To those who have gotten me to where I am Today.

I wouldn't be where I am today without a handful of people who have literally been my rocks over the course of the last several years, but mostly these people have really rallied behind me over the last two years to make sure that not only did I survive but thrived and graduated college. 

First and foremost I wouldn't be where I am today without my daughter Julia. Two years ago she watched in horror with two of her younger sisters as her stepdad strangled and tried to kill me. Her quick thinking to call 911 and get her sisters to a safe space saved my life. Due to this I have made it a mission to complete every goal I have for not only myself but my girls. I survived for a reason and I need to make the most of every day. My kids are my why, why I am finishing college, why I am going to graduate school, why I won't give up.

I have also have a longtime friend who is also a mom and in college and we rally around each other when things get tough and make sure to keep one another accountable for our schoolwork. I talk to Shondora just about daily. On Monday we both go through our classes and assignments for the week and a breakdown of how we plan on getting these assignments done. We then talk when we are in the parent pick up lines to get our kiddos each day and go over what we did or didn't accomplish and what we need to do to catch back up if necessary. We also celebrate victories, good grades on exams, finishing a semester, etc. Not only has Shondora been there for me for school accountability but she has been the one to help push me through personally for the last two years. Reminding me hey its ok to take five minutes to cry, be mad, angry, yell, scream but then to reign it all in, go back inside and be the best mom to my kids that I can be, because in the end we all went through the same horrible experience and need to move on from it. 

There are three other friends I have had that have really helped me in my personal and professional life going through all these changes. If I didn't have these three to bounce off work ideas or steps I need to take next in my personal life I would be lost, especially in the last six weeks. My entire work situation changed six weeks ago, and these three friends have really boosted me up and made me realize what my potential actually is compared to how I was being valued. We need people in our lives who see our value and make sure we see it as well.

Finally my dad and step mom. These two have supported me through this long course of college, even though I did it the exact opposite way they would of preferred. My dad never made it a secret that he wanted me to go straight from high school to college, graduate and then really start my life. However, what fun would it be if we actually listened to our parents? They have never made me feel like I was a failure or that I wasn't successful just working and taking classes part time or even taking time off of school. They just supported me and loved me unconditionally. At this time they are supporting me from afar via facetime and phone calls because of personal situations and COVID but I know no matter what I do they will always have my back. 

There are a couple different pieces of advise I would give my younger self. The most important one being don't stop. I started and stopped college so many times that it took me 20 years to graduate with my bachelors degree. I would take a class or two then stop for a year or two, it wasn't until six years ago that I really decided that I wanted to really focus on school, and even then I took it slow at first. 

Stop making excuses, no matter what the excuse is, there is a way to overcome it if you truly want to. Having kids while in college is actually more common that most people realize and something that people manage while attending school. This was the biggest excuse I used and it shouldn't have been. 

The last piece of advise doesn't have anything to do with my education but on a personal level. No matter how stuck you feel in a relationship the first time there is violence, get out. No matter what, leave. Staying for whatever excuse you make, the kids, having nowhere to go, no way to survive, isn't worth the damage done to you or your children if you have them. Leaving is hard, staying is actually harder.