Introduction 101

 The Early Years:

I was brought into this world on July 30, 1981. (Yep, I'm 31). I was born and raised in small rural towns about an hour North of Pittsburgh, PA.

I had an wonderful childhood, thanks to my AMAZING Mom. Times were hard and as a single mom she struggled to manage 2 kids, work, family time, bills, and putting food on the table.


The Partier:

As I grew up, I began to dabble in the smoking/drinking scene. I was tied up in the wrong "crew" and it just wasn't the ideal lifestyle my Mom had struggled to give me. I was drunk every weekend, hung out with drug addicts, had contact buzzes more times than brain cells. It got to the point friends were over dosing and dying.  My wake up call was when I saw a girl I went to school with (whom was the ENVY of all the girls), looked like pure hell. Sunken in face, dark circles under her eyes. She just looked completely strung out. Seeing her was all it took to make me realize its "hugs not drugs" and I dumped my druggie bf, and all his friends.
Sobriety:

Well, I'm clean, living with my parents and have virtually no friends. Now what? I started being more social at work. Befriending people I had otherwise been "too good" for "too wild" for. Once I started realizing you could have fun without having to drink, or watching people on drugs, I began to see that all that I'd been going through, was the right choice. It was freeing to not feel the pressures of "having one more drink". I look back at those people I hung out with now, and more of them are dead and the others are so strung out, they don't have a care in the world, or they're in jail. NO JOKE.
I am now proud to tell you I've been drug/alcohol free for 9 years.

Currently:

 

I met my husband, Ben, online- Facebook actually. The difference is, my brother went to school with him, so technically I knew him (but I don't remember him!).

I was going through a divorce, and he'd just gotten over one himself. He has 2 children, Ashleigh & Logan.

We met for the "first time" at a local pub on Thanksgiving, November 26, 2009. Needless to say - my life was about to change forever.

We were inseparable! We joked that in the upcoming New Year, it would be OUR year. "Ren & Ben in Twenty Ten" was our motto.

Our Time Line (in a nutshell):

April 2010: Ben moved in with me

June 2010: Ben "asked" me to marry him (i'm still waiting on a REAL proposal.)

Octobter 2010: We got married! <3

 

December 2010: We're Pregnant<3

February 2011: Ben went on tour in Afghnistan

August 2011: Ben came home for the birth of our daughter, Sophia Belle.

September 2011: Ben left again for "the Stan"

February 2012: Ben FINALLY made it home to me<3

August 2012: Sophia's FiRST birthday!

I love my life, I love my family. I wouldn't change the challenges I've faced and conquered or the ones I faced and failed. All roads have lead me right to where I'm supposed to be this very day, at this very moment. So essentially, if you're reading this, its lead me to YOU!