We have to give a big thanks to our sponsor for August–Schedulicity who brought us August's theme Timing is Everything:

Here is a selection of essays that we wanted to share with you–stories you don't want you to miss!

The One Thing to Say to Your Kids by Kim Bongiorno

“So the next day I skipped the nagging, and used a gentler tone when reminding them of what we needed to do to get out on time in the morning. When I said goodbye, I quietly requested they be kind—to themselves, to others—as they went on with their days.”

An Extreme Kind of Mom Guilt by Kathy Glow

“In my worst moments as a mother, the moments where I am cursing my family or getting angry about how much I have to do, I often experience this extreme moment of panic. If I complain now, what horrible thing will happen next? Because, you see, there is a part of me—the total irrational, illogical part of me—that believes that because of when Joey’s brain tumor was discovered, I had somehow made that happen. By taking for granted the fact that I had a life full of everything I ever wanted, I somehow caused my son to become sick.”

The Simplicity of Time by Courtney Fitzgerald

“Maybe we saw it coming, maybe we had some strange foresight to know that we needed to take the time as a family now, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. I will never regret keeping our lives simple, before cancer came and took our family's future away.”

This is Almost 40 by Vicki Willenberg 

“Age is a powerful thing. As we know, with age comes experience. In my almost 40 years I have experienced a lot and learned some valuable lessons. I've come to realize I'm capable of much more than I ever give myself credit for. I've finally accepted that although life can feel overwhelming a lot of the time, it's not always about “getting it right.”

There Was Another by Katie Shea Britton

“I remember vividly the tiny speck of blood that caught my eye during a trip to the bathroom that Thursday morning. It was the tiniest of specks, but it was there. My heart skipped a beat but I was almost 14 weeks along and I suspected nothing.”

Things No One Tells You About Parenthood by Jennifer Savage

“It is my great hope that we have blitzed these parasites from our lives and I’ve added it to the mental list I have running of the other things we’ve survived as parents: lice, warts, worms, years on end of no sleep, 106 degree fevers. It reminded me that forever and always, this parenthood thing, this toughest job you’ll ever love, is not for the weak at heart.”

At Just The Right Time by Sky Nelson

“We were afraid. I wanted to be a strong father, to help guide things towards how we had envisioned them. But what came to me in that moment was that I wanted to arrive safely home with my baby and my wife. I didn’t care how it happened. I wanted to trust.”

Love Your Circus by Stacey Conner

“The weekend was a blast and the dog was so happy playing in the lake he forgave us for the sneak jalapeno peppers. When people ask me how we “do” five kids, I usually say something deflecting like “oh we love it” or “you could do it.” The real answer, I think, is humor.

I Can't. I Won't. I Must. by Logan Fisher

“He was so excited at the news and as I lay listening to his cheery humming from the shower, I tried not to sob. I placed my hand on my belly and squeezed my eyes shut. Massive anxiety of having to start again, to experience the hardship and resentment of a role that I was just NOT cut out to do. It seemed cruel, not only to me, but to the little living being inside me.”

Step-by-Step: A Modern Family Love Story by Jenni Frizzell-Fuller

“Navigating a relationship with a single dad can be a tricky thing. From the start, we decided that calm, consistent predictability and open communication would be the norm for us. Gingerly, we folded the kids into things we did, or rather, they folded me into the things they did. I found myself dating a man with two kids, and surprisingly, I found myself in love.”

Don't forget we have thousands of stories to read on our website! Click here to see all our stories this month. Dig in. Share the love. You are the lifeblood of Mamalode.