I found out I was expecting about 8 months ago. This was not planned and to cut out all of the details, the father of the baby decided to bow out of shared child rearing. I knew within my heart and soul, I wanted to keep this baby. Nothing could have persuaded me to think any differently. I was determined to make it without the father, no matter what I had to do, this baby was going to become my responsibility and I have never looked back once.

Most of the planning of have already been done and I am very lucky in that I have a lot of support from everyone around me. But when the end of the day arrives, all the stack of worry seems to tumble down upon my chest. This little person is going to have only me to worry about his/her needs from now on. It can become emotionally draining when at the end of the work day, you still have errands to do and you are bone tired, but there is no one to help you. Carrying groceries into the house was an easy task before you were in your last trimester and your back wasn’t straining against all of the extra weight. Crying yourself to sleep is a self indulgence you give into every few days but no matter what, time keeps on going and you still have things you need to do.

This made me very aware of all the single mom’s in the past and present who have done it and are doing it. The ones who never shirked their responsibilities and still managed to raise happy healthy children against all odds stacked against them. Women in third world countries wake up everyday and fight to make sure they and their children can find the basic supplies to survive. They are determined women who never give up hope and love their children fiercely. I have always admired these women, but now my respect for them is even greater. Their love outweighs everything else, they sacrifice, and they fight for their children. All they want is to see that their children are happy, healthy, and good individuals. The bond between mother and child is strong and can never be broken. This carries out into the world. Without these strong mother’s, our world would be a very different place in my opinion. These children will grow up knowing what their mother has given up to raise them and make sure they find their place in this world. I look up to them. They are my hero’s and they are the ones who have given me the courage and faith to keep moving forward.