With a very heavy heart...

Never easy having to chose but I think you made the right one

Er, Judy only had a cape gopher and a beardie so far but was excited about getting a ball python right after moving to Alabama and had been planning and researching for months. Obviously that didn't happen.

Many of us might think that this seems like an extreme action to take, but we can't put ourselves in her shoes. She had a husband and children well before she got any herps, and apparently she felt like this was the best course of action for her to take. I hope that her husband sees how much herps meant for her and she returns to herping and this site, but it's really not up to us to judge their relationship or whether she "should" have done something different.

If you have a partner or child who is supportive of your herp interest, give him or her a kiss and a thanks for making it easy for you to do both.

This probably doesn't happen very often but I completely agree with Marla on this one. Judy even explicitly stated that her husband tried very hard to come to terms with her herps & her love for herps. He tried to compromise. Maybe we think that it is an irrational thing that he is scared of herps or whatever the case may be. But honestly, think about your own fears. Do you not have one irrational fear? I know that I have a completely irrational fear of heights. If Nanci (my fiancee) suddenly took an interest in extreme sports, i would TRY to be ok with it but would most likely fold up & beg her to stop.

In the end, Judy feels as though she made the choice that was right for her. As Marla said, that is really not for us to judge. Though she will undoubtedly miss herps & miss some of us, she seems very much at peace with her decision & seems very certain that she made the right choice for her & her loved ones. I say we should just respect that & fondly remember all that Judy did for this community. Maybe she will be back one day. Until then, her business is her own when it comes right down to it!

I know you guys are right. I suppose its not fair. But we all have to do things that we don't think is fair its part of life. I hope that someday Judy will be able come here and visit her posts are funny.