“Income was uncertain and we already had barely enough to support our family of five. I was a stay-at-home mom who had barely gotten her feet wet with three kids, and the idea of adding three more was crazy. All we had to do was say yes.”
‘He’s going to age out of orphan care and be separated from his sisters.’ The faces of 3 siblings stared back as my newborn stirred in my arms. I couldn’t look away.’: Couple adopt siblings from orphanage, become forever family of 8
‘Whether you choose to isolate 100%, form a pandemic bubble, or send your children to school, know you are doing the very best you can.’: Woman urges ‘choose joy, despite all the reasons not to’
“Living in 2020 is kind of like living inside of a dumpster…during a tsunami…while it rains dirty diapers. If you are doing everything you know to do, fear is no longer keeping you safe, it’s merely robbing you of your joy.”
‘We buy supplies. We prepare for gunmen. We spend nights and weekends away from family to make your children feel supported.’: Teacher urges ‘give us a minute’ among school reopening crisis
“I spent today removing my personal belongings from my classroom. Nothing but empty desks remained. I cried all the way home. Right now, we’re scared to death.”
‘It’s okay,’ we told her. She was left to wipe the tears. My heart hurt a little for her. I long to see joy within their eyes.’: Camp caregiver’s kindness and encourages girl to ‘face her monster’
“Despite the encouragement, applause, and prayers from her friends, she could not bring herself to do it. But as I walked away, I couldn’t help but wish she could have jumped. And, in that moment, it dawned on me. I think it fits with what we are all facing these days.”
‘I notice the lump in my throat getting bigger. I fight back tears as my sons stare at me wide-eyed. I pray God will help me carry all this weight.’: Mom with anxiety urges ‘life is too short, throw in the towel’
“It’s hard to take care of yourself when you’re always taking care of everyone else. I’m struggling to find the balance between keeping it all together without falling apart and realizing when I need a break. I pray to God to help me carry all this weight.”
‘How long has he been like this?’ I yelled. His temperature read 105. ‘You can’t have him,’ I said to death. ‘Not again.’: Bereaved mom describes parenting after loss during pandemic
“The doctor came in, ‘We need to run some tests.’ He doesn’t know. She died inside of ME! I was the one who could have saved her. Do you know how hard it is needing to prove to the world I can keep my children alive? ‘Please stay. Please stay,’ I whispered.”
‘I can find my foundation skin tone because of white privilege. I can exist without fear of getting shot. That is white privilege’: Woman says ‘none of my struggles are because of the color of my skin’
“I haven’t lost a job or called the n-word because of the color of my skin. I haven’t had to work harder and prove myself as a person AND because of the color of my skin. I’ve known what it’s like to lose a job, be broke, and have zero in my bank account. But I still have white privilege.”
‘He said she got in her vehicle and got on her phone and pulled off to an area near the gas station. Within minutes police cars pulled in and surrounded him.’: Woman recounts husband’s experience with racism ‘He came home a changed man. I am a changed woman’
“My husband wanted to do me a favor one night when he got home late from work. While there, an older white woman was at a pump across from him and he noticed she appeared very nervous and stared at him. He was told he fit a description. They asked whose car he was driving. He was told he could not leave. He was told the description was simply a black man. He came home a changed man.”
‘I noticed a young black boy walking into our yard. Something was strange. Then, I realized he had his hands up.’: Man urges ‘we need to do better’ after heartbreaking encounter with boy
“We were sitting here having lunch when his ball had rolled into our yard. He looked nervous. He walked so slowly, looking straight ahead. Then I realized he had his hands up.”
‘Your birth daughter would like to meet you.’ I stood in disbelief. I was terrified she wouldn’t love me.’: Woman overcomes fear, ‘I wasted too many sleepless nights’
“There was the answer I had been praying for. ‘Is this Raquel?’ It left me frozen.”
