“We’d all been drinking at the beach. I fell to the ground and the person behind me ran over my neck. ‘She might not wake up.’ I had hit rock bottom.”
‘If she wakes up, she won’t be normal.’ I was alive, but in a coma. Only time would tell.’: Brain injury survivor details sobriety journey, ‘There’s a purpose in it all’
‘They will fight and argue, but they are forever protectors. Their specific hearts needed one another, and God knew it before I did.’: Mom cherishes sacred bond between siblings
“I planned the age separation between my two kids. I imagined their genders, I played out scenarios. I planned my pregnancy and c-section. And in true God fashion, all MY plans got tossed to the wayside. At the time it felt cruel. Now I know, God’s timing was, and is, perfect.”
‘I can’t go to juvie! You don’t know what they DO to people there!’ She choked out, ‘Will you be my parents?’ We were 23, newly engaged. Already a teenager, we were her only option left.’: Young couple adopt 5 children into ‘forever family’
“When I thought about my future as a quadriplegic, I didn’t think my dream of becoming a husband or dad were going to happen, much less 5 kids before marriage! God brought us these girls for a reason, and I was determined to give them all the love they needed.”
‘I don’t drink any more than my mommy wine friends.’ It was my reward after a hard day. I felt like I earned it.’: ‘Mommy Wine Culture Survivor’ says ‘sobriety was the greatest gift’
“I was the woman in yoga class joking about sweating out the booze. I was the mom who planned pre-drinks. I was also the businesswoman, completely hungover, giving a presentation in heels.”
‘Your baby has a funny eye.’ I looked down and saw it. The folded ear and almond-shaped eyes. The world froze.’: Woman advocates for special needs moms, ‘Our path is unique’
“Our daily lives have an element of ‘extra.’ Extra appointments, extra judgment, extra advocating, extra support. It also comes with extra love.”
‘Try not to cry, you won’t be able to wipe your tears.’ I thought I’d faint from shock. Tears rolled down his face. ‘We’re here now, Pops.’: Woman loses father to COVID-19, ‘We’re never alone’
“We looked like something out of a space movie. Shoe covers, face mask, visor, and two pairs of gloves. ‘There’s nothing more we can do.’ No more miracles. He was gone.”
‘Mama, I don’t want you to be sick.’ It stabbed me in the heart. ‘It’s going to be fixed.’ It was blow after blow.’: Woman battles breast cancer, ‘Tomorrow isn’t promised’
“I get emotional watching mothers with their kids on their wedding days, wondering if I’ll ever get the chance.”
‘Autum, you should do one of these tests!’ When I took this DNA test, I never expected this to be the outcome. ‘Not a DNA match.’ I felt alone, and maybe a little angry.’: Woman takes DNA test, discovers biological dad
“I even had made a joke to my husband, maybe I’ll find some sibling from my dad’s Navy days. This joke is kind of wild now, considering I was the found sibling. I clicked open his high school yearbook records and saw a face looking at me that looked like my 6th grade picture. In this moment, it felt like my heart stopped.”
‘I took comfort in the fact my ugly, clunky ‘frankenboobs’ wouldn’t be with me forever. But, y’all, I am SCARED.’: Cancer fighter prepares for reconstruction surgery, ‘I am MORE than this body’
“I have to face the reality this is the end of the journey. Whatever I wake up to, or whatever I wake up with—that will be my new body. There is no next phase, there is no going back.”
‘Four years ago, I met a woman and her child at a public park. We became friends on Facebook and never saw each other again. Until last fall, when they joined us for Thanksgiving.’: Mom shares story of ‘friends who feel like family’
“As she chased behind her new friend, her mother and I struck up a conversation, and at some point she mentioned her daughter’s autism. My daughter was two at the time. I was at the beginning of my suspicions she shared that same diagnosis. This stranger—this mom—was the first person I told.”
‘My child would NEVER act like that, and if they did they wouldn’t get away with it.’ He is NOT misbehaving in these situations, he is trying to COPE.’: Mom shares reality of having a son with autism, ‘His brain just works differently’
“‘He doesn’t have autism, it’s all in your head.’ Please don’t tell me ‘he’s not THAT bad, it’s hardly noticeable, it’s very mild.’ I wouldn’t be surprised if someone suggests an exorcism!”
‘Here we go again.’ Something didn’t look right. I’d seen the screen countless times, but this time, it was different!’: Couple welcomes rainbow twins after 7-year infertility battle
“I felt a gush between my legs. My heart shattered, but I was determined to keep going. I peed on a stick. The faintest line showed up. My heart was beating so fast.”
‘You’re OK now. You’re safe.’ WRONG. They assumed I wanted drugs. ‘We need to start treatment ASAP.’: Woman recovers from addiction, battles Lupus, ‘I CHOOSE not to let life get me down’
“’I can tell by your tears no one has ever believed you, have they?’ I said no. ‘Well, I do.’ I was right, and now there was evidence.”
‘We got THE CALL. Without a second thought, I said, ‘Yes! A thousand times yes!’ I knew she was meant to be ours.’: Mom of 5 adopts baby with rare case of dwarfism, ‘She has no limits’
“Her legs seemed so weak. ‘They don’t make walkers her size.’ She pulled herself up. Within days, she was taking steps. She’s shown me to not put any limits on her.”
‘You can’t be pregnant…can you?’ I was an 18-year-old with an IUD in cancer remission. My chances after chemo were next to zero. ‘Of course not mom,’ I laughed.’: Teen mom births 1-pound miracle preemie after cancer, preeclampsia battle
“Next thing I know, I’m in the doctor’s office with a positive pregnancy test and a little 10-weeks fetus flickering on the screen. I went to the gynecologist to find my IUD dangling from my cervix. In my heart, I knew this was something special.”
‘If my only option is AA, I guess I’ll drink forever.’ I was just doing what I saw other moms do. I was stuck in a vicious cycle.’: Mom celebrates 3 years sober, ‘You are not alone’
“Alcohol was everywhere in motherhood. The baby showers I attended had mimosa bars, the playdates had wine. I attended a mommy-and-me class with ‘juice boxes’ for the moms. I should have seen the signs.”
‘Mommy deserves a treat.’ Drinking two bottles of wine a night was my norm. I felt like I was failing at life.’: Sober mom shares recovery journey, ‘Let’s show our kids sobriety’
“After I gave birth, family and friends left gifts for me. All alcohol-related. ’Oh, you’re gonna need this.’ I couldn’t keep up with society’s expectations of motherhood.”
‘I sat behind moms at my daughter’s game. They commented on everything she did wrong, how with ‘that height’ she should be doing a.b.c. ‘Why would the coach leave her in?’: Mom urges ‘choose kindness’ after adult bullying incident
“I sat there fuming and almost ready to say something or cry.”
‘You’re stuck with me now!’ The dads and I got closer than I thought possible. ‘Soon, this will be your reality.’: Surrogate births baby for same-sex couple, ‘I’m so blessed to provide joy for families’
“I sent the dads an update of what size fruit or vegetable baby was each week. ‘You’re so much stronger than most people.’ I felt those words so deeply.”
‘I was declared infertile. ‘If we need to part ways, I get it.’ I thought for sure this was the end. Instead, my partner got down on one knee. ‘Will you marry me?’: Woman battling infertility thanks husband’s unrelenting kindness
“Watching my husband’s eyes light up as he talks about building our baby’s crib. Seeing the way his posture changes when we talk baby names. I thought for sure this was the end. Instead, he got down on one knee. ‘Will you marry me? The two of us will be, and already are, a family.’ Not a day goes by my hand isn’t held, my forehead kissed.”
‘There’s no way.’ I dug out my stash of pregnancy tests. 3 minutes later, I screamed.’: Mom surprised by pregnancy after infertility, ‘It’s more beautiful than I dreamed’
“Adoption wrecked me in ways I wasn’t prepared for. IVF destroyed my desire to be pregnant. We had two children and yet I didn’t feel like our family was complete.”
‘His teacher handed me a whiteboard covered in symbols. ‘He’s writing in Japanese.’ We were mind-blown.’: Mom describes son’s autism journey, ‘He’s different, not less’
“Our 2-year-old, who was unable to communicate his needs, began to read anything we wrote. Words, names, sentences. It was truly amazing!”
‘I put my Christmas tree up early this year. F─k it. Let’s face it, this year has been hard. Like, really hard.’: Woman urges ‘do what makes YOU feel good
“I want nothing more than the glow of Christmas lights, the sweet smell of pine, the peace of holiday instrumentals backed by a fiery Yule log, the burn of a too-hot hot chocolate. I deserve this.”
‘You will know heartache, the kind that takes your breath away. You’ll fail by spectacular measures. And your tribe? You’ll find it, and they will be far from what you expected.’: Mom shares words of wisdom for daughters
“Dear Girl, I wish I could tell you all of the answers. Every question mark you have in your heart, every silent vulnerability that you harbor and every fear quieted. But this is what I would tell you if you would only ask.”
‘You knew who he was when you married him.’ I just have to be a good housewife. I have no other option.’: Woman escapes abusive marriage, ‘My son can finally be a normal kid’
“This was it. THIS was the time he’d change. ‘You have to forgive him if you want to be happy.’”