Way back in January of 1976 a month overdue and in labor my mom was driven on a forty-five minute journey to the hospital on the back of a motorcycle in the rain by my dad. Can't say it's ever been boring. Both my parents were addicts whose addiction took them both separately in their fifties in 2008 and 2010. My sister and I moved in with our grandparents at the age of 2 and 6. It wasn't like any if our friend's lives but they were our constant and our safe haven making sure we were taken care of in our parent's in and out absences. I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't thank God for my grandparents and especially for my grandmother's commitment to raising us to not only believe in God but have a personal relationship with him. Before the age of 21, I was the mother of a toddler (Jordan born in 1994) and two infant daughters (Avery and Skylar born in 1996). Life was definitely crazy. I was married from 1994-2011. It took many, many years of emotional abuse to get to the point that I could accept that this relationship was toxic. I thought the divorce would end all the abuse; however not only did it continue but I then became the target of almost identical abuse from my own daughters as well as my ex-husband's new girlfriend. Now I am on the road to healing, am learning what unconditional love is and that not only is it ok to smile but feels darn nice. I'm not over the things that I have experienced in life thus far by any means but I am getting there day by day.