“I questioned whether I’d ever have boyfriends, if someone would ever love me enough to marry me. I was weird looking. I was different. I kept telling myself I didn’t need kids. Then, I met a man and my life did a 180. I wanted a family and kids so badly.”
‘I awoke from the anesthesia. ‘Is it closed?’ My family nodded. I feared passing it to my kids.’: Sister surrogate births twins in wake of sibling’s infertility battle, ‘I couldn’t be more proud of her!’
‘I realized my worst nightmare had come true. I was truly alone, ‘white-knuckling’ it. I did a 180 and completely turned my life around. Or, so I thought.’
“I’m now a successful and contributing member of society, with a picture-perfect life. However, looks can be deceiving – because I had a secret.”
‘I was the victim of a rape. I had a professor who propositioned me, a boyfriend who passed away, a stalker, and cancer—twice. I’m no stranger to a painful past.’
“Easter is about waiting. I know, that sounds absurd. This is a holiday about a Friday free from work and fake grass you’ll be finding around your house for the remainder of the year. It’s about Peeps and your people. A guy on a cross and a guy in a (rather scary) bunny suit. Jesus waited 3 days; it took me 33 years.”
‘I blurted out, ‘I think I’m pregnant.’ I’ll never forget her face. She offered no support, wouldn’t hug me, she was ice cold. ‘How was this possible?’ What did I do wrong?’
“Who could I trust to tell? I tried calling my mom, to no avail. She was cold and distant. It hurt. After my appointment, I came home, threw on Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Stay Together,’ and danced around the house with my daughter. I was going to be a mother. I was keeping her.”
‘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
“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.”
‘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.”