“I thought that would be it. I was wrong. What is a mundane task to many is a big deal around here.”
‘I was SO nervous the morning of the surprise. But as I watched him cry tears of joy, the burden was instantly lifted.’: Special needs mom reciprocates kindness to recycling driver
‘The vulgar lyrics were blasting. LOUD. During the prayer. I cannot make this up.’: Bride hilariously recounts random reunion during wedding with strangers from their engagement
“My husband drops to one knee. All 3 guys start screaming: ‘Say yes! Did you just do that?! That’s epic!’ Fast forward. Halfway through our ceremony, who crashes the wedding? OUR ENGAGEMENT FRIENDS. My husband and I locked eyes. We knew it was them. Our wedding guests look on, HORRIFIED.”
‘What’s wrong?’ My tattoo artist emerged from the back, visibly shaking, crying. ‘I just HAD to take in this moment.’: Mom loses twins, ‘uncommon’ first names combine to match name of tattoo artist’s late grandmother
“He’d gone back to trace the footprints of my babies, Leonor and Buchanan, both stillbirths. I was wondering what was taking so long, and started to worry my tattoo couldn’t be done. ‘I don’t want you to think I’m crazy,’ he said. ‘But my grandmother’s name was Leonor Buchanan. She just passed.’ I looked at him in complete shock.”
‘The nurse asked my husband, ‘Are you the FATHER, or just the one she’s pregnant with?’ I hated the disapproving nods, strange stares. I stopped going out in public with my kids. I felt inadequate.’: Mom shares candid reality of being mother to multiple kids
“Getting an abortion scared the crap out of me. I wanted to be the mother who had all her ducks in a row. The mother whose children were well behaved, drank organic kale smoothies, and began reading at 3.”
‘Hey! What the HELL ARE YOU DOING?!’ The kid looked at me, stuck out his tongue and ran. I almost turned into Medusa.’: Mom watches playground bully kick her son, ‘I will not excuse a mother who does not pay attention’
“Andy was screaming with a swollen red eye, tears rolling down his face. I saw him run off towards his mom, whom I noticed had been on her phone for the entire hour we were there, not looking up once.”
‘Sorry, kids. I wish I could make it so you’d never hurt, or have your heart broken. But the world doesn’t work that way.’
“If I made everything easy, you’d never know how to work hard. If I paid your way in, you would never know you are capable of accomplishing your dreams on your own.”
‘Why can’t we just fly to Heaven and bring her back down?,’ our son asked. We told our kids I had a baby in my belly, but she had a boo-boo on her head, and would not come home with us.’
“I had a strong mom instinct. First thing on Monday morning, I shut my ultrasound door and put the probe on my belly to check out the progress of the baby. Immediately, I knew something was wrong.”
‘I went to the room. Paint, check. Roller thing, check. I opened the door, and the strangest thing happened. Grief hit me, and it took me to my knees.’
“Then, the next strangest thing happened. My teenager appeared. She sauntered in, checked out my work, paused, and then asked if she could help. My jaw almost hit the ground. I don’t know if she felt it, too. I don’t know if she knew we were missing something by not having her dad there.”
‘She yelled, ‘I want my baby sister back!’ There was no longer a baby in my belly, but a thick pad shoved against me like a band-aid.’: Mom grieves loss of angel baby, ‘I hope they feel their baby sister guiding them’
“My kids had no clue what was happening in that moment, but they saw mama fall apart. ‘I’ve had my lifeless baby in me for two weeks? How did I not know?’ I was empty, confused. I lay on my tear-soaked pillow while my two healthy kiddos ran around the house, wondering why mommy is still sad.”
‘Immediately, I knew there was something different. Her precious little body felt weak and floppy. Looking at her tiny face, I saw it.’: Blended family births 11th baby with Down syndrome
“When I found myself unexpectedly widowed at 39, I couldn’t have imagined what my life would look like 5 years later. We met on a dating site. Blending our families and accommodating the needs of 10 children was a complicated task. Then we heard, ‘I’m so sorry,’ which prompted more tears. It was my job as her mother to be strong and brave, but I doubted my ability to do so.”