“Then he went on a work trip and never came home. Our children were young, three under 5. I went from a blissfully happy marriage to having all of it ripped from me in an instant. And then came Dustin.”
‘At 20, people judged our choice to get married. ‘You have to experience your single years and party it up.’ I didn’t want it. I wanted Marcus.’: Widow remarries after loss, ‘I love two incredible men’
‘You’re the girl who feels like she is never enough. Dear girl, you ARE enough. Why? Because no one else is YOU.’: Woman writes touching note to others struggling, ‘We don’t break, we bend’
“The girl who is forever going out of her way. Who feels like nothing she does ever measures up. Who can’t do or be what everyone expects of her. That is your power.”
‘I loved him when he had words, and when he lost them. Through the sleepless nights, endless screaming, and walking in circles. I loved him even when he couldn’t say, ‘I love you.’: Mom to son with autism urges ‘all you need is love’
“People ask me all the time, ‘How do you deal with your son having autism?’ He is not labels, acronyms, or disorders. At home, he’s just Finn. He’s the only him I’ve ever known. Amidst the chaos, he is my calm.”
‘I called my husband. ‘I have to tell you something about our boy.’ He wailed and cried like I’d never heard before.’: Mom recounts son’s leukemia journey, ‘I don’t take his life for granted’
“I watched them stick a needle into my baby’s chest, and tried to pretend it was fun and not scary. I slept weeks in the hospital, constantly checking if he was okay. He charmed all the doctors and nurses, his little bald head dancing.”
‘I took a big, deep breath. ‘So she was born yesterday?’ We were meant to meet her.’: Couple adopts baby born on late daughter’s birthday, ‘She gave me courage’
“Blake died one week shy of 11 months old in her daddy’s arms. ‘She is one day old.’ I told him she was born the day before, on Blakey’s birthday. ‘Wait, what? Are you serious? Well, let’s go get her!’ She seemed so tiny.”
‘Be the friend who doesn’t notice the dirty dishes in the sink. The friend who prays hard for those in her circle, and always shows up.’: Woman urges ‘be the friend every person needs’
“The friend who doesn’t give up or give in. The friend who appreciates the sacred gift of sisterhood. The friend who recognizes the need for momentary disconnect, yet always saves a place at the table.”
‘Don’t get too attached. I’m going to get her back.’ I was naive. As I sat with her, the tears began to flow.’: Mom of 5 loves foster daughter ‘in all the ways I love my own’
“I had a dream I was holding a new baby like she was my own, but I didn’t give birth to her. I woke up and saw a picture of a newborn on Facebook. I knew it was her.”
‘I felt the right side of my face go numb. ‘I’m sorry, we found some lesions on your brain.’ At just 20 years old, I was in shock.’: Young woman with multiple sclerosis says ‘I have lots of life left to live’
“I awoke to use the restroom. I tried to get up using my right arm, but I couldn’t. Then I tried to stand, but I couldn’t. ‘Catherine, what’s wrong?!’ I couldn’t get any words out. I finally said, ‘I can’t move my right side,’ in between sobs.”
‘Oh God, they can’t lose another mom.’ I found a volleyball-sized growth. I was already their second adoption.’: Woman says adopted kids ‘loved me through’ cancer
“I started to feel ‘off.’ By March, I could hardly get out of bed. They had experienced the loss of not one, but two moms already. Instead of falling apart, they stepped up.”
‘I still remember his face as he stared into my eyes while I puked with every contraction. The little things have helped shape what’s important to me.’: Mom writes inspirational note of hope during pandemic
“I remember the times we’ve brought each other takeout, changed a dirty diaper, remembered to pay a bill, and watched a show together despite a million interruptions… I remember how he hugged me when I cried. The little things… they’re what truly matter.”