When my kids were young, my husband developed a kidney condition requiring multiple surgeries over several years. This led to losing his job and severe depression. Eventually he got sick enough that he rarely left his bed. He couldn’t help with the kids, finances, and life’s daily maintenance and operations. To me, the weight felt unbearable. That year I became the primary income, parent, and head of the house, and I felt vulnerable and alone. My husband was too ill to be present, focused on coping with his pain and depression. I was working three jobs, taking classes, and parenting four teenagers, one who was partially deaf and one with visual impairment. This alone added a host of doctor appointments and school interactions to advocate for their schooling needs. Taking classes for me was also a challenge due to the fact that I have dyslexia. I have found ways to compensate for my challenges. I am determined to show my kids that they will not hold me back from completing my goal of becoming a nurse. As I juggled life, it was easy to snap at the kids, not take time to actually listen to them, and easily get frustrated. My kids were my biggest priority and the most important ‘job’ that I would ever have. I knew my kids were watching me, and I knew how I responded to hardship would influence many of their teenaged and possibly adult choices. My desire was to let them see that they could face life’s challenges and be successful, make good choices, AND be happy. I decided that my responses needed to change no matter how chaotic things were. When I would find things escalating between me and one of the kids, I would stop, apologize for not listing and say, “I’m sorry, I’m feeling overwhelmed and I need a hug!” My kids learned everyone, even moms, face challenges, and staying kind, loving, patient, and a big hug, could bring you through them with a smile. They learned about the importance of asking for help, being willing to admit when they were wrong, and how much human empathy and touch can defuse tense situations or redirect a person who is unreasonable. During this time, becoming a nurse became more than just a dream, it became necessary to provide for my family. Thankfully, as I attended classes full time, worked full time, and took care of my family, my crazy life found a new cadence and settled into a new normal. I’ve learned to stop and take a deep breath before I respond when things are stressful. I’ve learned to smile and ask for a hug when I need it. I have also learned that even in the hardest of times, there’s a better day coming and laughter truly is the best medicine!