About Me I’m a woman. I’m a mother. I’m a girlfriend. I’m a daughter. I’m a sister. I’m a granddaughter. I’m a Christian. I’m the average girl next door. To look at me, you would never know the things that I have endured. I am the funny, personable woman that likes to make others smile while hiding my own insecurities and fears. And… I’m a survivor of domestic violence.  I was married for over two decades. I stayed for a variety of reasons… the kids, finances, my family, his family, the church, the way I thought people would view me if I left, and the fact that we basically grew up together. I left for one reason… me. I have come to the point in my healing that I’m ready to tell my story in hopes that it may help someone else who is thinking about leaving an abusive relationship, that is working on their healing, or just trying to understand. I am still working on healing from the inside, out. I’m thankful that everyday there is more improvement; I mean, let’s face it, all of the damage wasn’t done overnight. I have made huge strides. I’m not done though. I am determined not to let what happened to me define me. I am committed to being the best me that I can be and I hope that is your desire as well. Along this journey, I have come to realize that I am strong, independent, brave, beautiful, kind, sincere, a warrior, and a fighter. I am worthy of love. I am worthy of kindness. I am worthy of acceptance. I am worthy of respect. Looking back at my journey, I have found reasons to be thankful. My hope and my prayer is that someday, someone reads this and is moved, and encouraged. You don’t have to let your history define you. You create your future. You are not alone. There are people that truly want to help; people that truly understand, and care. Life isn’t always easy, but if you keep striving to do and to be better, for yourself, you can’t go wrong. This website was created to bring awareness, to help and encourage others, to help people understand, to be a resource for those that need help and don’t know where to turn, and it was also created as an outlet to tell my story and to thank the countless people along the way for being a light in the lives of those that are struggling to find their way. Please feel free to share your stories with me, give advice, or share information that could help someone else. Thank you for taking the time to break the silence. ~Bee from LIAO~  **Please note that some names have been changed to protect the privacy of some individuals** |