The age of 13 I found myself addicted to drugs on the streets I'm scared to death. The last that was ahead of me was far beyond more than I ever would have thought I was terrified was strung out had no hope my family walked away from me this went on for years and years. I never thought I'd be anything more than a druggie. My family wanted nothing to do with me. I had three kids and I failed to be the mother that they need maybe. My mom took my kids away from me, just making me turn to drugs more. For the next 14 years I spent my days partying, smoking dope,taking pills,having sex, living on the streets thinking this was the only way to live. Until I had enough, I wanted my kids in my life I missed them I wanted myself back. So I signed up for program those a year-long faith based program called Teen Challenge. It was by far the hardest thing I'd ever done I stayed in trouble so much for simply slang curse words and not knowing how to keep my mouth shut. I just knew I would never be able to spend a year here I couldn't stay out of trouble for 5 minutes. Little did I know this program would be the best thing that they were having to me I learned so much about who I was I healed areas that I never knew needed healing. I began to love myself the first time my entire life I felt whole. I learned that I was not alone that there was a man named Jesus you loved me I was always there for me. He made me feel like I was worth something he made me feel loved he made me feel wanted. This is when I knew that I was going to make it that I was going to be okay and my kids would probably have a mother and their life that likes them was capable of giving them what they needed. There's a lot of broken things and damages from my past. I never knew they affected me the way they did I never knew that they needed healing once I began to see them process I found a whole new me. I have been clean since 2013. This is where I decided to go back to college I wanted to go for human services. And possibly into psychology counseling addiction counseling. I want the world to know that there is hope out there there is help out there but there is someone there for you because I feel like there wasn't and I didn't think I was going to make it I remember that feeling and I don't want anyone to ever have to feel what I did. I thought what better way that I do this didn't you will help people. That is why I decided to go to college and get a degree in this area.

My greatest achievement would have to of been growing up poor and simply watching my mom struggle year after year so at the age of 14 I went and took my GED and passed. My goal after getting my GED was to get a job and help my mom. That is exactly what I did. However being out in the country with no car was going to be a challenge, somehow it just so happened that all the restaurant was opening up a couple miles down the gravel road I lived on. I walked down there and applied after I had went to the judge and got a work permit. I got the job, I walked to work everyday. I opened this restaurant with this family and I would work from open to close day in and day out as soon became shift leader at 15 years old. The good thing about this is I work for these people from the time that restaurant open till the time they closed down. Soon after that I was on the streets and I got into some bad things that I couldn't get out of exactly and I spent the next years of my life going down the wrong path. Wanting to change and do something with my life for myself and my kids and my family. I entered a program called teen challenge faith-based program and it was in Oklahoma,sapulpa Oklahoma actually. This is where I learned who I was this is where I learned how to love myself, believe in myself, this is where I found that somebody loves me and his name is God. I never thought I would ever make it to graduate from here as a year was a long time away from everybody and everything I ever knew, but upon that year I spent a lot time in correction, because as it was a faith-based program and I simply didn't know how to not use swear words or curse words or slang curse words so to say and so it was many many days I spent scrubbing the tile and the grout with a toothbrush on my hands and knees when I completed the entire center Miss Love then decided to give me scissors and I did the grass outside that's how much trouble I stayed in. But during that time this is where I found a lot of thinking was going on and I found a lot of things out of myself, things I needed to know, things I needed to figure out and I got a lot of self healing from that I made it far enough in the program but I was chosen to go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. This was eye-opening the way they live down there, the things they have and don't have compared to what we have down here is unreal. I will never ever look at life the same after this. I will forever be very thankful, grateful, blessed beyond I know I can never ever possibly deserve this life. I did end up graduating program after a year and I've been clean since then I have been part of my kids and family's life on a daily basis. I began college again and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I'm going to graduate this time. The financial part it's terrifying, I wonder if I will be able to afford it. I know in my heart I've made it this far with everything I've been through. I am not sure how I will afford this but, I can make it further somehow someway God will provide a way. So my greatest accomplishment is being sober today, in college , active in my family's life and never going back to the drugs or streets as that's all I ever knew. And being so determined to be the first in my family to attend and hopefully graduate college. It's very hard especially since financially I am struggling to simply afford every day living, and since recently having my only means of transportation break down leaving me where I have to way to even work, or get to work as I use my own vehicle to work for Amazon. Can't wait to hold that degree in my hand to show my family in the world that if I can do it you can too believe in yourself and never give up.