Dear Anon - You've already heard so many amazing stories and such incredibly wise advice here, I don't know that my comment will add much. If my story supports you, please remember it. If it doesn't, ignore it. This is good advice for infertility advice and later hopefully for parenting advice. :) I was diagnosed with cancer for the first time when I was 22 years old. In the 15 years between that year and when I had my daughter, I was given chemo and radiation and other treatments numerous times for two different blood borne cancers. It was stated repeatedly by different physicians over the years that I wouldn't be able to have biological children because I wouldn't have viable eggs. When I got married, I hadn't had a period in years. After a year of marriage I visited an infertility specialist who asked me (fully clothed, after merely READING my paperwork) if I was Italian. I was surprised and said no. He then went on to explain that he had an Italian egg donor that I should seriously consider utilizing, as I have dark hair and eyes. I had gone to this visit alone, thinking it would be an initial consult, and I nearly fell off my chair. He recommended some more extensive tests (we'd already done the basics and two rounds of Clomid)just to "be sure". I was heading into a busy travel season at work so we scheduled my tests for two months later. Two weeks before my first test, my period returned. And returned every 28 days for every month thereafter. I got pregnant 6 months later. My daughter is now 4 years old and in the 99th percentile for height and 95th for weight. (I'm 6 feet tall.) She is constantly called my "Mini Me" which still feels strange, since I had been SO sure that I would never have a child that would resemble me (and I was OK with that). There is still no medical explanation for my daughter's existence. Blessings to you.

Congratulations to Emma! As a higher ed admission professional AND parent, this post resonated with me on so many levels. My 4yo daughter looks JUST like I did at her age (it's spooky) but she is very much her own person - a person I am working hard to know better and parent better. I too have dreams and hopes for her, as I do for the young men and women I've worked with over the past several years, but what I come back to, time and time again, is that the most important thing when selecting a college or university is that the institution is a place that will allow a young person to become not merely the person they dream of becoming, but also the person that they don't dare dream of becoming.

Wow. I am terribly behind on reading your posts - heck, I'm terribly behind on reading ALL posts - there are 649 unread posts in my Google reader. BUT - I read four books (not including the silly one for my financial accounting class) in the past week and maybe, I needed to read this post TODAY. Because it is PERFECT for me TODAY. Thank you, Patti - I can express in this little comment box how much I needed your words. Big hugs from Ohio!

Oh Moxie - I am honestly relieved to read more about your humanity. You always offer such spot-on, wonderful advice that although I've read your posts where you've shared your doubts and concerns, those pale against your wisdom and kindness. So it's great to read you're messy, though not great to read that you feel shame over it. I am by inclination a neat freak, who has struggled to get over it for many years so that I could enjoy guests rather than making them cringe whilst I shove a coaster under their drinks. :) Yes, that was me - I meant no harm and didn't growl at guests but I really couldn't help myself. I become seriously negative when my house gets too dirty or cluttered so we sacrifice to have a housekeeper come every other week. I used to spend an entire Saturday cleaning my house - much of it with a toothbrush (like the kitchen floor...) so don't wish for that gene, either! Everything in moderation - I now strive for generally tidy and fairly clean and remember how much more important it is to spend time with my lovely daughter and husband rather than cleaning, which never made me happy at all.

Dear Kelly - I don't know if you'll have the time to read down to this comment, but if you do, I had a thought - can you reach out via Facebook or Twitter or even email to folks in your area? The number of amazing mothers who posted here show how much strength and support there can be in motherhood. Maybe some of us could help you out? I only have one child who recently turned 4. What I remember of her first few months was a pediatrician appt where I asked, "Is it normal for her to be screaming if she's not eating or sleeping?" I asked the question calmly, but inside I was ready to thrust my baby into the arms of the doctor and flee the room. Instead we learned that she had GERD and some Zantac changed our lives. But the memories of that difficult time are only NOW beginning to fade - they were that awful. And I broke my leg when she was 6 weeks old. So while I have never had twins (and quite frankly am not sure if I could survive twins so PLEASE know that while I cried reading your post, I also thought about how brave and strong you are) I am familiar with the nightmare that can encompass an infant's first several months. Peace to you and your household - Kats