{"id":1238,"date":"2024-11-27T00:57:24","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T00:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/?p=1238"},"modified":"2024-11-27T00:57:30","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T00:57:30","slug":"as-a-mother-of-two-i-dreamed-of-adopting-a-third-until-my-mil-forced-me-to-leave-home-with-my-kids-story-of-the-day-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/archives\/1238","title":{"rendered":"As a Mother of Two, I Dreamed of Adopting a Third Until My MIL Forced Me to Leave Home with My Kids \u2014 Story of the Day 13"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Recently, my husband Mark and I unanimously decided to adopt a child. It wasn\u2019t a decision we made lightly, but it felt deeply right. Our home had love to spare, and I knew our family had room for one more soul.\n

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Emily and Jacob, our two beloved children, caught on to our excitement right away. They were chattering about their \u201cnew sister\u201d every day.\n\n

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\u201cDo you think she likes soccer?\u201d Jacob asked as he kicked a ball around the yard.\n\n

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Emily rolled her eyes. \u201cShe probably likes dolls, Jacob. She\u2019s six, not a boy.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cShe can like both,\u201d I interjected with a laugh, loving their playful banter.\n\n

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Earlier that day, Mark and I met Evie for the first time. A petite six-year-old with chestnut hair and solemn eyes, she held a worn teddy bear tightly, like it was her lifeline.\n\n

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\u201cShe\u2019s beautiful,\u201d I whispered to Mark as we left the meeting.\n\n

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\u201cShe\u2019s got a kind soul. You can just tell.\u201d\n\n\n

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The warmth of that moment lingered, and I held onto it as we returned home. I couldn\u2019t wait to see her playing with Emily and Jacob, laughing around the dinner table. Everything felt perfect until the family dinner with my MIL, Barbara.\n\n

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It began innocently enough. Barbara passed me the salad bowl, chatting about the neighbor\u2019s new puppy. Then, her tone shifted.\n\n

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\u201cSo,\u201d she began, eyeing Mark, \u201cI hear you two are thinking about adopting.\u201d\n\n

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I smiled, setting my fork down. \u201cWe are. Her name is Evie. She\u2019s six\u2026\u201d\n\n

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\u201cSomeone else\u2019s child?\u201d Barbara interrupted, her voice sharp. She glanced between us, her expression unreadable. \u201cYou\u2019re serious?\u201d\n\n

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\u201cOf course we are,\u201d Mark said, but his voice lacked conviction. My heart sank.\n\n

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Barbara leaned back in her chair. \u201cI just don\u2019t see how a stranger can ever truly be part of this family. Blood ties are what keep us together. Not some orphan.\u201d\n\n

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The room fell silent. Emily and Jacob, usually giggling through dinner, froze in their seats. My hands tightened around my napkin, but I forced myself to stay calm.\n\n

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\u201cFamily isn\u2019t about blood,\u201d I said firmly. \u201cIt\u2019s about love and commitment.\u201d\n\n

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Barbara shrugged. \u201cThat\u2019s easy to say, Sarah, but I\u2019ve seen it fail. I just think you should consider the consequences.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cMom,\u201d Mark said quietly, \u201cwe\u2019ve already made our decision.\u201d\n\n

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Her sharp gaze turned to him. \u201cHave you? Because it doesn\u2019t sound like you\u2019re entirely sure.\u201d\n\n

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I glanced at Mark, hoping he\u2019d respond, but he just stared down at his plate. The silence was deafening.\n\n

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That night, Mark was distant. He didn\u2019t join Emily and Jacob for their bedtime story. Instead, he wandered the house, his footsteps heavy.\n\n

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\u201cMark?\u201d I called softly from the living room. \u201cAre you okay?\u201d\n\n

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\u201cI just\u2026 I don\u2019t know, Sarah. Maybe Mom has a point. What if this is too much for us?\u201d\n\n\n

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I stepped closer. \u201cMark, you were so sure before. What\u2019s changed?\u201d\n\n

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He rubbed his forehead. \u201cI don\u2019t know. I need time to think.\u201d\n\n

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I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. As I went upstairs to check on the kids, I couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that Barbara\u2019s words had planted a dangerous seed of doubt in Mark\u2019s heart.\n\n

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The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows, but the brightness only highlighted the heavy mood in the house. The day we had been waiting for\u2014the day we were supposed to bring Evie home\u2014was here. But instead of excitement, a cold tension hung in the air.\n\n

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Mark stood by the front door, arms crossed, his face unreadable. I approached him with a smile, clutching the list of things I had prepared for Evie\u2019s arrival. But his words stopped me cold.\n\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve changed my mind, Sarah. I don\u2019t want to go through with this.\u201d\n\n\n

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\u201cWhat?\u201d I whispered, my voice trembling. \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d\n\n

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\u201cI just don\u2019t think it\u2019s the right decision. I can\u2019t do this.\u201d\n\n\n

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For a moment, I couldn\u2019t breathe. The betrayal stung, sharp and deep, but as the silence stretched between us, something inside me shifted. A clarity I hadn\u2019t felt before settled over me.\n\n

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\u201cYou might have changed your mind,\u201d I said slowly, \u201cbut I haven\u2019t. Evie is waiting for us, Mark. She\u2019s been promised a family, and I can\u2019t let her down.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cYou\u2019re being irrational,\u201d he said, his voice rising. \u201cYou\u2019re dragging the kids into this. You\u2019re making a mistake!\u201d\n\n

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I didn\u2019t respond. Instead, I turned, grabbed my keys, and began packing a bag for myself and the children. Emily and Jacob watched me quietly, their eyes wide, sensing the tension but saying nothing.\n\n

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Minutes later, I was buckling them into the car as Mark stood on the porch, shouting something about how I was taking his children away. I didn\u2019t look back. My heart was set.\n\n

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The only place I could think to go was my late mother\u2019s house\u2014a small, run-down property that had been sitting empty for years. It wasn\u2019t perfect, but it was a beginning. And for Evie, I would make it work.\n\n

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The first floor was livable after hours of scrubbing, sweeping, and airing out the musty rooms. It was enough for the first time. I focused on turning the space into a cozy retreat for us.\n\n

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\u201cMom, what are you doing up there?\u201d Jacob called from the living room as I carried an old mop and bucket to the second floor.\n\n

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\u201cJust a little magic,\u201d I replied, peeking my head over the banister with a smile. \u201cYou\u2019ll see when it\u2019s done.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cCan we help?\u201d Emily\u2019s voice chimed in.\n\n

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I shook my head gently. \u201cNot this time, sweetie. Why don\u2019t you and Jacob show Evie how to play hide and seek? I bet she\u2019s never played it with such great hiders before.\u201d\n\n

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Emily immediately turned to Evie, who sat quietly on the couch, clutching her stuffed bear. \u201cCome on, Evie! I\u2019ll even let you hide first.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cYeah, but don\u2019t pick my spot,\u201d Jacob teased, puffing his chest dramatically. \u201cI\u2019ve got the best hiding places in the whole house.\u201d\n\n

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Evie looked up at them hesitantly, her small hands gripping the bear tighter. \u201cI\u2026 I don\u2019t know,\u201d she murmured.\n\n

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Emily crouched beside her. \u201cIt\u2019s really fun. I\u2019ll hide with you the first time if you want. We can be a team.\u201d\n\n

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A tiny smile flickered across Evie\u2019s face. \u201cOkay.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s the spirit!\u201d Jacob whooped, already darting toward the hallway. \u201cLet\u2019s see if Mom can find us when she\u2019s done building her tower upstairs!\u201d\n\n

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I chuckled at his imagination as I climbed to the second floor. From above, I could hear their giggles and footsteps as they dashed around.\n\n

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Emily\u2019s voice called out playful instructions, and Evie\u2019s laughter finally joined theirs. It was a sound I was holding my breath to hear.\n\n

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Hours later, after the kids had worn themselves out and fallen asleep after pizza, I stood in the dimly lit kitchen, warming my hands with a mug of tea. The day went better than I\u2019d hoped. Evie had played, smiled, and even laughed. She began to trust us.\n\n

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I tiptoed into my room, careful not to wake the children. As I sank onto the bed, the tears came, hot and unrelenting.\n\n

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Mark\u2019s absence felt like a shadow over everything. I stared at the cracks in the ceiling, whispering to myself in the darkness.\n\n

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\u201cAm I doing this right? Is this enough?\u201d\n\n\n

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In those moments of doubt, I turned to social media as a way to cope. It started simply\u2014a few posts sharing the highs and lows of adjusting to our new life, more for myself than anyone else.\n\n

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Writing helped me process my thoughts, giving my feelings a place to land. But something unexpected happened.\n\n

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Strangers, mostly mothers, began commenting on my posts. They shared their own stories, offered advice, and sent words of encouragement.\n\n

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\u201cYou\u2019re doing an amazing thing,\u201d one woman wrote.\n\n

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\u201cStay strong. It\u2019s hard, but it\u2019s worth it,\u201d said another.\n\n

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The messages poured in, and then, people started showing up in real life.\n\n

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It started with a knock at the door one morning. When I opened it, a woman stood there with a basket of groceries.\n\n

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\u201cI read your post,\u201d she said with a kind smile. \u201cI just wanted to help.\u201d\n\n

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Another day, a man arrived with a toolbox in hand. \u201cI heard about your house. Mind if I fix that front step? It\u2019s a little wobbly.\u201d\n\n

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Soon, our little house was buzzing with activity. People brought toys for the kids, blankets to keep us warm, and even fresh paint to brighten the walls. I wasn\u2019t alone.\n\n

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After several active days and fewer tearful nights, Mark finally wrote. He wanted to meet.\n\n

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The hum of a car pulling into the driveway broke the afternoon stillness. My heart skipped as I set down the laundry basket and peeked through the curtain.\n\n

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Mark stepped out, his shoulders slumped, his face lined with exhaustion. He wasn\u2019t the same man who had walked away weeks ago. I met him at the door, unsure what to say.\n\n

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\u201cI\u2019m ashamed of myself, Sarah,\u201d he said. \u201cAshamed of how I let my mother\u2019s fears control me. Ashamed of leaving you to carry this burden alone. You did what I should\u2019ve done. You didn\u2019t give up.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cI didn\u2019t have a choice, Mark,\u201d I said quietly. \u201cEvie needed us. She still does.\u201d\n\n

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He nodded, his eyes meeting mine for the first time. \u201cI know. And I\u2019m here now. I want to make this right.\u201d\n\n

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Forgiveness didn\u2019t need to be spoken. It was in the way he rolled up his sleeves and got to work the very next day.\n\n

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Together, we finished the repairs on the house. Mark worked tirelessly, fixing the roof and building sturdy shelves while I painted and organized.\n\n

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Evie\u2019s laughter rang through the halls as Emily and Jacob pulled her into their games. For the first time in weeks, the house felt alive.\n\n

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A few weeks later, Barbara visited. She didn\u2019t say much, but I watched her hand Evie a small brooch, something she treasured. I saw her walls begin to crumble.\n\n

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When the house was complete, Mark and I sat together on the porch, looking out at the yard where the kids played.\n\n

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Suddenly Mark turned to me. \u201cWhat if we turned this place into a foster home? A real one. A safe haven for kids who need a family, even if it\u2019s just for a little while.\u201d\n\n

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\u201cMark, that\u2019s\u2026 that\u2019s an incredible idea.\u201d\n\n\n

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He squeezed my hand. \u201cThen let\u2019s do it. Together.\u201d\n\n

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We both knew that family wasn\u2019t about blood. It\u2019s about love, choices, and fighting for the people you care about. And it\u2019s always worth the fight.\n\n

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Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.\n\n

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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: I thought faking a fianc\u00e9 would finally let me step out of my sister\u2019s shadow. But in the middle of my own scheme, I discovered that true love had been closer than I\u2019d ever realized. Read the full story\u00a0here.\n\n

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This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone\u2019s life. If you would like to share your story\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recently, my husband Mark and I unanimously decided to adopt a child. It wasn\u2019t a decision we made lightly, but it felt deeply right. Our home had love to spare, and I knew our family had room for one more soul. Emily and Jacob, our two beloved children, caught on to our excitement right away. […]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1238"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1240,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238\/revisions\/1240"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}