Why I am who I am

  Hi! My name is Liz. I'm 26 and just had my third baby girl. I've been with my husband going on six years now and will be celebrating our three year anniversary in October. We have three beautiful girls together; Kylie Rae 7/13/11, Lila Mae 2/11/13, and our newest addition Ellie Kae 3/25/15. I know it's a little cheesy, but we like it. My husband and I bought our first house two years ago. I'm a DIY kind of girl. Love my crafts. I've worked extremely hard to make our house into a home for our ever growing family. I want 5+ kids, my husband thinks I'm crazy. I stay at home with the girls while my sweet husband works hard to support us. We have a crazy beautiful life and I wouldn't change it. 
 
   Looking at my past I would never have thought I would be where I am now. I'm 26, married with three girls and a home owner. I grew up in an abusive home. I was abused verbally, physically, mentally, sexually by my stepfather starting at the age of 4. I moved in with my biological father when I was in the 8th grade thinking life would be easier there. I quickly learned I was wrong. I was verbally and physically abused there as well.  I then returned to my mother's house only after a few months.

  We struggled with the decision on how and when to break free from the evil that was her husband.
It was an extremely terrifying and difficult decision. This decision could have possibly cost us our lives. When I was a sophomore in high school we finally separated ourselves from him. My mother worked 12 hour shifts 7 days a week to keep us afloat. She did all she could to make it up to my brother and I.
 
  Counselors told me that I would never recover from my past. I was told to NEVER have children, that I would just abuse them like I was abused. I was told my life was ruined and I was predestined to fail. None of this was true! No one can tell me who I am and what I'm destined to be. My life is in my hands. I decided I deserved a good life, a good husband, a family, a home. My past made me the person I am, that is true. I choose to learn from my past, to grow, and to see the good in every moment. Thanks to my past I'm strong, I'm optimistic, I'm empathetic, I'm me!

   You have two choices, let your past define you and hold you back or let your past improve you. I chose to learn and improve. I know what I want in life, try to stop me!