“I couldn’t go out to a fancy restaurant without worrying about cutting my steak or remembering to wipe food dribbling out of my mouth. Anything but staying home and feeling sorry for myself felt impossible.”
‘Why do you walk and talk funny?’ His words made me sick. I began to accept this would be the rest of my life forever.’: Cerebral palsy warrior turned model urges for visibility
‘During the pandemic, I impulsively ordered three skeletons to represent each of our family members.’: Family’s daily Halloween displays brings so much joy during pandemic they decide to do it for every holiday
“As the month went on, we noticed more waves from walkers and honks from drivers. The skeletons seemed to have provided the community with some comic relief during a time where many people were feeling isolated.”
Single Foster Mom Shares Tips To Prepare For Teen Placements
“Every tiny preparation helped tremendously.”
‘A student called me over at lunch. ‘Ms. Lyles, I think you’re catching pink eye. One of your eyes is closed shut.’: Parent liaison shares hilarious makeup fail
“When I checked my eyes in the mirror, I couldn’t stop laughing.”
‘At 18 months, we worried about her lack of speech. ‘Read to her.’ She would pull the book away, mad I was touching it in the first place.’: Mom learns to accept daughter’s autism diagnosis
“I allowed myself to mourn what I thought our life was going to look like. Then I told myself I needed to move forward because that beautiful brown-eyed girl is counting on me to be her mother. To advocate for her, to fight for her, and to speak for her until she could speak herself.”
‘At 22, I fell in love with a man who was eccentric and exciting. I felt life would never be boring. Boring it was not.’: Young mom finds new love after escaping narcissistic abuse, ‘I am worthy’
“Over the next two years, one man was filling my heart, while another was hellbent on tearing it apart. My ex restlessly continued this stressful family battle full of dirty, malicious, and vindictive tactics worthy of a dark Netflix series.”
‘It was not only a huge milestone, but I think they knew it might be their last.’: Woman shares her grandparents’ love story in honor of their 75th wedding anniversary
“You see, a few months before we didn’t think my Grandpa would make it to celebrate this day. He was put on hospice only a short time before their big celebration.”
‘You don’t have to punish yourself.’ Blood dripped out of my nose and mouth. I believed I deserved my misery.’: Woman shares recovery journey with anorexia
“I felt perpetually punished for existing. I was barred from running, then from even walking. I realized if I stayed this way, I would die.”
32 Facts To Remember When People Don’t ‘Get You’
“Not everyone is going to like you, and it has nothing to do with you.”
‘Kids would look at my mother, then at me and say, ‘So, is your dad black?’: International adoptee shares journey, ‘We were meant to be a family’
“If your ultimate goal is to love a child and create a family, it won’t matter when you finally have the child you were meant to have all along.”
‘I spent the first year of my child’s life blaming myself, not wanting my child to have ‘special needs.’: Mom to daughter with Coffin-Siris Syndrome urges ‘you are your child’s best advocate’
“When she was losing weight, it was because I tried to force breastfeeding too long. When she couldn’t bring her hands together, it was because I had swaddled her longer than I should’ve. When she couldn’t crawl, it was because I didn’t do enough tummy time.”
‘He needed the care more than I did.’ My stretcher remained in the hallway. I shed tears when I was alone.’: Stroke patient shares emotional hospital stay during COVID, life-altering diagnosis
“I felt the right side of my body get heavy. My knee gave out, and a lightheaded feeling like a strong high took over. But I was convinced I must be okay.”
‘Alesha’s pregnant and Josh is the father?’ My world stopped. ‘THIS ISN’T TRUE!’ I chose to believe him.’: Bonus mom shares journey through tumultuous relationship to peaceful co-parenting
“I ended up getting pregnant with Josh’s baby in late October. I remember Josh looking at me once we read the pregnancy test and he asked, ‘What will Riley think of me?’ I was completely heartbroken. I couldn’t believe he would say those words to me. What about me, what about our baby?”
‘Is your grandmother’s name Joanne?’ Her mouth dropped. I felt like I knew her my whole life.’: Mom discovers unexpected connection to son’s NICU nurse
“My heart was shattered the day I was released from the hospital without my son. I prayed my sweet boy would be in caring hands.”
‘I realized I missed my period. The word ‘PREGNANT’ appeared. I was just getting over Josh, and suddenly he was in my life forever.’: Woman shares co-parenting journey, sisterhood with bonus mom
“In my eyes, once I gave birth, Josh would see his son and remember the love he had for me. When Josh left the hospital the day Riley was born, it ripped my heart out. This was confirmation that the family I had always pictured was not going to happen.”
‘The tooth fairy was sick last night,’ my husband said to my son. I awoke in a panic. I couldn’t believe I forgot.’: Mom raises awareness about unseen ‘mental load’ of motherhood
“Even the tooth fairy is part of the mental load I carry. The behind-the-scenes of motherhood that no one sees, only expects. You see, when I say everything falls on me, I mean it.”
‘The Mr. in my Mr. and Mrs. wasn’t there at the wedding. And today it hit me hard. Six stupid years later.’: Widow shares brave moment of grief
“I looked around and took inventory of the couples we once knew. The ones we shared drinks with. That we laughed with. That we played pool with. And they were all still doing all of the things, sitting with the people they love. And I was sitting with a memory.”
‘Every day felt daunting. But I had to do what was best for Charley, right?’: Special needs mom urges ‘your mental health matters’
“A good mom stretched herself thin for the sake of her child. A good mom juggled all the things with a smile on her face and a clean home. A good mom did what was best for her family. But I was a part of the family…and it was pushing me into a really dark and scary place.”
‘She was experiencing miscarriage symptoms. ‘You’re still pregnant.’ The doctor continued, ‘Well, how about triplets?’: LGBT couple welcome rainbow triplets after loss, 8 IUIs
“During the early stages of the pregnancy, every physician we met asked us if we wanted to take our triplet pregnancy down to a singleton, as the risk was extremely high. Every time our answer was the same: ‘NO!'”
‘No mama, you don’t cry. Just me.’: Mom shares daughter’s brave journey with leukemia
“Channeling my anger and pain into making a difference has shown Macie the bad things that happen to us don’t have to define us. We get to decide that.”
‘I found strength in myself I didn’t know I had.’: Former homeless shelter resident becomes advocate for others
“My parents couldn’t understand my crippling depression because I could always ‘pick myself up.’ Now, I was lying in a twin-size shelter bed with my 2-year-old, plotting what to do next.”
How To Quit Making Excuses: 7 ‘Buts’ You Must Kick In The Butt
“Fear is just a calling card to ACT. Accept the invitation.”
This California Hairstylist Is Helping Women Embrace Their Natural Gray Hair
See the 10 stunning before-and-after photos!
‘We’ve looked for you for 12 years.’: WWII veteran reunites with little girl who wrote him sweet letter in 3rd grade
“This isn’t the girl? Don’t make me cry, please. This isn’t the girl, is it?”
‘No one stops the wheelchairs, the elderly, or those with physical markers of disability. Just our family.’: Mom of 2 kids with autism shares PSA on traveling
“If you wouldn’t question someone’s balding head then you shouldn’t question a child’s flapping arms either.”