“I did my best to breastfeed, and I gave them formula. I did my best to socialize them and teach them, and I let them watch TV and play on their iPads. By my third, I stopped caring.”
‘I started to compare her to the other two and blame myself. Somehow, I was responsible.’: Mom talks importance of not comparing your children to others
‘I wanted her approval. Ever since we met, she’s been amazing. We’re not a group of friends. We’re two sets of parents, killing the co-parenting game.’: Step-mom says co-parenting says is a ‘blessing’
“‘They are basically our family, so we might as well embrace it!’ Five days in to their visit, and it has been better than I expected, and so good for the soul. It has just felt so easy integrating our families. I look forward to making many more memories!”
‘I gasped in the CVS parking lot. The file read, ‘Child Reserved.’ My hands shook as I waited for my husband. I tried not to peek. Then, we saw the face that took our breath away.’: Couple adopt special needs child, ‘She has forever changed our hearts!’
“I called our agency and said, ‘YES! Tell us all you can.’ We were told she might not ever walk. The lower portion of her body had not properly formed in the womb. She was missing her sacrum and bottom 3 vertebrae. Her little intestines were blocked. ‘Can you be in India in four days?’ Something in us knew this precious girl was ours.”
‘We received a call. ‘Do you want to adopt all 5 siblings?’ It was an instant, ‘YES!’ We told our babies they were finally safe, that we would never harm them.’: Mom of 4 adopts 5 siblings from foster care after miscarriage, twin loss, ‘They have healed my heart’
“We were pregnant with twins! The nurse said, ‘Slowly, his organs will stop working.’ His heart was last. He was so swollen, he couldn’t open his beautiful eyes. ‘I’m so proud of you, Eli. You’ve been such a fighter. You can let go.’ I looked around at all the nurses crying. ‘Oh God, it hurts so bad!’ His tiny foot jerked. I couldn’t see through my tears.”
‘My name is Brittany. My mom’s name was Malissa, but she died.’ My daughter stopped in her tracks. ‘Do you want to play with us?’: Mom shares touching moment, ‘We are going to be just fine’
“There was well over 15 feet between them, but my god did that moment feel like a hug. That weight, the one that’s been on my heart, it drained right out of me. Our kids are going to be just fine. They are going to be more than just fine.”
‘Complete strangers came to my rescue. They dove in the water, dug trenches, and scraped their knees.’: Woman touched by acts of kindness after losing treasured wedding ring in ocean
“I screamed and cried, and my friends and family came running. Tom, a very sweet man about to turn 60, told us he’d been metal detecting for 35 years. I believe the entire island knew our story, and him, before we left.”
‘Stop stressing about the uncertainties. Worry about that little heartbeat in that litte chest. It’s beating because we fought and overcame.’: Mom reassures ‘things will all work out in the end’
“Walk past the dirty dishes, the stack of bills, the toys scattered across the floors. Go straight to your child’s room and put your hand on their chest, feel their heart. In and out, in and out. Those little breaths and that little heart are your purpose. It’s beating because you overcame.”
‘I was burnt and forced to sleep on a toilet because I wet the bed. ‘Artreese, there’s someone here to meet you.’: Adoptee shares ‘emotional rollercoaster’ of growing up
“I was born with drugs and alcohol in my system and severely underweight. It just felt like I belonged to them. It was something in my eyes; I was made to be their daughter. ‘You’re so lucky you don’t have to deal with what we had to deal with.’ But I always felt like something was missing.”
‘Is 9 a.m. too early for Tequila? I’m slowly losing my mind. Maybe not so slowly, really.’: Mom speaks to difficulty of parenting during pandemic, says ‘maybe we’ve got to lose it a bit’
“Stuff is hitting the fan, and I’m out of wipes, candles, and Febreze; the mop is missing; and the vacuum isn’t working — at least that’s how it feels. Like I was/am totally and completely ill-prepared for the day-to-day. A day-to-day and hour-to-hour I cannot predict or plan for.”
‘I think this will break me.’ I lost 2 liters of blood. My reality is other women’s worst nightmare.’: Woman experiences multiple miscarriages, ‘I will survive anything’
“I am the woman other women say, ‘I’m so sorry’ and ‘I can’t imagine’ to. I fainted at home and the ambulance had to be called. I don’t think I understood how strong I could be.”