Emily Richey is a graduate of Pace University NYC. She has written and edited for multiple online platforms, including Love What Matters. She spends her free time petting stray cats.
‘I kept wondering, ‘Why hasn’t it happened yet?’ Our story is painful, but I know I’m not alone.’: Waiting mom ‘crafts hope’ for others struggling with infertility, ‘I’m waiting for my rainbow’
“Each month, my period showed up right on schedule. After ‘only’ 6 months, I was so sad. My stomach was bulging to one side. I could tell something was wrong. ‘It’s likely kidney cancer.’ Our world was totally rocked.”
‘Will Nash be a baby forever?’ There are days where it hits me like a ton of bricks. More than the pain, I feel joy.’: Mom shares son’s journey with rare ADNP syndrome, ‘I can’t imagine a world without him’
“We waited for the phone call that would change our lives forever. The first words out of my mouth were, ‘Is it fatal?’ A giant wave of relief washed over my whole body. I thought this was the end of our worries, but it wasn’t.”
‘You’re just a worried mom. I’m sure he’s fine!’ She placed the probe on my belly and gasped. ‘How did you know?’: New mom shares ‘powerful’ intuition about son’s cleft lip, ‘I’ll continue to stand up and say something’
“I’d never met anyone with a cleft. I’m not sure if I’d seen one in person either. I had no knowledge of them, but I absolutely knew my son had one. The tech gave me a big hug. ‘You have a powerful gift.’ I knew I was ready to tackle anything.”
‘What if someone calls you FAT again?’ That word held so much pain. I associated my worth with what my body looked like.’: Woman shares journey healing from eating disorder, ‘It’s worth the messiness’
“At 13, I started dieting and exercising compulsively. It became an obsession. I hung up pictures of bodies I wanted mine to look like in front of our treadmill. It can be gruesome to think of food, something you need to survive, as an enemy.”
‘I don’t know who I am anymore.’ Becoming a mom is SO joyful. But the rebirth? Nothing prepares you for that.’: Mom of 4 shares importance of self-care, ‘YOU are worth the time and effort’
“Going from one to two kids rocked my world. The demands felt heavier than ever. All of the added responsibilities took priority, and I wasn’t one of them. Something had to change.”
‘Go out and have a little fun.’ People always inserted their opinions when I told them I was waiting. I chose to love my husband before I knew him.’: Woman shares love story, ‘He was worth the wait’
“He walked right up to me and said, ‘Are you the girl from the coffee shop?’ He invited me to sit with him at church. When I looked at him, the Lord said, ‘That’s your husband.’ I felt like I knew him in my heart and spirit.”
‘Do you JUST stay home with the kids?’ Society has this idea that we’re living the dream in pajamas, snuggled up on the couch all day.’: Stay-at-home mom urges ‘Mama, don’t forget to take care of yourself’
“Mama, I see you. I see how selfless you’ve become. I see how you feel you’ve lost your identity. I see how you’d kill for a warm bubble bath and glass of wine in peace. Mama, me too. I’m so glad we’re not in this alone.”
‘Instead of a baby, I’ll be taking out a cyst.’ There were tumors all over my pelvic area. I was bleeding out from the inside.’: Teen cancer warrior goes into remission, urges ‘stand up for yourself’
“I had two ovarian cysts, one the size of a grapefruit. ‘They don’t need to be removed.’ They weren’t going to help me. I had to take matters into my own hands. I never thought of looking through the paperwork.”
‘Two brothers are being moved. Can you take them?’ I couldn’t get over the what-ifs. What if I fall in love with them? What if my heart is broken?’: Foster mom shares journey, ‘Our lives are forever changed’
“I kept saying ‘when we become foster parents’ and Tristan was still in the ‘if.’ I was starting to feel like this was never going to happen. Then we got a call about two brothers. With a doubt, God had called us to foster care.”
‘We’re being secretly recorded for a reality show!’ There was something wrong with me. I was completely paranoid.’: Woman with Bipolar Disorder becomes advocate, ‘It’s a constant battle’
“I was in a shoe store with my mom, talking to strangers in what I thought was Spanish. I’m not bilingual, but in my mind, I thought I knew the language. I’d been off my whole life, but I never knew why.”