7 years old

When I became 7. I was really getting into gymnastics. I loved summersaults.

Started school for second grade at Haysville Elementary. My teacher this year would make me enjoy reading. She introduced me and other kids having trouble to the 'Magic School House' book series. I still walked home from school.

My brother and sister were in preschool and daycare.

One day after I got home. My Stepdad offered to play games together until my siblings got home in an hour by bus. I was excited that I wasn't cleaning and getting one on one adult attention even if it wasn't the adult I wanted. I was happy for the break. finally 3:30pm hits and a knock on the door. I was confused because no one comes to visit at this time of day.

All I heard is Sir we are DHS aka CPS we are here to remove any children from this home. My Stepdad was on the floor crying with two police officers and a DHS worker as another took me away. As they walked me out I asked if we were going to get my siblings since they were late getting home. The DHS worker asked me to tell her the way. Halfway through the instructions she said they already had my siblings before they picked me up. I was upset at these adults for acting like I was just a dumb child.

As we got to DHS office I was getting more and more fed up. They then checked me for bruising and had me strip down to my underwear. they found the bruises on inside my thighs. I was in unfazed by undressing willingly. None found this odd.

After they got their pictures me and my siblings were in a room with a one way mirror. I could hear them talking on the other side. I waited until I heard adoption of me and my Sister. As well as speration of my brother. I stood up and banged on the glass. "Call our Grandmother!"

Grandma took us in for a week until our Mom could get us back. My brother told me how DHS had stripped him down and took pictures of him. He told me how it scared him and asked me if I knew why they did it. I told him the truth that I didn't know why. I comforted him that it was over and I would never let them separate us.

This would make my brother hate DHS and stole my trust in the DHS system.

During the summer we would take a two week trip to a family reunion for my stepfather's family. I was scared. When I was in the RV I heard two ladies talking about how it is wrong of another man's child to accompany to this family reunion.

I refused to be in the family photo because of this. It hurt most of all because I didn't want to be there in the first place. I already felt like a stranger around my stepdad and his mother. Why would I want to go to a family reunion that might have more people like them? But I was just a child I didn't get to make that choice.