My Story

For starters, God you know what I don’t even know where to begin, so I will start from here; my mother and I didn’t have a good relationship. I didn’t feel supported or most of the time even loved. But truth be told, life isn’t always the best or the hardest. I grew up wondering if I’ll ever get away from my mom and her abuse. My grandparents helped me when I turned 17. We moved into a 3 bedroom 2 bath mobile home in Coldwater. I was excited for the new beginning, I felt cared for. My grandparents provided a stable loving home. But then came Mathew, he lived 150 miles away and wanted me to move there with him, going as far as to say “I don’t know if I can stay faithful if you are that far away. That should of been my BIG red flag but it wasn’t. I moved 150 miles away from what was good and everything I knew to be with a man who 1 week in hit his mother in front of me. Red flag number two? I also watched her lie to the family and say she fell down the steps. After I got the news that I was pregnant we moved back to Coldwater and my grandparents. I didn’t tell my mom, I did feel like she should of been the first I would want to tell but she wasn’t, I dreaded telling her because I knew she would react poorly. When she did find out we were on our way back to Harrison, she told me to come back to Coldwater NOW, called Mathews mother and cursed her out and back to Coldwater we went. We stayed for two years. When I gave birth to our first child Matt wouldn’t even hold my hand, he said I didn’t deserve it. My grandparents helped me raise my son because Matt didn’t want a boy. After we divorced, on one of his visits he told our son that he didn’t have to listen to me or any women they are only good for being bare foot, pregnant and cooking. I tried the dating scene again, it didn’t go well, I was raped and pregnant with my second child, my daughter. Her father has never met her, he signed off on his rights when she was born. My daughter would like to meet him, to know who he is. It was rough raising two kids on my own but my grandparents were a huge help. They helped me everyday. Then I met and got together with the father of my third child, a son. It was a rough pregnancy, I was sick until my last trimester and nearly died having him. Joe lived at the mission and was in and out of trouble, he cheated on me. Once he even had me drive him somewhere and it was a woman’s house. We broke up when our son was barely a year old. Then I met Cody, he is the one who hurt my children and cost me the ultimate price, I lost them in the system. My youngest son being placed with a father who never wanted him or did anything for him. I have been fighting to get them back since. I found the Woman’s Co-op through parenting classes I was sent to by Children’s Protective Services. The Co-op felt good, they helped and supported me until I could help and support myself, which I am now doing! I also have a new boyfriend Kyle, I know but this one is healthy and whole. He is wonderful to me and my children whom I am getting to visit with more now. I just went to court in November to set dates for them to return home. Thanks Co-op for lighting my fire! I have my family, a good home and a great job! And no one will hurt my children again. In the song by Kattie Perry I have the eye of the tiger. I can fight to make it. I did make it out of this. and I learned that every dream is worth it! that the only one who drags you down is you and if you love yourself then you got yourself.