Born and raised in Kalamazoo, from the wrong side of town, with parents who couldn't be more different from each other. Mom, only child, miracle child as her mom had already had a full hysterectomy and was found she had a second set of things and was pregnant. She was raised military style, not so much the moving around of it but the strict, harsh no nonsense GRRR. Dad, the youngest of 9, OMG !!! was wild, crazy and fun, not that my Mom wasn’t fun though she liked to go out and do stuff. Most of my young life, when I was with her, we were at the race car track every weekend and at a lake when it was not race day.  In the off seasons, it looked more like roller skating, Ryans restaurant (buffet) and bowling. I have never been a fan of bowling ! Dad was a homebody, when I was little, he took me to parks and bike rides but the adventures were usually around home.  I have no memory of my parents ever being together.  They always had separate lives and separate children. With Mom, I am the middle child, 1 older brother, 1 younger sister (exactly 1 year n 3 months apart our Friday the 13th bdays are our favorites)   With my Dad, I am the oldest, 3 younger brothers, 1 of which was born on my 16th birthday.  Originally I was beyond mad! Not only was the mom a few months older than me, yes a friend that I grew up with, my birthday was stolen, nobody in the family cared. I reached a big milestone in my small life. I was forgotten.  I grew up…now I realize just how amazing that truly is. The other 2 little brothers, the youngest and oldest of the lil bros, youngest had a due date the same day as the oldest but had to be born early due to umbilical cord around his neck…they are 10 days and 14 ish years apart. My teen years were filled with parties, drinking all the time, poppin pills, wild and free.  Dad very much approved. Mom, not so much at all !!! She passed at the young age of 40 (for a month), on my Dads birthday when I was just 20 years old.  Lung cancer.  He just turned 55 when he passed in 2019 with liver failure.  His party life took him.  It took an entire village to raise me and I couldn’t be more grateful for them.  I was 22 when I gave birth to my 1 and only child, a Son. He is my heart. Also in my 20’s I opened myself to Jesus and desired a relationship with my Lord and try to live for him ever since. I fail daily but I have faith in Him that through Jesus all things are possible. I walk by faith and not sight, I don’t believe in religion, spiritually I know there are pieces of truth in all of them.  We are a body of Christ. You can't tell an ear that is meant for hearing to see.  Nor can you tell your heart to behave as your liver.  Yet every speck of the body is very essential, isn't it ???