“Always offer us an invitation, even if we do not want to attend. Please know that we are not jealous of your joy. But that seeing others happy can be a devastating reminder.”
‘Please think about how you would feel. If your everything. Were no longer here. Please know that for some. This is the absolute most difficult time of the year.’
‘When Santa was pouring milk into my son’s tube, he beamed with pride. ‘You see him give me my milkies mommy?!’
“Poor Santa was so nervous he was shaking. I was crying seeing how happy Austin was, feeling included sharing cookies with Santa!”
‘To the man in 2D. I don’t know you, but I imagine you saw us. I was pushing a stroller, had a diaper bag on my arm and was also lugging an oxygen machine for my daughter.’
“Not able to hold back tears, I cried my way up the aisle.”
‘I whispered to Santa, ‘He is blind and autistic and is very interested in Santa.’ He said, ‘Say no more,’ and immediately got down on the floor to greet my little man.’
“He asked Matthew if he wanted to feel anything and Matthew said, ‘Your eyes that twinkle.’ My heart was so full.”
‘It never fails that when I get home, relaxed and full from a great dinner, the kids in bed, and the wife says, ‘Baby will you do me a favor?’
“I already know what’s coming – Without fail, every night.”
‘I wasn’t sure what type of home he would end up in. Would they let us see him? He was the full-blooded brother to my adopted children. I needed to know he would be okay.’
“When our little girl was 3 months old, bio mom found out she was pregnant again. She decided it was best to surrender her. When baby #2 was born, DCS ended up removing the baby from her care. Bio mom called me in tears, begging me to take her daughter.”
‘You guys did great. You did great 3 times,’ our doctor said as she laid out our sonogram with three little sacs. My mind was racing. Shock and fear set in.’
“Mike couldn’t speak. In fact, the doctor looked at him after we covered all the basics and said, ‘Dad, are you OK? You haven’t said anything.’”
‘As I wheeled the adoptive mom out toward the elevator, I could see her shoulders shaking with sobs. I knelt down beside her and took her hand in mine.’
“She looked deep into my soul and cried, ‘How can something that is so painful for someone, bring me so much joy?'”
‘Did you just see that? Is anyone watching this? Mom just stripped down and gave me her tank top.’ I love that she gets it. She was in awe actually.’
“A few nights ago we ran out of brownies before Sam could have seconds. Mine was still on my napkin, so I offered it to him. Kate replied, ‘Sam, if you take that, Mom won’t even be a stump. You’ll be digging the actual stump up out of the ground.’”
‘I found out months before meeting Jorgie we were unable to have biological children. We were devastated. We just couldn’t understand at the time. Until we met him.’
“Taylor was 10 months old when she was shaken and abused. They called again, but this time it was for a 2-month-old baby girl born addicted. Everyone thought we were crazy for considering another child with so many needs, but if not us, then who?”
