My story, like most, involves trauma, mental illness, loss, success, set-backs, addiction, recovery, pain, joy and last but definitely most important, the love of God. My childhood experience was two forces working in harmony; molding me into the person I am today, whom I now love. I enjoyed the love, care and outdoor adventures of my mother's side of the family and the severe addiction and abuse of my father. After my father's suicide when I was 14, I became a love-addict, turned to men in lieu of my father and soon became pregnant. I gave birth to my first child, Charlee, at the age of 15. At 19, I gave her a little sister, Chanda. Wanting to provide a better life for my children, I went to Engineering school and graduated with A Chemical Engineering degree. My addiction to drugs started when I was in college and spun out of control in my early thirties when my children were pre-teens. The life I lived was no life at all. It was filled with abandoning my children on weekends, domestic violence and trying to escape the words and actions of my father and the denial of my mother. I married my second husband when I was deep in my addiction. He was an abusive addict who led me into the pits of hell. He committed suicide Thanksgiving Day 2019, and after five years of confusion and grief, I found my way to recovery and owning my truth. I now give back to other by chairing AA and Celebrate Recovery meetings in church, Juvenile Services Center and rehabs. I love music, poetry, hiking, camping, yoga, learning and loving others. I am kind-hearted and have a deep desire to help people on their journey in recovery, no matter what they are recovering from.