“I was shamed for talking about my children who died. I was told to concentrate on the living child I have, not the two no longer physically in my arms. My 7-year-old sat next to me as I wiped away tears. I asked her about that special note, handwritten with so much love.”
‘I wanted to give them a message in Heaven.’ I unfolded the paper and read the note through a cloud of tears.’: Surviving triplet writes message to deceased siblings
‘Breast is better,’ they said. I cried for days, unable to feed you. I heard I could never feel that connection with you, nor you with me, because I didn’t nurse you.’: Mom shares emotional breastfeeding struggle, ‘Did I love you any less?’
“I don’t know about letdown or leaking when a baby cries. I don’t know about raw or chapped nipples. I don’t have battle scars or badges of honor that are inscribed with, ‘Breastfed my baby until 2.’ None of it. But tell me, my sweet baby, did I love you any less?”
‘My mommy has a sick boobie.’ The technician looked confused. I was mortified. ‘You don’t have to pay.’: Mom diagnosed with cancer during pandemic thanks community for acts of ‘kindness’
“‘I just want to be here for my boys.’ At barely 30 years old, I was diagnosed in the middle of a pandemic. We immediately started receiving packages in the mail.”
‘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
“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.”
‘No one tells you it’s going to be this hard. The second they take their first breath will also be the day you’ll begin to forever hold your own.’: Mom gushes ‘it is all worth it’
“You’ll wish more than anything to return to yesterday, to go back for just one day, to witness their first smile, revel in their first giggle, and be serenaded by their very first coos.”
‘I married a man who knows how to love a mother. He prayed over me and our babes even before we knew our first child’s name.’: Woman tells husband ‘thank you for loving us so well’
“He’s coached me through my hardest days. He’s cheered me on through labor pains. For all the shared chores, for all the date nights we keep. For all the kids’ giggles, being my best friend, and supporting me every day. My life is so much better.”
‘I hope we never forget how hard it was to get them here, but also the delight we found in all they did.’: Mom reminisces on newborn stage
“Today we packed up six years of baby items to take to Goodwill.”
‘Where is his wife? Why is he watching the baby? What’s she doing?’ My favorite part of this story is the way Steven told it to me.’: Mom grateful for husband’s help during child birth recovery
“I felt completely overwhelmed and exhausted. Enter Steven.”
‘Why, Mommy? Why are you hurting me?’ Blood poured out of her mouth. The next 60 minutes were pure torture.’: Tongue-tied newborn’s traumatic surgery reminds mom of faith
“‘The entire bottom of her tongue is connected to the bottom of her mouth.’ Her angry wails became a high-pitched scream of pain. I turned away. Tears poured down my face; it took all my willpower not to stop the procedure. The feel of her lips on my skin brought back painful, traumatic memories.”
‘I used to be the one they went to for all the things. The one-stop shop for food and comfort and love.’: Mother of teenagers says ‘it’s all a blessing… every bit’
“I used to make breakfasts for kids in footie pajamas, swinging their legs at my kitchen counter. Now, I make four frozen pizzas at once, trying to keep up with how much these tall kids are eating. I used to stay up at night worrying about what they ate that day. Now, I stay awake hoping they are driving safely.”
