Life.

So today I want to talk about a subject that is very, very dear to my heart, and that is the choice of life.

Now before you sign off and go running I want to express that I am not here to judge, debate or berate but I just want to share a little bit more about me and how these choices have affected my life. 

There have been many times that I have attempted to write this post and have deleted it because it wasn't the right time or I couldn't find the right words. I realize that the choice for life isn't just for teen moms but that is what I'm going to be focusing on because that is what is personal for me. Not only did I have my daughter at a very young age but my mom had me when she was 17. She switched schools and her and my dad did everything to the best of their abilities to choose the best life for me but this is not about them, this is just a little back story. 

When I was fifteen I found out I was pregnant with my sweet girl. I was a freshman in high school, on the volleyball team and not interested in having kids in the slightest. In fact I was set on never having kids and traveling the world. When finding out that you're having a baby or receiving this gift that so many dream about, it's not expected to feel fear or a deep knot in your stomach; you should feel excited and ready-ish. 

I did not feel either of those things. Abortion never once crossed my mind and I could not be more thankful for the little girl sleeping next to me that just earlier was jumping on the couch and did finger guns at me saying, "Wanna jump, baybeh?" I couldn't imagine life without her freaking out when I mess up her bed or a car ride without her telling me with a proud tone that she ate an apple when her friends all ate cupcakes because she wants to be "so healthy". Mornings wouldn't be the same without her singing Do You Wanna Build a Snowman or belting out a T-swift line, "It feels like the perfect night, to dress up like hamsters..."

Don't get me wrong, it took a long time for it to get easy and to feel "right". There were times walking through Target and feeling judgement that I wanted to hide in a hole. Or when I dropped out of school so I could get my diploma, get a job and start college that I was becoming everything I always hated and judged. The nights with a baby screaming and being alone and 100% unprepared mentally that nothing felt right and I was dreading how the rest of my life would go. 

But you know what?

It gets better. 

It's not always that hard. 

You stop giving a crap what the lady in line a the grocery store is thinking. 

Thankfully I had a very supportive family and church family but it breaks my heart having to know that there are young girls out there, going through what I went through and having absolutely no one. There were times my self hate and unfortunately, self harm were so bad I didn't want to persevere through one more second. Without all the support around me, the upbringing I had and my moms choice of life who knows what choices I would have made for me and this sweet, sleeping girl next to me.

This brings me to talk about Grace Place.

Grace Place is an organization that offers SO many important things like ultrasounds, classes, support, post abortion counseling, 24 hour hotlines and so much more but I think the most important thing that they offer is love and an emotional crutch for you to lean on. 

My mom is currently fundraising $2,000 for Grace Place and is 78% to her goal! If you would like to read up on Grace Place or donate to my moms fundraiser you can find all that info here.

Without a support system and the choice of life there wouldn't be 

me.

my daughter. 

my precious nephew.

my niece coming in August.