Wendy's Story: The Crosses We Bear

My Beautiful Disaster story begins with my my father when he was 18 years old.  He was sent to Vietnam and, at 21, was nearly killed. He came home to my mom and me being a few months old. He was healing physically and mentally but they didn't have the knowledge of PTSD, or the meds. Dad became physically and mentally abusive to me and mom. As my brothers came along they, too, were in his path. Mom believed in marriage for life which condemned us to a life of hell. Many beatings and believing I was worthless, I was 16 before I realized that my living situation wasn't normal. I ran away. I was gone two weeks before the cops picked me up and took me to my foster home. That's where my life began. I am so grateful to have been given a wonderful family to be with. It took many years of counseling and the love of my husband to be the woman I am today. With my age, I learned why dad was the way he was and have forgiven him for that and now have a loving relationship with my biological parents. Trust is still something I don't freely give but I try to be better each day.  My foster family has shown me what love is and learning to love myself along with forgiveness.

I am a Beautiful Disaster because I have the strength, from God, to never give up. To never let the devil win.

I identify with this brand because they support being a woman and all the crosses we bear to allow our loved ones to not live the trauma we have.

The 3 things I have done to move closer to happiness are forgiven, learn to love myself, and my faith. 

My favorite Beautiful Disaster collection is Still Standing. It truly represents our trials in life and that no matter how many times we are knocked down we still get back up.  I AM STILL STANDING.