In 2015 I married my best friend. A few years later he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and Intermittent explosive disorder(IED). Marriage isn't easy but being married to someone with bipolar disorder (IED) makes it almost impossible. We've been through countless hours of therapy and mental help sessions. I've learned more about him and his triggers. However the biggest thing we've done together is learning to communicate better. Listening to him. This is hard for me but even harder for him. Something he never wanted is happening to him and outside of his control. Letting him be heard and making him feel like he is ok - it is ok to talk about his mental illness. My husband just got to the point he felt he could tell his siblings what is going on. He doesn't yet feel he can tell his coworkers or even his friends from high school or college --- but we are making progress and I am listening. We have two daughters together or could also have bipolar disorder - we never know. I want them to know that nothing is wrong with them. We are here to love and support them and they can live a normal life but communication and a good support system are key!

I am a mother to two amazing little people (Athena (5), and Gaia (2)) I've ever had the pleasure to know. I want to be my very best for my daughters (like most parents). Since having children I realized I need to more than ever work hard and if I expect something from them I need to also be willing and or have completed it myself - which brings me to returning to school and completing my degree. I am a single mother with 10 plus years of work experience in my current field, but I feel not having a college degree is holding me back, holding my children's future back as well as a byproduct. I feel I have quit, and I've never thought of myself as a quitter - that is not the example I want to be for my children. I do not want my children to have everything handed to them - with that I never want them to have to go through the things I did as a child. Having to question their safety and the people around them. Going to bed hungry. Not knowing what tomorrow held. I want to give my children the life I wish I had as a child. One of love, support, understanding, and togetherness. I believe finishing my college degree will help me in my career while being an example to my two little people. In short, I will use my higher education to propel me further in my career, be an example of someone or can and did, continue to save money to help send my daughters to college, to be proud of myself, and proclaim this to my daughters. To stop feeling the this underlining doubt in my mind that I am less than my peers because I didn't finish college.