On September 14, 1985 a 7 pound, 13 ounce baby girl was delivered via c-section to her proud parents. Little did they know how much the world would change in the next 24 years.

My name is Kimberly Rose [I go by Kimi] and I am the author of this blog. At 24 years of age, I’m still finding myself and learning what it means to be alive. Consider this blog to be a small part of my road to discovery as I write about my daily happenings and feelings. The posts here aren’t always meant to be taken to heart. Sometimes I’ll post things that I may say in frustration because I’m human – just like you. The post aren’t always serious. Sometimes I post things just to be silly. But you can take what you want from this blog. I hope it inspires you, leaves tears in your eyes or a smile on your face. I hope it at some point makes you feel that you aren’t alone in the world.

I’m originally from New Orleans. My parents divorced when I was 11 years old and my mom moved us across the country to Colorado. Most people who leave a state they love, refer to it as “home” and both Louisiana and Colorado will always be home to me. I graduated from Douglas County High School in Castle Rock, Colorado in May 2003. By June, I found myself as a half-yankee transplant in the very southern, very slow and very behind on the times South Carolina. I lived in Georgia for a couple of years with my now ex husband and have been residing in South Carolina again for the past year [and cannot wait to get the hell up outta here].

On July 8, 2009 I entered my second and definitely final marriage. I’m married to a wonderful man who has really been my rock for the past year. I couldn’t ask for anything more in anyone. He’s been a constant in my life and he loves me more than I could ever explain. Charlie has been an incredible asset to my life. He’s helped me mature and has taught me so much in such a short time. He is a constant reminder of who I want to be and for the first time in my life, I have someone who truly believes in me.

Charlie is 33 years old and is from Richfield Springs, New York. His family moved to South Carolina when he was 16. Charlie suffers from a mild form of gigantism and stands at 6′ 8″ tall. He had a tumor removed from his pituitary as a teen. His mom lives next door to us. I know, I know… it must drive us crazy right? Okay, some days! but really, I love having his mom around. She’s been a true asset to keeping this family in one piece this year and we’re forever thankful.

He’s such an intelligent man. His potential frustrates me because he could do so much with his life and yet we’re stuck in this little town. I really feel like it’s holding him back. He has a degree in Criminal Justice and certified in forensics. He’s worked with one of the top forensic scientists in the world and completed an internship in which he taught college level forensics at Claflin University. The man is an information sponge. He sucks up knowledge. And yet because there is nothing better to do in this tiny town, he is currently an operation for AT&T Wireless 411.

My daughter Hailey was born on November 29, 2006 in Augusta, Georgia. She is the the biggest blessing of my life and the only thing remotely positive that came from my first marriage.

Hailey is Autistic. She’s a wonderfully bright child with an incredible depth to her that you just don’t find in children her age. I know what you’re thinking – all parents say stuff like that, right? Hailey is just very different from other toddlers. She almost never misbehaves. She’s a very understanding and obedient child. Her quirks are what I love the most. She’s so strong and I just hope that I can stay as strong for her as she has stayed for me this year.

Writing about my daughter right now is very difficult for me. I seem to go through patterns of time where I don’t post about her at all. I don’t do this because I don’t care about her, but rather because I care so much that I’m lost without her. She currently lives with her paternal grandparents during this all too stressful and ridiculous custody battle. I have 1 day of visitation – 12 hours every other Saturday from 8am until 8pm. I have to drive 90 minutes to pick her up, 90 minutes to have her home, 90 minutes to bring her back and 90 minutes to come home once again. She’s been out of my physical custody since January and it’s been the hardest year of my life – so hard that it’s beginning to affect my physical health.

I’ve been spending a lot of time online since she’s been gone. You don’t realize just how much time you spend with your kids until they’re gone. That’s sort of where this blog came from – I needed something more to do to fill up all of this extra time I have. With no sippy cups to fill, meals and snacks to prepare, naps to put her down for, diapers to change or the need to play with and nurture her, my days are so empty and long. And so, this blog is one of many pet projects I’ve started to occupy my time and keep myself busy so I can get through this difficult time in one piece.

We have 3 pets – Cinders our eldest who is a male Bombay feline. He rules the house. Flora our sweet baby girl miniature dachshund is all bark and all… lick! She loves everyone. Then the true baby of the family is Patches. She’s our newest addition – a 2 month old kitten. She’s a serious lap kitty with a voracious appetite.

The main focus of my blog involves my family because they are the main focus of my life. In particular, you will read a lot of posts in regards to my daughter Hailey whom we are fighting a rather unique custody battle for. It’s a hard story to get into and it’s a difficult one to understand. It’s important to know that I’m not a bad mother – I’m just a young lady who didn’t make the absolute best choices at all times in her life. Despite proving time and time again that I am not the monster I’ve been made out to be, I have to continue the long and rugged path to regaining custody of Hailey. South Carolina seems to be 10 years behind the rest of the world and that makes it harder for a child of generation X to make herself shine in a case like this one.