i was 25 and newly engaged. i’d been divorced from my four-year old daughter’s abusive father for 2 years. my daughter was already dealing with so much change in her life. i was also wary of feeling like i had to go through with a marriage just because i was pregnant, as i had the first time.

my ex-husband had not revealed his controlling nature until we became engaged and after i discovered i was pregnant. i’d married him because i’d felt trapped and didn’t know where to turn – i felt that i’d had no other options. i refused to potentially put myself (and now my daughter) in that kind of situation again. the timing wasn’t right for anyone in our family. because of my abortion ten years ago, we have the family that we want today – children that we are able to parent, provide for, spend time with and nurture to the best of our ability, with adequate resources.