Part 1: The Betrayal

I was prepared to do my birthday post, but something else was weighing heavily on my heart. And I knew I had to blog it. I blog what comes to mind, and this has not left me.

So, it all started for me about two years ago, when God placed a clear vision on my heart for moms. I knew that I knew that I knew that I was supposed to start this Web site. I knew what I was going to name it (momgive.com) and to my surprise, the domain was available.

But, I prayed. I did not buy the domain until I knew that I was supposed to. If it was there six months down the road, I'd buy it. And so, I sat and I prayed and I hoped that this was meant to be.

Six months later, the domain was still for sale. And for $9.99, I bought it. That was in early 2008. So, I had the domain for a few months when I got a call from a very, very dear friend of mine. I had been in her wedding--that is how dear. "God told me to start a Web site with you, Suzy," she told me.

"What kind of Web site?" I asked her.

And her vision had something to do with "mom to mom." So, moms connecting to other moms and she wanted to include a husband's perspective. But, this had been done a million times over. And so, this is where I made my biggest mistake.

Instead of praying about it and seeking hubby's advice, I got so excited that I told her all about momgive. She was clearly excited about the vision and at that point, I told her that she could be a part of what I was doing.

A few months down the road, and my vision was being turned into something else. Our ideas for design clashed. She wanted angel wings and hearts on the Web site. I wanted professional, modern. It was at this point, that I had to remind her that I was the visionary and that I would have the final say about the final product.

That didn't sit well, and as a result, she opted to walk away. If she couldn't be my 50:50 partner, then she didn't want to do it. My bad for not setting really clear boundaries from the beginning. She felt like I had abandoned her. I apologized to her, saying that "If I hurt you, those were never my intentions, but God has given me this vision and I have to protect it."

Fastforward six months and I am on the phone with her discussing a possible freelance assignment that I had offered her. "I don't want you being mad and finding out from someone else," she said. "But, I started a Web site."

Me: "That's awesome! I always knew you would start your own site. What's it called?"

Her: "momshare"

Silence and um, I wasn't really sure what to say. I didn't really say much and hurriedly hung up with her so that I could check out said Web site. And when I pulled it up, I was dumbfounded.

Had she just taken everything I told her about and ... gulp ... duplicated it? What? Are you serious? Who does that?! I tried. I tried so hard. I even sent her an email saying that the Web site was behind me and that I wouldn't let it affect our friendship.

But, a few days later, I realized the depth of the betrayal that was right in front of my face. And so I emailed her and told her that it wasn't sitting well with me. "How is this any different than the idea I shared with you?" I wanted, I needed an explanation.

Her response stung. "As you recall," she wrote. "This was my idea."

At that point, I needed her to tell me in person. I needed to hear this from her mouth and so I called. "This was my idea, Suzy, and you are going to have to deal with it," she said.

"What?!" I felt like I could barely breathe. "Don't you remember that hour-long conversation when I told you in detail about my vision? Don't you remember when I had you over for dinner and -- in front of my husband -- we talked about how you could come on board with me. And he asked you why you wanted to be a part of this?"

"And I bought the domain in 2008. You bought yours, apparently, in 2009. What? How? I mean, I have the proof. I am not crazy!"

But, she was making me feel like I was. I felt like I was in the midst of a really bad 90s lifetime movie. Are you going to steal my kids next?

"Suzy, if you can't deal with this being my idea, then I don't have time for this phone call."

Me: "You. little." CLICK.

Yep. I hung up before I let anything slip out of my more-than-angry mouth. I mean,had she really done this? I pored over the words on her Web site and it made me even more angry. She talked about God giving her this vision and she talked about people jumping in (and out) of the project.

Hubby caught me one day staring at her Web site and with tears streaming down my face, I shouted--between sobs--to him. "That's me! She's talking about me. I am the parenthesis in this sentence! How. could. she?! TELL ME RIGHT NOW. TELL ME HOW!"

I was beyond angry. I was seeing red. I remember picking up this cup that held all of my pens and just throwing it against the wall. He tried to hold me and I screamed for him to get away. "JUST WHY. WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS TO ME?"

Well, a few days later, I received an email from her. She had just turned in her freelance assignment that I had hired her to do. And it was like ...

It never happened.

"Please let me know what you think and if I need to edit this piece in any way. And, by the way, when do you need my headshot?"

--TO BE CONTINUED.

(In my standard three days. There's too much to put it in one blog. It only got worse before I had to block her email address from my email account. Oh, the drama. Thank God, it's over now. But, I still shutter when I think of "the email." Yes, as I have come to call it "the email." Please, prepare yourself for it. It was, to date, the worst email I have ever received from anyone. Ever.)