“Growing up, I always heard, ‘it’s the quiet ones you have to look out for,’ when it comes to people stalking you or committing gruesome crimes. While I’m sure this isn’t always the case, it was the case for me. My mom always told me to be nice to everyone, even if other people are being mean, so that’s what I did. I felt bad no one ever talked to him, so I made an effort to be nice to him.”
‘I see you,’ he’d text me. We rode the same bus. The stop was in front of my house, so he knew where I lived.’: Woman recalls 3 stalking encounters that still leave her in fear, ‘I constantly look for the closest object I could use to hit them if they were to attack me’
‘It’s a call I’ll never ever forget. The voice. The solemnness. Her biological mom wanted her back. Never to be held by us again.’: Mom reflects on her tumultuous journey into Motherhood
“The phone rang. All I heard was, ‘He’s yours.’ Even as I type this, I get goosebumps all over again just hearing those two simple words. I don’t remember what else was said after that. Less than 18 hours later, we were on a flight to Florida to meet our sweet son.”
‘But mama, we want to go sledding with you.’ Both girls looked at me with pleading eyes. I knew I had to go. I paused.’: Mom struggles to drop everything for her kids during holidays
“I looked around, boxes still unpacked, dishes to be done, dinner not yet cooked, and snow-day mess abounding, but this time instead of my mental checklist on repeat, I heard something different. That small voice that gently whispered, ‘How much longer will they want to do this with you?’”
‘You alright, mama? It’s a beautiful day!’ He was right. We were about to meet our angel baby.’: Mom welcomes rainbow baby on exact same day she birthed stillborn year prior, ‘the most special sign I’ve ever received’
“I chose to birth Gigi. On induction day, my son ran in with the biggest smile on his face, jumping in our bed for cuddles. I held him tight, tears running down my face. ‘Ty, I am about to birth her.’ He looked right into my eyes. ‘Juss, I am so proud of you.’ We returned home just in time to tuck my son into bed. I shared a special story with him that night. ‘Your baby sister is safe in the stars. We are lucky to have our very own angel watching over us, forever.’”
‘Toddlers, huh?’ ‘You’ll miss these days.’ I smile back. They mean well.’: Mom of autistic son explains ‘this isn’t a tantrum, this is stimming’
“‘She will be good for him,’ she motioned towards my newborn. What? I live in a new city, knowing hardly anyone other than my husband, and now I suddenly have an autistic son and newborn daughter? I looked at my sweet Finley, his precious little face, and cried because of how I thought the world would see him.”
‘That’s my brother,’ he stood next to me crying. He never left him. His skin was white as a sheet.’: Mom ‘so shaken’ after son’s stroke scare, ‘No moment is promised’
“It was a normal day. We headed to Wegmans. While I was pushing the cart, Finn was lagging a little. ‘What’s wrong?’ He responded, ‘I can’t keep up, carry me.’ One of his sides went limp and his face was leaning on the cart. I went to pick him up and he collapsed on the floor. I started screaming for help and a Wegmans employee yelled to call 911. They wanted to make sure he didn’t have a stroke.”
‘Your kids played hooky from school today? Wow. Mother of the year.’ What? I was laughing out loud in the hotel.’: Mom responds to ‘rude’ person who called her out for taking kids skiing, ‘School can teach a lot of things. But it can’t teach adventure.’
“Once we got to the hotel, the kids immediately wanted to go swimming. While they were playing, I took a picture of my baby watching them. I posted it with the caption, ‘watching the siblings swim!,’ as well as a location tag of Breckenridge, Colorado. Within 30 minutes, I received a comment that honestly blew me away.”
‘What’s it like raising a child in a split home? It’s something no one ever wants in life. It’s a whirlwind of emotions, no matter how long you’re away from your child.’: Bonus mom pens emotional, candid thoughts on splitting custody
“It’s giving them a kiss goodbye while they cling to your leg and tell you they love you. It’s ‘babying’ and ‘spoiling’ them because you have to cram their life into half the time. It’s listening to them breathe, thinking of how quickly they’re growing, and how every time they come back, they’re that much older. It will make or break you.”
‘Having sex with you is like a chore,’ he said to my face. ‘I saw the messages. You can’t lie to me about it. I even took a picture.’: Young woman escapes gaslighting abusive ex, ‘I got my light back. I have nothing to hide’
“It was like fate he left his phone there or else I never would’ve found out he cheated on me with his ‘lesbian’ best friend. She was younger than me, blonde like me, had the ‘spark’ of energy I used to have. She was shiny, new, full of life. As I laid there contemplating what to do, the first thought that ran through my head was, ‘He’s going to be mad I went through his phone,’ not, ‘I need to leave him. Now.’ I later learned he was still contacting her. I was done.”
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t provide a good Christmas those years,’ she cried through tears. She didn’t tell me until she was diagnosed with cancer.’: Daughter reflects on childhood holidays being a child on ‘one of those angel trees’
“She told me she cried herself to sleep one Christmas because she saw the way my eyes lit up when I opened the Princess Jasmine pajamas. She was so happy for me, but she knew she didn’t get them. She wasn’t the reason my eyes lit up – it was because of a stranger.”
