Ugh.  I strongly dislike writing the “about me” page.  My life started out so typical but then I began making choices based on how little I thought of myself and how little worth I thought I had.  This got me into some bad relationships and circumstances, especially five years in an emotionally and mentally abusive marriage with secrets galore that I had no idea about. 

My struggle with depression began in my teens but I was incredibly unaware of how low my self-esteem was and how little self-respect and self-worth I had.  I was suffocating at the hands of other peoples’ opinions and also at my own hands as I created what I THOUGHT were peoples’ opinions of me.  I searched most desperately for validation and acceptance in the eyes of men.  I made bad choices but to be honest, I didn’t believe I was worth more.  Like I said, I ended up in a terrible marriage.  When it finally came to a close, my first husband ended up in jail and I ended up on my own with my infant daughter.   Afraid of my husband’s reaction to the end of the marriage, my family came one evening and quickly moved me out of the house and into my parents’ house.  Four weeks later, I bought a new house which then had a huge house fire and I stayed at my parents’ for close to 9 months. Eventually, my Summer and I successfully moved out on our own.  I struggled through 5 years of single motherhood and then met my stallion husband, Ted, and his three kids.