As a Digital Editor of Love What Matters, I'm here to pull on your heartstrings and make you smile. After spending nearly six years as a Digital Reporter for ABC News' "Good Morning America," I'm thrilled to continue sharing touching and inspiring stories that the world is so craving. We can all use more love in our lives -- now you've found the perfect place to get it.
‘You don’t need to do it all this holiday season. We would try to squeeze it in, feeling rushed. But we weren’t enjoying it. It didn’t make me merry. I wasn’t feeling festive, I was frazzled.’
“We have never gone to take pictures with Santa. Indeed, we never made a big deal about Santa, at all. He only ever brought our kids one gift and filled their stockings.”
‘I feel like you’re supposed to be her mom.’ Her voice was shaky. ‘Are you sure?’: Adopted woman insists her adopted daughter is ‘not broken,’ although adoption is ‘beautifully broken’
“I can’t imagine what must have been going through her mind. ‘I heard you were wanting to adopt,’ she said. ‘I have a 2-month-old little girl.’ Speechless. How could this be real? ‘Mira, I wanted to call you sooner, but I didn’t know how to say it.’ My husband was away on a 2-week rotation with the Navy. Without hesitation he responded, ‘go get her.’ You go get our baby.’ So, I did.”
‘They lost touch. But he remained very dear to my dad, and years later, Dad asked if I could try to find him on the internet. I tried, but had no luck. Part of me was a bit relieved.’
“At the top of his planner was a name I didn’t recognize. I called. ‘Hello sir, my name is Sarah. I’m the daughter of Eugene. He has you here in his phone book but I’m not sure how you know him. Are you from his days in New Jersey?’ At that moment, my memory came back, and I could feel the surge of emotion in me.”
‘We get crazy this time of year. Absolutely crazy. If you don’t believe me, just start watching people. Watch them cram their carts full. Watch them huff as they wait in line.’
“Buying presents, buying decorations, going to parties. Stressing about spending too much, about making everything magical. Maybe if we get that big bonus. Maybe then life would feel like it’s supposed to, like Candace Cameron Bure in all those Hallmark movies.”
‘I got a message from a complete stranger offering to be a surrogate for us. I was in shock. I had no idea where she lived, who she was, nothing. I was nervous to tell my husband.’
“She was 26 years old. I felt such a strong connection with her even though we were only communicating through messages. Secretly, I knew in my heart we would go down this path.”
‘It looked like she was doing a stomach crunch. Both arms and legs came together in the air. This went on for hours.’: Mother thrilled to have her ‘happy baby back’ after Infantile Spasms diagnosis
“We first noticed a weird movement when she was 5 months. Doctors said, ‘It’s just gas. Change her to soy milk,’ and, ‘It’ll pass.’ It wasn’t until her dad decided to search ‘spasms,’ that we began to gain insight into this nightmare. Something in me snapped. She was using our daughter for her own research. ‘I’m so sorry baby,’ her dad always said. Through all this, Salma has never shown signs of giving up.”
I Moved Away, And It’s Hurts Not Spending Holidays With My Long-Distance Family
“Our families aren’t millionaires and it’s unfortunate how expensive it is to fly during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We won’t have grandparents and cousins rushing through the door to greet us. I want it to feel special, despite the lack of loved ones.”
‘Who is this?,’ I asked. ‘This is Ty’s assistant principal. I came upon a car accident on my way home. It’s Ty.’ Wait, what?’: High school sweethearts overcome horrific car accident to start a family
“I told him I would let him know when I was home from school, so he could come pick me up. Little did I know when I made that phone call, the details I heard on the other end would change our lives forever. Nothing would ever, ever be the same.”
‘Whoa! He has some really blonde hair.’ I JUST KNEW. My husband smiled. ‘He’s an albino.’: Mother of 2 sons with albinism says the best thing she can instill in them is ‘confidence’
“The doctor was staring inside me with a flashlight. We realized there was something extra special with him when nurses were coming in to see the ‘baby with the white hair.’ It was so white it would sparkle in the sunlight. My mother in law stared in awe and said, ‘He’s like a special little fairy.’”
‘I pictured a perfect Christmas. I was pregnant with triplets and expected a chaotic holiday. But reality set in more than 4 months prior to my due date.’
“As my husband and I decorated our tree, the tears trickled onto the pine needles. I hung an ornament with the words ‘Baby’s First Christmas’ stretched across. Suddenly it hit me.”