“Dakota was 2.5 years old and could barely utter just five words. Nate, 2.5 months old, was extremely sad and had rashes all over. He didn’t cry when he was hungry, wet, or had a poopy diaper because his biological mom had not met his needs. ‘Would you like to adopt them?’ Without hesitation, the answer was YES.”
‘Can you take a pair of siblings?’ 45 minutes later, we met our boys. Babies? Easy. Toddlers with trauma and neglect? Not so much.’: Couple adopt ‘forever sons’ from foster care
‘Are you willing to take in two more boys?’ They were filthy, skeletal. ‘We encourage you to bathe them immediately.’: Mom shares the beauty and heartbreak of foster care
“Along the way, many people have asked, ‘Why keep doing this? It’s painful.’ They need to know they are enough. They need to know they are worthy of safety and love. For every child we have loved and lost, we would do it all over again, in a heartbeat.”
‘I love you, too.’ She’d finally remembered me. I curled up in her arms, taking it all in. It was the last time I’d see her alive.’: Woman shares sweet reminder to ‘hug your grandparents while you can’
“These hands belonged to the feistiest woman I knew. They comforted me in my hardest times, wrapped around me in times of celebration. They rocked me…and my first born. And even when she forgot who I was, they interlaced mine. Today, I pray you all live like Nana.”
‘I came home at nineteen, married and pregnant. ‘You’re too young, you’ll regret this.’ ALL eyes were on me, waiting for a mistake.’: Pastor’s daughter details journey to discovering self-worth
“I drove out in the middle of nowhere. My plan was to hit a tree at a high rate of speed. And then my daughter called me.”
‘I heard a child screaming. ‘Well, this will be a fun flight,’ I thought. Then, he saw the crackers in my bag. He walked up to me and said, ‘I’m hungry.’: Woman recounts moment of kindness at airport
“I remember thinking how odd it was.”
‘I have over 1,000 people living in my body, all with different personalities.’: Person with Dissociative Identity Disorder seeks to educate others
“All of them have different personalities, perspectives, opinions, feelings. Most of the time, things get quite messy and chaotic.”
‘We need to DO something!’ SO many people were going to be in trouble.’: Woman creates food pantry to help community
“No one should have to struggle for food. Food is a necessity, not a privilege.”
‘Why would he want to take on my baggage?’ Most days I was a puddle of tears, ashamed I’d ended up a statistic.’: Divorcees marry and create beautifully blended family, ‘We’re unbreakable’
“How would this work? I was divorced with 3 kids, he was divorced with 3 kids. I had to realize I was worthy of LOVE again.”
‘Wouldn’t it be SO cool for her to be born at 11:11 a.m.?’ I kept praying, ‘God let it be.’ I HAD to have hope again.’: Couple adopts biological sisters after infertility, ‘Miracles do happen’
“I am not going to say it became rainbows and butterflies, because it didn’t. There was still this deep, deep ache and question of ‘why,’ and a yearning to become a mama.”
‘If only he’d ask me to dance!’ He was addicted to drugs, and I was addicted to him.’: Woman marries after divorce, ‘Love is ALL that matters’
“I was tired of the fast lane, the parties, and the men. After holding on for dear life to a complete set of emotional baggage, I finally had to surrender it ALL.”
