter Honors Late Father With Touching Covers Of His Original Music
“Music helped me with the grieving process. I hope to honor my dad by sharing his music and the beautiful lyrics he wrote.”
‘I couldn’t walk, use the restroom, or shower by myself. I couldn’t rock my baby to sleep when he was crying.’ Mom shares first child’s birth story, losing feeling in her leg
“All I could think about was how I was going to take care of a newborn when I couldn’t walk. I felt angry, terrified, and completely devastated. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.”
‘I shared my husband’s passing with a casual acquaintance. She immediately said, ‘You NEED to meet my friend.’: Widows become friends after losing husbands to brain cancer
“Be open about your struggle and be honest when someone asks you, ‘How are you doing?’ You never know who may come into your life because you shared your story.”
Today I Met The Cracker Barrel Fairy Godmother, And She Reminded Me The Power Of Kindness
“A momentary interaction with a stranger, who knew nothing about me, had made me question whether I was a ‘good mom.’ But then, with just a few words and an act of kindness from another stranger, I was reminded I’m doing the best I can. Even when my kids are acting like a hot mess.”
I’m A 44-Year-Old Kindergarten Teacher, And A Few Days Ago I Decided To Start Living Like A Total Badass
“At the beginning of summer break, I thought, ‘Hey, this would be a good time to do something big in case I die unexpectedly. I don’t want to be unfulfilled.’ This year, I’m taking ‘life begins outside of your comfort zone to a whole new level,’ and believe me, there’s nothing less comfortable then being put in a headlock by a professional wrestler.”
10 Unexpected Perks Of Being A Stepmom
“Any stepmom will tell you blended family life is no walk in the park! But there’s no doubt that behind every cloud is a silver lining, and this is no exception.”
‘I wasn’t ready to live a sober lifestyle. I was trying to stop drinking for someone other than myself.’: Recovered alcoholic shares prolonged journey to sobriety
“I did a google search for ‘symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.’ It was like I had the winning lottery numbers. I just kept checking box after box. Still I drank.”
5 Lessons I Never Really Paid Attention To Until My Life Flipped Upside Down
“When lying here in a hospital bed, I know the Ted Baker bag isn’t going to heal my brain, but the memories will help it feel a bit better.”
‘The neurologist said, ‘All girls your age have seizures. You’re fine, go live your life.’: EDS, epilepsy warrior shares struggles of navigating chronic illness as a black woman
“When the doctor came in, he spoke to me as if he didn’t believe I could possibly have my conditions. I told him my bones, particularly my patellas, needed support and I’d prefer if we didn’t check those, but he insisted. He pushed my kneecaps to the side and then said ‘oops’ as he easily dislocated one.”
Best Friends’ Silky Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Lockdown Recipe
“Certain foods invoke special memories from the past. In the case of Micheline and Leigh, this recipe represents the beginning of a new chapter in each of their lives.”
‘One day at school, there was an awareness poster with the word ‘molested’ on it. I lost all the feeling in my body.’: Child sexual abuse survivor finds healing in finally sharing her truth
“I poured everything into my salon and my family as a way to avoid my pain. My clients would compliment me on my ‘beautiful smile.’ My thoughts were, ‘If they only knew what was inside my head.’”
I’m Sorry I’m Late—I Want To Be On Time, But Kids Are Messy And Unpredictable
“My child ended up on the floor in a fit because they demanded a cookie for breakfast and I wouldn’t give in. One of my children needed to ‘go poopy’ on the way out. The toddler thought it was funny to hide and couldn’t be found for over ten minutes.”
‘Divorced, I told myself I was done. No more messing up marriages. Then a good friend from high school messaged me.’: Woman shares journey to beautifully blended family
“I told myself I’d stay single, just roll with things. Doesn’t God just laugh when we make plans?! Rather quickly, we were pregnant…both of us were 38! He had 2 kids already and so did I, what in the world were we going to do?!”
No Matter How Old I Get, I Will Always Go To My Mom For Parenting Advice
“She helps you, calms you, laughs with you in the chaos, and comforts you while you cry. Because she’s been through it.”
In A World That Expects Perfection From Moms And Their Kids, We Will Never Measure Up
“We’re expected to return to our pre-pregnancy bodies a week after giving birth. We’re expected to always be grateful and happy, even during diaper changes and tantrums. We’re expected to have a spotless home even with the kids making a mess at every turn.”
‘Do you think it’s too late for me?’ He bravely responded with a single, ‘No.’: Mom details overcoming alcohol addiction, finding healing in music
“I began to have dreams viewing life in my absence, being forced to watch my son struggle to make sense of his alcoholic mother. A mother who could never get sober. Those dreams changed something inside of me.”
The Last Thing A Mom Should Be Made To Feel After Child Birth Is Hate For The Body That Helped Her Do It
“Cellulite, stretch marks, saggy bellies. Look at all it has done for them. It brought them into this world, made magic happen, and has become their home. It’s time we love our bodies back.”
‘I went in for my first ultrasound to find an unexpected item in the bagging area.’: Infertility warrior shares journey to miracle twins, finding herself in motherhood
“That glorious thump, thump, thump wafting through the room is a moment I will never forget. Not only was this the first time we made it far enough to hear a heartbeat, but we also got to hear two!”
‘Huh.’ I just stared at the ultrasound screen. After 8 years of trying, crying, and praying, that was all I had.’: Woman with PCOS shares family journey through adoption and ‘miracle babies’
“‘Why do only adoption families have to go through all the parenting classes?’ It was intrusive and exhausting. I was excited about the adoption process and the end result of having grown our family, but I was stressed and overwhelmed.”
‘Thank you for my Spiderman cake mommy! This is the best!’ It looked like absolute crap.’: Mom shares lesson on value of quality time over material items
“The cake I wanted was $180. But kids don’t care about designer s**t. They don’t care about the cost of an expensive cake vs a cake I made. They care about me. The memories I make. Screw the designer life, our kids just want us. Just us.”
‘He warned me the only way out of our marriage was in a body bag.’: Abuse survivor shines light on obstacles women face in leaving
“He was everything I had ever wanted. Charming, sweet, successful, and he was head over heels in love with me. I was so happy on our wedding day, but my happiness was short-lived. Afterwards he said to me, ‘Now you’re mine and I own you.’ Things changed dramatically.”
There Is More To Life As We Age, Not Less
“Maybe this is actually what it is to be 49, feeling like life is a gift and knowing the whole of our lives is still here with us. We have lost nothing and we have gotten so much. Cheers to getting older my friends.”