LJ Herman is a former editor at Love What Matters and lives in Colorado. LJ is a concert, ticket and technology enthusiast. He has seen the Dave Mathews Band over one hundred times and counting.
‘Walking through Target early this morning, I am overcome with emotions. Almost every customer were young moms.’: Mom of older children encourages ‘mamas of littles’ to enjoy every moment
“I allowed myself to be a momentary creeper. I just pulled back, parked my cart and watched all the sweet mamas. I wanted to say what all the elderly ladies used to say when they saw me in Target at 8 a.m. – ‘Enjoy it. It goes fast.’ But I resisted.”
‘A classmate tried to put a toy away. My daughter went ballistic, lashing out at the little girl, in hysterics.’: Mom ‘so mad’ at daughter’s ‘unfair’ autism diagnosis, ‘She’s viewed as weird, rude’
“I got a call from my daughter’s teacher. She said there had been a pretty catastrophic incident while cleaning up. I listened intently, but none of this was a surprise to me. I got off the phone and was so mad. That little girl would never ask her to play again; likely she’d run home and tell her parents about the bully in class.”
‘Jess, call 911,’ he gasped before the phone went dead. I arrived home to discover my husband laid out on a stretcher.’: Woman loses husband to brain cancer, marries again after receiving ‘message from a complete stranger’
“‘Oh God no. Please no…’ I whispered that night, my legs numb from sitting motionless. I stared straight into the eyes of the young doctor, trying to digest the news I’d just heard. Brain cancer. Earlier that evening, within 5 seconds of pulling into the driveway, I received a frantic call from my husband. ‘No, no, no,’ the only coherent thought I was able to form.”
‘I typed his case number into the box. ‘Refused.’ It had to be a mistake, a processing error. A goof.’: Couple finally adopts son after 2-year wait to bring him home
“We should’ve been on our way to pick him weeks ago. But morning after morning when I clicked on the tab in my web browser, I was greeted with the same disappointing message: ‘Pending.’ Until one morning, it changed. ‘I hate to tell you this news. He tested positive for Primary Koch Infection.’ ‘Primary what? What’s that?’ ‘CJ has $%*&-ing tuberculosis,’ I whisper-yelled to my husband.”
‘Why wouldn’t you just turn on the lamp first?’, I’ve thought silently a thousand times. ‘Wait, why are you like this?’: Husband unexpectedly ‘triggers’ wife by reminding her of mother’s abuse
“Sometimes, my husband goes to bed before me. He turns off the big lights, and then turns on a lamp for me. It should be literally no big deal, right? Just a nice thing for him to do on his way to bed, in all reality. It has always annoyed me to my absolute core.”
‘Can I sleep with you tonight mommy?’ I still get chills thinking about it. I cried my eyes out.’: Mom swears her child is ‘the reason I am alive,’ after traumatic relationship leaves her contemplating suicide
“I met this guy who was a little older than me. He had a daughter the same age as mine, it was too good to be true. ‘This is it, this is the guy who’s going to fix what was broken.’ But I learned very quickly how someone could live two totally separate lives. It was a nightmare. In that moment, I swear I heard it loud and clear. ‘I gave you the person who needed you the most.’ My daughter walked into my bedroom.”
‘But mommy, it wasn’t someone else. It was him.’ She hurled herself into my arms, sobbing. She was broken.’: Mom defends daughter branded a ‘liar’ after preschool bully relentlessly torments her
“She was physically assaulted with a metal toy that cut her eye. The bully was ‘dealt’ with… it was ‘rambunctious play!’ My shell of a little girl thought this meant no one liked her. She talked about changing schools. My heart broke. It went on for years. She was defeated at 7 years old.”
‘I was left to wonder if I’d ever truly be an empty nester. He may never marry or have children.’: Mom forced to rethink future after child diagnosed with severe autism
“When my husband and I were told our child had a lifelong and severe medical condition, things changed. I feel no bitterness, no resentment, no envy for others who don’t have to consider these things. I do, however, feel sadness.”
‘In a quiet voice, holding back tears, they asked if they could have ‘their’ dance. YES! You will have your dance!’: Daughters share emotional wedding dance with dying father before it’s too late
“Jason has always been the most attentive father. He’s never missed any of their events. We have raised two daddy’s girls and I was about to break their hearts. Their future suddenly looked very different. The dreams they had of their daddy walking them down the aisle had come to a screeching halt.”
‘Mom, just listen to me for a second.’ We don’t always agree. But you’ll always be my little boy.’: Mom reminisces on son’s younger years, ‘I had no idea how proud or in love I would be’
“You’ve become gifted in the art of rolling your eyes when you disagree. I’m not always good at listening; I know that. But no matter what, you’re still my little boy. Even though your hands are bigger than mine, you’re still my little boy. I had no idea the incredible young man you’d become.”