“Before Casey left the state with me, before he promised me forever and before we said ‘I do,’ I explained the mental weight I carried. Somehow I knew it would be an added challenge. I wasn’t wrong.”
‘You’re a survivor, not a victim.’ BOTH CAN BE TRUE. The mixed messages surrounding this are dizzying.’: Woman advocates for mental health awareness, ‘It took YEARS to rebuild my trust’
‘Did you leave your husband for him?’ Did he just want sex? I needed MORE! I came in so broken.’: Woman finds love after divorce, ‘I found someone who lets me be LOUD’
“‘Why couldn’t he find someone his own age?’ I cried myself to sleep at night wondering if I would ever feel loved.”
‘You don’t measure up to other women.’ He detailed all my flaws. It cost me thousands.’: Divorcee details journey to self-worth, ‘Healing is beautiful’
“It struck me how just an afternoon of hearing about all of my flaws and how those flaws—my flaws—were used in the choice of another person.”
‘I just ate a really big breakfast.’ It was a lie. I was starving, but I convinced myself I had it under control.’: Woman recovers from anorexia, ‘I love the person I am’
“I had a problem. But I had no idea how to ask for help. I sobbed when my mom placed dinner in front of me. ‘We’re going to the doctor.’ I was terrified, but I wasn’t so alone anymore.”
‘Are all these kids yours?’ Truthfully, I’m not the best stepmom. Sometimes I feel like an intruder in their home.’: Mom describes ‘rocky waters’ of blending families, ‘Love conquers all’
“We’ve dealt with two baby mamas, a pregnant teenager, and infertility. People think we’re crazy. ’Step’ means we don’t have to love each other but we still do.”
‘We can have one more. Only ONE.’ That’s all I needed to hear. We had 8 kids within the next month.’: Couple adopts four kids from foster care, ‘My heart was changed’
“My son yelled from the back of our 12 passenger van, ‘So when does he move in?’ I was shocked. ‘Mom, he doesn’t have a family!’ It took one visit to decide.”
‘I picked up one of the magazines, ‘How to Save Your Marriage by Having an Open Marriage.’: Woman shares 7 reasons why ‘boring marriages are beautiful’
“I stood in the checkout line. I laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants. Perplexed by my behavior, my friends asked what was so funny about the headlines. I was officially obligated to explain.”
‘I left in the middle of a conversation. It’s OKAY to protect your heart. Get out and DON’T look back.’: Woman pushes ‘unfollow’ mentality, ‘Be careful what you give your energy to’
“One of those weird arguments that happen in online groups of humans brought together by a common sport, a school, or neighborhood. It had nothing to do with the other people and had everything to do with my heart.”
‘She’s never going to find someone now. She’s finished. A woman is single at 40.’: Newly single woman shares self love journey, ‘I am more than okay’
“Pathetic. She should just call it a day and get 10 cats, because if a woman is single at 40, she’s finished.”
‘I think we better meet. He’s not going to stop until we do.’ All I could say was, ‘I’m going to call you back.’: Woman recounts unexpected relationship journey
“I called my best friend and said, ‘Listen, this weirdo is coming over to my house. I need you to stay on the phone. About that time, a baby-blue Cadillac pulled up in front of my house. ‘I’m going to have to call you back.’”
