I am a 46-year-old single mother and grandmother, raising my 5-year-old granddaughter while returning to college to finish my nursing degree. Balancing money, work, school, and family has always been an ever-changing process. At times I have worked three jobs while attending full-time classes. It is hard. Sometimes, like now, I must step back and make more time for my home and family. That puts a strain on my budget. I try to cut back expenses, but my expenses are mostly need type. I accept help with daycare costs and donated food. I apply for whatever assistance I can through my county. That really is not much. Sometimes I qualify for energy assistance. I do not have a lot of financial help, but I have an excellent support system. Sometimes I consider quitting. But then what example am I setting? My children need to see my strength and determination. I want my dad, who is terminal, to live long enough to see me walk, get my nurse's pin and pass the NCLEX exam. I want him to be proud while he is still alive and well enough to be there. I really cannot afford not to finish my degree. One year, just one year is all I need to make work. Then I can double my income with my new degree. Nursing programs are hard and demanding. Grades and standards are higher for nursing students. Finding balance and making time to take care of myself is so important yet difficult for me to do. When my granddaughter tells people she wants to help people just like when she grows up, all my fears of failure melt away. At night, no matter how tough the day was when I see her innocent sleeping face, I am overwhelmed with emotion. I know I am doing something right. Everywhere she goes, that little girl touches lives and leaves impressions in a way I never knew was possible. My adult son recently sent me a text message about a life problem and said, "Mom. what do I do?" He still needs me and wants my advice at 27 years old. He is not perfect, and it is his daughter I raise, but that tells me I have not failed him. My adult daughter and I have also struggled, but she will not live anywhere far from me and always asks for my advice. We are not perfect, but we are family, and there is a lot of love in our circle. I have been working on being a nurse since 2007. In one year, I can have that, provided I can keep all of this up and pay tuition. I plan to be a Trauma Nurse in the Level 2 Emergency Room that I currently work in. Someday I would love to travel to Africa, the mission team where I work to teach and give medical care to the community that one of our Anesthesiologists grew up in. When I achieve my dreams, my heart will be full. Getting my degree will not change my life by changing how I live, but it will be life-changing because I will be able to afford to live and be the one to be able to help others. I will always know I can put food on the table. I will not have to choose between heat or gas in my car. I will be able to save money, set aside funds for my kids. I hope that I can one day be the inspiration and mentor to someone to achieve their dreams. Maybe I will even be able to offer a scholarship of my own to help an aspiring nurse who thinks she can't do it. I am in school to get my associate's degree and earning all A's for the moment. I would not be here without the help and support of people who have faith in me and see me through different eyes than I did for years. I worked as a CNA in a nursing home at one point. We got a new supervisor. The staff was not impressed, but I was new too. Things got really out of hand, and the staff was awful to her, and morale was terrible. We were losing staff, and we were all overworked. I met with the president of the nursing home. After that, a meeting was scheduled for all of the staff. I had remained anonymous until someone asked who had got this meeting organized. I was afraid, but finally said it was me. They hugged me and thanked me; going forward, things changed for the better. That supervisor saw something in me that day and encouraged me to do more, be more. She paid for my first set of textbooks. Today, she still roots for me and is a great source of support. She inspired me. I owe it to her to someday do the same for another young mom down on her luck. I owe it to myself and my family. I at the point where I have to pay for my tuition almost in entirety on my own. I can't get loans or federal or state aid. So here I am, filling out applications for scholarships and writing essays with tears in my eyes. One year, just one year. I have to make this work. I refuse to let my money be the thing that holds me back from my dreams, financial stability, and independence, and most of all, success.

I am a 46-year-old single mother and grandmother, raising my 5-year-old granddaughter while returning to college to finish my nursing degree. Balancing money, work, school, and family have always been an ever-changing process. At times I have worked three jobs while attending full-time classes. It is hard. Sometimes, like now, I have to step back and make more time for my home and family. That puts a strain on my budget. I try to cut back expenses, but my expenses are mostly needs. I accept help with daycare costs and donated food. I apply for whatever assistance I can through my county. That really isn't much. Sometimes I qualify for energy assistance. I do not have a lot of financial help, but I have an excellent support system. Sometimes I consider quitting. But then what example am I setting? My children need to see my strength and determination. I want my dad, who is terminal, to live long enough to see me walk, get my nurse's pin and pass the NCLEX exam. I want him to be proud while he is still alive and well enough to be there. I really cannot afford not to finish my degree. One year, just one year, is all I have to make work. Then I can double my income with my new degree. Nursing programs are hard and demanding. Grades and standards are higher for nursing students. Finding balance and making time to take care of myself is so important yet difficult for me to do. When my granddaughter tells people, she wants to help people just like when she grows up, all my fears of failure melt away. At night, no matter how tough the day was when I see her innocent sleeping face, I am overwhelmed with emotion. I know I am doing something right. Everywhere she goes, that little touches lives and leaves impressions in a way I never knew was possible. My adult son recently sent me a text message about a life problem and said, "Mom. what do I do?" He still needs me and wants my advice at 27 years-old. He's not perfect, and it is his daughter I raise, but that tells me I have not failed him. My adult daughter and I have struggled, but she will not live anywhere far from me and always asks for my advice. We are not perfect, but we are family, and there is a lot of love in our circle. I have been working on being a nurse since 2007. In one year, I can have that, provided I can keep all of this up and pay tuition. I plan to be a Trauma Nurse in the Level 2 Emergency Room that I currently work in. Someday I would love to travel to Africa, the mission team where I work to teach and give medical care to the community that one of our Anesthesiologists grew up in. When I achieve my dreams, my heart will be full. Getting my degree will not change my life by changing how I live, but it will be life-changing because I will be able to afford to live. I will be the one to be able to help others. I will always know I can put food on the table. I will not have to choose between heat or gas in my car. I will be able to save money, set aside funds for my kids. I hope that I can one day be the inspiration and mentor to someone to achieve their dreams. Maybe I will even be able to offer a scholarship of my own to help an aspiring nurse who thinks she can't do it. I am in school to get my associate's degree and earning all A's for the moment. I would not be here without the help and support of people who have faith in me and see me through different eyes than I did for years. I worked as a CNA in a nursing home at one point. We got a new supervisor. The staff was not impressed, but I was new too. Things got really out of hand, and the staff was awful to her, and morale was terrible. We were losing staff, and we were all overworked. I met with the president of the nursing home. After that, a meeting was scheduled for all of the staff. I had remained anonymous until someone asked who had got this meeting organized. I was afraid, but finally said it was me. They hugged me and thanked me. Things actually changed for the better. That supervisor saw something in me that day and encouraged me to do more, be more. She paid for my first set of textbooks. Today, she still roots for me and is a great source of support. She inspired me. I owe to her to someday do the same for another young mom down on her luck. I owe it to myself and my family. I at the point where I have to pay for my tuition almost in entirety on my own. I can't loans or federal or state aid. So here I am, filling out applications for scholarships and writing essays with tears in my eyes. One year, just one year. I have to make this work. I refuse to let my money be the thing that holds me back from my dreams, financial stability and independence, and most of all, success.