Lexie Lynn

It is with an incredibly broken heart that I write today's post. I received word last night that a young woman whom I was honored to be adopted by committed suicide at the tender age of 22. She leaves behind a devastated family, including the most beautiful 5 year old daughter this planet has ever seen.

Our story began 6 years ago when she was just 16 and we were both pregnant, her with her first, me with my third. We met in an ivillage chat room for expectant mommies and we quickly became friends. At one point, she was homeless and yet, she still managed to not only graduate high school, but she took that daughter of hers and went to college where they thrived. This past june, i experienced the absolute best day of my life when my baby girl, my adopted daughter, graduated college. In a million years, it never occured to me that i would loose her just 6 short months later.

Lexie suffered from depression. If you didn't know her well, you never would've guessed it. She was an expert at hiding it. There's a stigma about depression that i don't understand. People are blaming her and if i hear the phrase "what a waste" one more freaking time, i'm going to explode. there is no waste here..there are lessons to be learned in her life and more lessons to be had in her passing.Lexie was hurting bad. I know my baby girl..she NEVER would've done it if she had thought there was another way out. in her mind, there was NO other way out. she did what she felt was right in order to end her suffering and protect her precious daughter.

She lived her life as a hippie, in the best possible meaning of the word. She truly believed she could change the world and whether it was thru fighting for gay rights or another cause that she believed in, she was stubborn enough that she was going to make a difference and she did. I will make sure that her legacy lives on. That we continue to fight for change. Perhaps most importantly, I will fight to change the stigma of mental illness. It is a disease and it took my baby. This momma is ready to fight. No one should lose their child..whether the child is biological or adopted.

I have been talking to her dad pretty much non stop since i got the word of her passing..he is a man of strong faith and i am in awe of him. i ask for prayers of peace and understanding for her family. she also leaves behind a sister and brother. please send prayers to her exgirlfriend as well..she is understandably devastated. tonight, hug your loved ones closer that ever. tomorrow is promised to no one.

WITH GREAT LOVE COMES GREAT LOSS. LEXIE LYNN, I KNEW YOU WELL, I LOVED YOU HARD AND I WILL MISS YOU FOREVER. YOU MADE YOUR MOMMAS PROUD BABY BUNNIE. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN MY LOVE...