“Now I allow the other person an opportunity to hear a new perspective, gain a new depth of understanding, or judge me based on what little information they’ve amassed. Either way, I’m a mama to three girls, but one of them doesn’t live with me.”
‘How many kids do you have?’ For years, this question was a trigger. Like lemon juice in a fresh wound, it stung.’: Birthmother shares adoption grief, making peace with others’ opinions
‘My. Son. Died. I can’t run from that. But I run so no one else has to run this race.’: Mom shares the intensity of grief after losing son to overdose
“Grief is the most arduous race anyone will ever run. You can do this, and I’ll run by your side.”
‘Hair loss, depression, anxiety, mood swings, tears, a healing body—it all can await us after bringing life into this world.’: Mom talks about life postpartum, ‘It’s worth any amount of hair’
“We’re all thrown out into the open ocean of motherhood just trying to stay afloat and make our way back to shore alive…but no matter how big those waves are, the open ocean of motherhood is the most beautiful, humbling, and awe-inspiring creation there is.”
‘It’s not a big deal. He’ll grow out of it,’ the nurse practitioner told me. I fought with the hospital to admit him immediately.’: Mom of two special needs boys shares accepting diagnoses
“The excitement and determination were swept away with grief. This incurable disease is marked by developmental delays, atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum, difficulty controlling muscles… and death.”
‘I don’t need to run on fumes. I need to recognize I’m human and ask for help.’: Special needs mom shares son’s sweet reminder after rough day
“‘Anything you want to thank God for?’ Without even a whisper, he simply looked up at me and pointed. ‘Me? You want to thank God for me?’ He nodded with a sweet smile. He wanted to thank God for me. The one who thought she was an utter failure of a mom that day.”
‘My name always came with ‘big-boned’ attached to it. ‘I’ll never be thin enough or built right for her.’: Woman shares struggle with body image, reminds parents ‘your words and actions matter’
“My mom told me to get ready because she had a special birthday surprise for me. I had no idea where we were going, but it felt good to get dressed up. It was definitely a surprise when we pulled into a gym parking lot.”
‘We landed back in Nashville, Tennessee as a family of 6. Two adoptions, two very different faith-building experiences.’: Mom shares growing family through international adoptions
“The pandemic threw a whole new spin on things and the entire adoption process felt so volatile. The worry could have buried me, so I had to face it head-on. If God called me to it, He would get me through it.”
‘I can’t think of a better example to set for my daughters.’: Mom talks about the importance of setting boundaries, ‘My mental health has never felt better’
“Knowing your worth, your well-being, and your desires is more important than pleasing everyone else in your life. It’s freeing.”
‘I’d just walked into a public establishment wearing a ratty t-shirt with no bra and my husband’s old UNDERWEAR.’: Mom urges ‘we can’t win ’em all’ after embarrassing ‘mom fail’
“Mama, I’ll grab the wine and the s’mores, then I’ll meet you next to the dumpster fire so we can watch it burn together.”
‘I was on the side of the road, throwing up all over the place. That day, a spark lit inside me. I realized I deserved better.’: Mom overcomes abuse, depression to help others
“It felt like I was watching everyone around me living. At the same time, I was drowning in the life surrounding me. It was like I was imprisoned inside my own body, and I couldn’t escape.”