The Maggie Story: The Later Years

Thank you so much friends, for your support as I've shared parts of my story and Maggie's. It is amazing to be a part of a "community," even if it is mainly online, of folks who are good-hearted and understanding.

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After beginning medication and therapy, I was able to start making smart life choices and move in a healthy direction. A few months later, I made the decision to strike out on my own as a single mom and move back to East Nashville.

The biggest realization I made through the first few difficult months on my own was that it was okay to be sad. The Lord is close to those whose hearts are broken. Instead of forbidding myself to be sad, I rested in His arms while I cried. My heart hurt so much on some days, but I had hope.

I found a church home. I found amazing friends. I gained some incredible roommates who gave me the absolute best time of my entire single life. I was honest with my mistakes and was respected for that honesty. I was stunned by the acceptance I found, at church and with friends. Through it all, I felt so loved and supported. I was a single mom but never felt alone.

And through it all, Maggie got cuter and cuter. She saw her second birthday surrounded by people who loved her. She was (and is) a well-adjusted, loving, sassy kid thanks to the community that surrounded her in her formative years.

And now, some gratuitous photos of my adorable one and two year old. We had a blast, those couple years in East Nashville. Hooray for September 2008 through December of 2010.