“My kids had no clue what was happening in that moment, but they saw mama fall apart. ‘I’ve had my lifeless baby in me for two weeks? How did I not know?’ I was empty, confused. I lay on my tear-soaked pillow while my two healthy kiddos ran around the house, wondering why mommy is still sad.”
‘She yelled, ‘I want my baby sister back!’ There was no longer a baby in my belly, but a thick pad shoved against me like a band-aid.’: Mom grieves loss of angel baby, ‘I hope they feel their baby sister guiding them’
‘This marriage was a mistake.’ Weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. My fairy tale turned into a nightmare.’: Woman overcomes infidelity, it ‘doesn’t always have to mark the end of a marriage’
“I received the most devastating blow to what I thought was a ‘perfect’ marriage. I felt divorce was the only option. In tears, I called my mom. ‘Come home, Avrielle,’ she said.”
‘It was midnight and everyone was asleep. I texted my friend, ‘Come quick! I need you. Lots of blood.’ I prayed she’d wake to the sound of her phone.’
“On a whim, I decided to download a dating app. I came across a man who was in the Army. I knew he was ‘the one’ the moment I saw his photo. At first sight, I was in love. Something I had never felt before.”
‘Oh no, Mommy, the feet are coming out first.’ We watched one birth, then another and another.’: Adorable little girl ‘prepares’ for brother’s home birth, ‘This has become a regular hobby!’
“‘Mommy? If you don’t have a midwife… I can help you with the birth.’ I wanted her to be prepared for the home birth of her little brother, so I showed her a birth video. ‘Can we watch another one?’ She was fascinated.”
‘Weeks before boot camp he said, ‘What if we get married?!’ I knew the risks. The statistics were against us.’: Military spouse candidly recounts ‘navigating the chaos’ of young marriage, pregnancy
“When I got pregnant, we had a fairy tale image of what our little life would look like. We went from the comforts of our family homes to living off ramen. From regular date nights and weekend outings to sleeping in shifts. We barely spoke. Our connection and intimacy had gone numb.”
‘I discovered a bag he had given me. When I opened it, I found something I never knew was in there. I’ll never forget reading the words I didn’t know I needed to hear.’
“I never fully looked through the bag when he gave it to me. But when I went through all the items on this day, I found something – something I had once told Dad I would love to have after he was gone.”
‘When I was 13, my family and I moved into my mother’s ‘dream home.’ Just 8 months later, things would take a drastic turn.’
“It was a helpless day. We stood outside of our home knowing there was nothing we could do. At the end of the day, we had nothing but the clothes on our back.”
‘That’s strange. Why is she lying backwards on her bed?’ She looked peaceful, like she was in a deep sleep. I rocked her. She rolled on her back, lifeless.’: Woman loses identical twin to Addison’s disease, gets winks from heaven
“We were identical twins that spent out lives together. I knocked on the door. No answer. I tried to go in, but the door was locked. Frantic, I searched for a key and opened it myself. Molly, our dog who usually bolts into Courtney’s room was now hiding in her cage.”
