az20081575

az20081575

Joined

I was baptized at age 14 and left the watchtower society that same year. Like all kids who want to please their parents I did as I was told until my mind started noticing things in the organization. With that I wanted out. I wanted to be a teenager active in sports and afterschool activities. I wanted out! I was tired of my mom forcing jws views on me and told her how I felt. My mom became ill with Myoclonic Seizures and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome when I was in fifth grade. This meant that my brother and I had to take over almost all of the responsibilities of the house. We were no longer kids. My mom started studying that same year. She had just completed 2 years of college and then started studying with the witnesses. My life up to that had been hard but I knew mom loved us and didn’t think my life was any different the other kids. My mom was a single parent and we were on welfare. My brother’s way of dealing with my mom’s health and jws was to use drugs. He was arrested and put in juvenile hall when I was 13. My mom was further depressed and so I did what I thought would make her happy and get baptized. During this time, keep in mind, that I was paying bills, grocery shopping, assisting in her hygiene routine, cooking, and an active publisher - all while going to school. My mom was very strict on me: no t.v., radio, friends, sports, sleep-overs (all the stuff teenagers like to do) I finally broke. I had enough of her, of her disease, her religion, our home life. I was done! I cursed at her for the first time in my life. We were fighting about money in my savings account. When I was 13 my mom opened a saving account for me with the welfare check that she was suppose to use for me. She would use all but $100 a month so I could learn about saving. Anyways, I said “that fucking money is mine!” and she called the police and had me arrested. I was sent to a group home and never moved back home. I had a talk with the elders (you can view video on youtube) and got the heck out. I was FREE. I partied like a teenager that was free. By age 18 I graduated high school. My mom and I didn’t build our relationship back until I was 21 yrs. old. At that point, I started looking after her. My brother had since moved away and started his life. By the way doing very well and has 3 kids of his own. My sister was in CA and showed no interest in moving back to AZ. So I was left holding the bag and looked after my mom. My mom and I grew very close and called each other, almost every day. When CSI first came on (years ago) we would make a date to watch it together. Currently I am married to a deputy who was also military. We have adopted a beautiful boy. I have gone back to college and have my degree in business administration. I currently work in local government. My husband and I are very active in sports and leading a healthy lifestyle. I hate sitting for long periods!! That’s me in a nutshell!