“I remember thinking, ‘This is how I’m going to go… But I don’t want Bobby to have to be a single father!’ Little did I know he was thinking the same thing.”
‘All of a sudden, I hear the doctor say, ‘She’s bleeding out!’ My baby is stripped from my chest. I knew if I freaked out, I would just lose blood faster. I can see the fear in my husband’s eyes.’: Mom describes traumatic birth
‘But Daddy never messes up,’ my son added. ‘Yes, I know, little one, he was one of those who was born perfect.’
‘I want you to mess up. I want you to get distracted by your phone at story time. I want for you to fight in front of your kids. I want you to leave your power-sliding van door open. I want you to yell.”
‘Men with dad-bods make better husbands. Muscly, hard men are not comfortable. Mr. dad-bod is comfy as hell! He got so much cushion you’ll think you’re riding in a Bentley.’
“The guy at the gym eating his lean diet has plenty of time. With those abs and big arms, I bet he is just waiting to slide into the DM’s of some Instachick. Well, not ‘ole chubby-guts!”
‘What do you do with all the ‘stuff?’ It’s gut-wrenching for parents who lost a child. The dreams of a baby in the nursery are no longer viable, and now you are left with ‘stuff.’
“Our nursery sat untouched. I couldn’t open the door. There was no need for 3 burping pillows. But, there was one box that sat in our basement for nearly 2 years. I held my breath as I opened that final storage box.”
‘My father had an operation. The tall, strong man was shaking uncontrollably. The tubes made him appear unhuman. But he was my dad, and I was drowning.’
“I got a phone call. It was late. I was advised to get on a plane. Dad would not make it through the night. While holding onto his hand, I tried to talk to him, but I could not. All the things I hadn’t said. All the things I hadn’t told him.”
‘Some of the bravest warriors I know aren’t the ones in uniforms, they are the ones left behind on the home front. Yes, I’m talking about you, military spouse.’: Wife pens appreciation letter to veteran husband
“I see you, military wife/husband. I see you standing quietly by their side as praise is given for their service.”
‘It’s time! NOW!’ Everything was a blur. My mind racing, I was carrying someone else’s dreams.’: Surrogate delivers woman’s child after meeting couple that ‘felt like fate’
“I was pushing while nurses were rushing to break down the bed, my husband and a soon-to-be dad on each side, and a soon-to-be mom gloving up to help deliver HER baby. I had the happiest, most uncontrollable tears.”
‘I broke. I didn’t expect it. I didn’t know the bad days would be like THIS.’
“I didn’t eat. Didn’t drink. A day where taking a moment completely set someone into a rage.”
‘Do you want to tell me about her?’ I’ll never forget the way you leaned in, just like we were friends, and asked me about Dorothy.’: Mom’s heartfelt thanks to nurses for ‘bringing her back’ after newborn daughter’s death
“Thank you to the nurse who dressed my baby and took her picture. Thank you for whispering to me your story about your own child who was born still. Your presence felt too good to be true.”
‘This is the face of a momma who had a rough night, and then had a rough morning. Who is having a hard time forgiving herself for yelling. Who feels guilty, but isn’t entirely sure why.’
“Give yourself some grace, change your thoughts from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I will,’ and dry those pretty eyes. You’ve got this.”