One day I was Me, and the next I was Mom-Me. First came all the pain and all thescreaming (my own), and then a tiny human being was placed on my chest.
When I held my daughter, I was in awe. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I was scared that I might break her, but also fascinated by her tiny-ness. Her feet were the best part. I couldn’t believe how cute they … Read More
Being a parent is probably the most difficult job in the world. You’re almost always secondguessing yourself, wondering if you’re doing this and that right. Being a parent in prison is even more confusing. You rarely get to see your child, so it’s hard to build a relationship, and you feel a heavy burden of guilt.
Missing Those ‘First Times’
I was incarcerated when my daughter was born, so I didn’t get to witness … Read More
When I was little, I loved to watch my mom around the house: the way she folded our clothes with her gentle hands, the way her hair smelled when she was next to me. It was asmell of warmth like no other.
My mother never shared her dreams, but we knew her talents: hairdressing, making clothes, knitting, and the most beautiful, singing. As I got older, I realized how many sacrifices my … Read More
On Aug. 4, 1997, I got my sons back after they’d been in foster care and I’d been out on thestreets for many years. I felt that God had given me a second chance in life to be the best mom I could be.
I was determined to be different toward my sons than my mother had been toward me. My mother and I had a bad relationship when I was a … Read More
In September I traveled with my 23-year-old son to speak at “Families for Life: Addressing the Needs of Older Children and Youth in Foster Care,” a conference convened by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. James and I were doing a workshop together about the strength of family bonds. Even though James and I were separated by my drug addiction and his adoption, our relationship is growing now.
I hoped that seeing the way my … Read More
