1. A little bit of me… Elizabeth Ann Buckley Visser My first battle with this life would begin July 6, 1981, the day I was born. Born with a dwarfism that to this day remains undiagnosed.

2. As a Child…

3. Fantastic Friends!

4. My First Love I met Ben during the ninth grade. We became fast friends and I quickly realized that I had feelings for this boy. Over the course of the next few years, we remained “just friends” and spent that time getting to know a lot about each other. We had the same circle of friends and were able to spend quite a bit of time together. We dated, we hung out, we laughed, we fought, we learned almost everything there was to know about each other.

5. Years of Friendship and Dating

6. Marriage… Four years after high school Ben proposed and we were married August 13, 2003

7. A growing family… Benjamin Corey March 3, 2005 Tucker William August 6, 2007 Soon, we began our little family. Life couldn’t have been more perfect for me.

8. Change Six months after the birth of our youngest son, information came to my attention that Ben had been exploring a gay lifestyle. When I confronted him with what I had learned he did not deny it. We separated immediately and our divorce was finalized after two painful, bitter years. Whoever said it’s easy to get a divorce is CRAZY

9. The Lessons Begin Through the love and support of family and friends, this journey came to be the single greatest learning opportunity I have had in my life. They are always there…

10. The Lessons Begin They are always there… A few of the things I learned… Being a “single mom” doesn’t make me less of a person. Being gay doesn’t make Ben any less of a person. And sometimes…I might like his partner more than I like him.

11. Things don’t always turn out the way we expected… …Sometimes they’re better