Touching
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‘Her birth, which was supposed to be beautiful and intimate, was traumatic. I couldn’t stop shaking and vomiting. I had no idea if I would ever see my baby girl alive.’
“We had just gotten news, bad news. I sat in shock. I turned to my husband and told him it was clear what her middle name should be – Hope.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘My son died at the age of 26. He smoked a joint laced with heroin and died in his sleep. He had a college class that morning. He had his clothes washed and ready for work that evening.’
“After Alex passed away, I started putting together puzzles. Putting them together was putting me together. Like I had repaired it, as if it was broken.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘To the man with depression and anxiety. I see you. I know you worry late at night if you can’t keep it all together. If you can provide for your family.’
“You’re told to suppress your emotions. That men are the providers, the leaders, the stronger ones. I know you’ve been told that anxiety or depression are weaknesses. That men don’t get it.”
By LJ Herman -
‘CPS found my son playing in the dryer. My daughter unattended, with a wet diaper and a bottle of curdled milk. Their biological mother and her boyfriend laid asleep in a bedroom with the door locked.’
“For 3 years we have been the only mothers they have known, yet we are living a nightmare.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘Maybe he doesn’t hit you, but he makes you apologize for getting upset after something he did to hurt you.’
“He brought you flowers on Tuesday and made you feel like a princess. Yet caused you to cry yourself to sleep on Wednesday over a ‘suspicious’ guy liking your picture.”
By LJ Herman -
‘Four years ago, he had 35 children in his care. Two weeks ago, he had 58. Today he has 62. Sixty-two children to feed, clothe, protect and most of all, love.’
“One of the most recent children almost lost an eye when his abusive stepmother bit him. Now he is recovering both physically and mentally.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘I gave birth to my first daughter when I was 21. I was in college and barely knew this baby’s father before I got pregnant. Here we are, about to be parents to 6.’
“My father’s wife passed away. They had a 2-year-old son. Biologically, he is my brother. My dad had to make the heart wrenching decision on who would be best fit to raise him.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘My daughter started kindergarten like most 5-year-olds. We had no idea her first year was going to test us in ways we couldn’t even imagine. Teachers noticed her making weird movements.’
“The doctor walked in the room, looked at the video and told me she is making all of this up. ‘It’s all in her head,’ and I should take her to a psychiatrist.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘Mom’s pray on the couch late at night when our kids are past curfew and not answering our texts.’ Mother’s perspective on how her faith has changed since having children
“How Moms Pray…”
By LJ Herman -
‘He was a volunteer firefighter. He received a call after I left about an accident about a mile from his house. He decided to go – that’s just the person he is.’
“He was hit by another alleged drunk driver, who was also a volunteer firefighter arriving to the scene.”
By Eliza Murphy -
