Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
An Open Letter to My Son
Dear Samuel, 1). I want you to know how much I love you, and how much you have changed my life for the better. You have been the light of my life since the day that you were born, and it has been a joy to watch you grow up so far, and I am sure that I will enjoy the rest of it. However, there are a few things that I want to say.
By Jessie McDonald7 years ago in Families
Giving Birth for the First Time
Everything about having a baby was different than I imagined it would be. I was terrified about the pain and the chaos of giving birth. I didn’t know how I would handle being in so much pain, especially unbearable pain that is childbirth based on what I had seen on TV. Once I found out I was pregnant, I think I was actually in denial about the fact that the baby would have to come out ever. I just kept putting the thought out of my mind.
By Haley Peterson7 years ago in Families
The Day Cancer Waged War on My Son!
September 11… Yes the day that everyone will never forget because that was the day that our country was attacked. I remember it like it was yesterday, we were living in Japan, our boys were small, we were driving to Tokyo to take my in-laws down to fly back to the States the next day, we drove through a typhoon to make it down there by evening.
By Kimberley Ulmer7 years ago in Families
Lies to Tell a Scottish Kid
Parents do it. Grandparents do it. The Easter Bunny, Santa, and the Tooth Fairy are all tall tales told to our kids to help them understand parts of everyday life. Sometimes though, a gullible kid is just too much fun to resist. Here are a few lies told to Scottish kids to make the lives of a busy parent a bit easier....
By Rosalyn Grams7 years ago in Families
Having a Baby
I found out that I was pregnant when I was twenty years old. I never thought that I could even have kids due to medical reasons. But whenever I found out that I was pregnant, my whole entire world shifted. I had no idea how I was going to do it, but I KNEW I was going to have this baby! From then on, I was working constantly, going to every yard sale, reading every Pinterest article, thinking of everything possible way to get ready for my baby. I was so nervous and excited.
By Jessie McDonald7 years ago in Families
For the Love of Coffee
I adore the ritual of making a latte. Every morning I grind my beans into espresso, the soft whirring noise is soothing to my early morning nerves. I relish the act of tamping down the grounds into a perfect little espresso cake, and I crave the the smell of steamed milk.
By Corinne Squires7 years ago in Families
A Second Chance: A Story of What We All Wish We Could Do Pt.1
“BEEP. BEEP. BEEP” said the battery-powered blue flower she had gotten for her birthday several months earlier. One eye slowly opened and glared at the dumb flower; she tapped the snooze button. “Ugh what was that dream…” She thought to herself, an eight year old named Emma. It all came back. She sat up in bed, eyes wide, but tired. She knows EVERYTHING that’ll happen in her future. She has dreamed of a tragic timeline that she can barely comprehend. She has a migraine for the first time in her life. She gets up out of bed, still groggy. It’s Saturday morning. She goes to the bathroom, pees, then brushes her teeth. A minute in, she looks into the mirror into her blue-green eyes and screams. Which is more like a high-pitch gargle. She coughs and spits profusely. She had realized that something terrible was going to happen to her mom in five years. Her mom, Sarah, was going to die of stage 4 cancer. “What is cancer?? Is it like a gun or something?” She thought to her self. She stared at her reflection, her young mind trying to comprehend what she had just foreseen.
By Desiree Stumo7 years ago in Families
My Journey
Let me introduce myself. My name is Summer and I am 37 years old. I am also the mother of two beautiful who both happen to have Autism. My oldest Sebastian is 7 and has ADHD/Aspergers Syndrome. My youngest, Ryder, is 5 year sold and has Nonverbal Autism. I never thought I would be taking this journey, but wouldn't change anything for the world. Being a parent is hard enough, but a parent with a child with Autism is a whole other level. Maybe discussing my experiences may help another parent dealing with the same thing.
By Summer Francois7 years ago in Families
Sharing a Life Experience
Sometimes, life isn't always what it seems. I know most people are aware of that. Do you believe that "everything happens for a reason"? I do—oddly enough, despite all the bad things that happened to me when I was a child... Yes, even the bad things. I know it is what made me who I am. I realize that I have issues. I know sometimes I get upset over the small things, I cry when I get too angry, I lose hours of sleep because of my insomnia or whatever. But these are all things that make us human. Want to know something about me? Good or bad? We will start with bad. Hope that is okay...
By Brittany Johnston7 years ago in Families
Pregnancy and Chronic Illness
Imagine finding out that you're pregnant with a surprise baby at 30-years-old, and being two years into a very painful diagnosis. For me, this was reality. I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease after about a year of testing, poking, prodding, and scans. My life had just started to turn around, thanks to the immunosuppressive medications, daily pain management with opioids, use of medical marijuana, and some extreme lifestyle changes.
By Bex Wohlfert7 years ago in Families
