“We’re broke. We’re $100 thousand in debt.’ He sent it to an online ‘camgirl.’ He is a porn addict, and has been since before he met me. I sat stunned, staring at him. Today is the one-year anniversary of the day my life fell apart.”
‘I lent a friend money. It’s gone.’ I started to feel ill. It turns out, my husband hadn’t lent the money to a friend at all.’: Woman strives to ‘forgive’ husband over ‘camgirl’ porn addiction
‘It smashed everywhere. Sometimes the smallest thing is the last straw. He messaged me. ‘I have limited time left.’ I recall saying, ‘We will see you next time.’ Looking into his eyes, I wasn’t sure.’
“We walked quietly to the room. We found two seats and moved them close to the bed. You think you will say the right things, but you don’t in those moments. I was speechless.”
‘Oh, my goodness.’ I say out loud. ‘What mommy?’ I look down at my daughter. ‘Oh nothing,’ I say. The last thing I need is for my kindergartner to be afraid to go to school.’
“The hairs on my neck stood up for the first time. After picking my daughter up from school, I got a text message from my husband, a principal. ‘We’re in lockout,’ it said. It was unprecedented. Suddenly, it felt serious.”
‘Why do you want to adopt Shiloh?,’ the judge asked us. I’ll never forget what my husband said. ‘It’s the paperwork catching up to hearts. She IS our daughter,’ he responded.’: Couple elated to officially adopt daughter
“Our normally bouncy Shiloh was quiet and only wanted Daddy. She just wanted to be still. At only 2 years old, she couldn’t verbalize her feelings. We couldn’t help her understand what was happening. She could sense it was something big, and that all eyes were on her.”
‘You grab a baby wipe to get the peanut butter off your leggings and pack it in the pocket on the door with umpteen other tissues and trash. She’s got it made.’
“She’s got it made. That’s what we think as we notice the mom who just parked beside us and got out of her brand new (and clean) SUV, sporting crisp, ironed clothes, coordinating shoes, and an Italian leather handbag.”
‘You are donating your kidney, correct?,’ the nurse asked. ‘That’s what my kidnappers said,’ I cracked. The color was draining from my face.’
“‘Honey, are you sure you want to do this?’ I was terrified. I hadn’t even started a family. What if I got sick in adulthood? What if my husband did? The drugs were kicking in. My husband’s floating head was the last thing I saw.”
‘My son was screaming, ‘That thing on her chest popped!’ Have you ever taken a bandage off a 4-year-old? Like giving a cat a bath.’: Brother ‘never leaving’ little sister alone after dad dies
“My son came in. He knew he had to act. He took a bandage from the counter and presented his little sister with a simple question. ‘If I put this bandage on me, and let you take it off, will you let Mom take off yours?’ She pondered the idea, then nodded in agreement. He was going to protect her forever.”
‘Here I was, a 3-month-old in hand, her father leaving because he couldn’t handle my postpartum depression.’: Young mom overcomes suicide, ‘Bliss lies on the other side of pain’
“On Christmas night, I sat on my empty floor, no tree, no presents, just silence. I saw a kitchen with hardly any food. The only items I had to my name were a bag of clothes and a computer. I looked at my daughter sleeping so sweetly, and something deep inside me broke. I told my daughter that night would be the last night. She didn’t deserve any of this.”
‘Calm down, it’s not like you’re gonna see the guy you robbed.’ Well guess what. I walked up to the church, and guess whose face I saw? The man I had just robbed. He was the greeter.’
“I couldn’t get out. I was terrified. I walked up to him with tears in my eyes, and he gave me a hug. ‘You are in the right place,’ he told me. ‘When I was your age, I was doing the same thing.’ I had no idea he was in recovery. That I was the first time I believed there was hope for me.”
‘We sound like the beginning of a bad joke. A Black, Transracial, Mennonite Adoptee and a White Mennonite Midwesterner walk into a bar…’: Young woman reflects on her unique marriage
“Eight years ago, I got in a car at midnight to eat bad cheese fries at a sketchy truck stop. I took a chance to be vulnerable with someone I didn’t know. And, it changed my life.”
‘We’re sorry. It’s cancer.’ We’ve spent 150+ nights in the hospital. I quit my job. My husband ran out of sick days.’: Mom’s newborn diagnosed with Leukemia, community sacrifices sick days to help
“We noticed a shift in our bubbly girl’s personality. Kinsley stopped sleeping. She had a diaper rash we couldn’t control. She was constantly fussy and the days seemed like years. They continually told me it was average baby things, that she was teething, she was fine, this was normal. There was nothing normal about it. My mom instincts were on high alert.”
‘I bought every plaid skirt I could find, because Cher wore plaid skirts in ‘Clueless.’ I shopped at Express and pretended to like the movie ‘She’s All That.’
“When I was in junior high, I wore Tommy Hilfiger polos, Dr. Martens and I doused myself in CK One perfume, because everyone else was. I had no idea who I was. I became a continual copy-cat, and it continued into adulthood. I didn’t know any other way to be. I was exhausted.”
‘I was still being bullied. I developed a crush on a cute boy. He told me, ‘Here, take this. It will make you feel so much better. You won’t have any pain.’ I immediately felt like I was on cloud nine.’
“‘Momma, can I come back home?’ I remember thinking, ‘You can’t save me, it’s too late, I am slipping away quickly.’ She kissed my forehead. ‘You are stronger than you know.’ I never heard from my ex again.”
‘YOU CAN’T HAVE THAT, YOU’RE PREGNANT.’ ‘You cannot be serious. It’s one cup. It’s fine.’ Grandma is banshee screaming at this point.’
“‘NO YOU CAN’T HAVE IT YOU’RE PREGNANT IT WILL MAKE YOU HAVE THE BABY NOW YOU CAN’T DO IT I WON’T LET MY DAUGHTER DO IT EITHER BUT SHE DRINKS IT ANYWAY AND IF I CAN’T SAVE HER I’LL SAVE YOU INSTEAD.’ I don’t think she breathed during this at all. Also, what? Save me?”
‘Why don’t you just make a dress instead?’ It’s been one whole month of endless work. I will cherish this memory forever.’: Mother and daughter bond to create stunning dress from home
“When I first put the dress on I thought, ‘WOW.’ I wanted to create something personal from all the things I hold close to my heart. I will cherish these memories with my mother forever.”
‘We got in a serious motorcycle accident. I laid on the road thinking, ‘If we’re seriously considering adoption, it’s now or never.’ As I waited for first responders, the calling felt so strong.’
“I felt excitement and anxiety all at once. Over the next month, we said yes to 5 situations. ‘What if we never get chosen?’ Then, my cell phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize. I began shaking. I called my husband. ‘Get your bags together. It’s time!’ But knew very well not to expect things to happen right away.”
My Daughter’s Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Was Blamed On My Wife And I Being Gay
“We were disgusted and hurt. But that message brought our daughter so much more support and awareness.”
‘I whispered to myself, ‘It’s going to be okay.’ The silence in the room was deafening. I held my breath as the wand slid over my stomach.’
“To the woman who wondered if sharing a photo of a dead baby was necessary on my feed. Yes. That baby, the one you ‘didn’t have time to look away from,’ is my daughter. Her name is Dorothy, and I wish I could see her face right now.”
‘My classmate’s baby had a fever. Our teacher told her to bring her. I heard Katie say, ‘She’s a little fussy,’ when handing her over.’
“Teachers like Dr. George will hold your sick baby when you can’t get a last minute sitter so you can take a test. She always makes it clear we can ask her for help.”
‘I’m ok to keep repeating until I pass.’ This is my adopted brother. His mother died of lupus; his father has a new family now. He’d need to repeat 6th grade.’
“People question ‘why was he allowed to graduate with that kind of average?’ or ‘he is barely able to read and write, how did he pass?’ The thing is, he tried and kept trying. We never scolded him, never made him feel like he did not know anything. We never made him feel bad about himself.”
‘I’d be driving to work and see the ‘perfect’ tree to ram my car into. I stared at the railing upstairs, picking out the spot to hang from. I knew this was not normal, but it was my new normal.’
“It was a dreary day. I was standing by the window with tears streaming down my face. The kids were whining in the background. The house was a complete disaster. I was trembling and my knuckles were white from gripping the chair. My marriage was crumbling before my eyes.”
‘Kalen I am done.’ We both were bartenders. I was a single mom, and this amazing guy was just waiting to get his next high. He did not even weigh 110 pounds and had very sad eyes.’
“I met this amazing guy. He always had headphones in, came in late every day and refused to speak to me. Being the high-strung, outspoken girl I am, I knew I would change that. Little did I know what I was up against.”
‘I was terrified something happened to the baby. He pulled me into my closet so neighbors couldn’t hear me screaming. My mom drove 3 hours in a snow storm to rescue me from him.’
“I found it scary how fast things were going, but I I loved him so much. I became pregnant shortly after meeting him. He vowed to protect us, love us, and always keep us safe. There was no doubt in my mind he was the one for me. Little did I know me becoming pregnant would awaken the monster within him.”
‘Where are you going?’ I asked. ‘I’m leaving. Obviously, I am not a priority in your life!’ He peeled out of the parking lot, leaving me standing there wondering what the hell just happened.’
“I got a phone call. The woman was getting divorced and needed my help. My boyfriend stomps towards me, handing me my wallet and keys. ‘Your priorities are all out of whack,’ he said as he nearly runs me over while heading towards his car.”
‘My friends and I used to get all dressed up and go out. I miss it.’ She looked sad. ‘Why miss it? Come out with us!’: Young woman’s act of compassion reminds us ‘it costs nothing to be kind’
“Just before leaving the casino bathroom and finishing applying our last coats of lip gloss, an older lady walked in. ‘It’s so nice to see girls out having fun and looking so beautiful. I remember those times.’ I told her. ‘Why miss it? We’re all friends here! Why don’t you come out with us?’ I’ll never forget how her face lit up. She smiled this unforgettable smile.”