Hello my name is Mary L Church Ramirez I am a 43 year old mother of 3 beautiful girls with 3 years, one month, and 16 days of recovery time, coming from 29 years of addiction. I have been to prison for possession of meth and did 30 months. I am from a small town Sparta North Carolina but live in Wilkes county NC at a recovery house called Phases at this time. I was released from prison 03/04/24 and have been working very hard to change my life around. My family had no relationship with me at all while I was using and in prison I lost my children over 13 years ago and never could stay clean for long enough to get them back. When I went to jail in 2021 it truly was the best thing that ever happened to me. If not for it I would possible be dead and I wouldn't have the chance I do now to rebuild my relationship with my family and my children. My family and I now speak daily and I and so thankful for God and this life that I live. Hopefully by the beginning of next year my middle daughter will be moving in with me once I get a place to live. I am working 2 jobs to save the money to buy a car and rent a place for us. My oldest daughter is 20 and pregnant with my first grandchild which she is letting me name and my youngest has chosen to stay with my mom till high-school them she will move in with me. In July I started school at Southern New Hampshire University online. I am studying Human Services specializing in substance abuse. This month I will be taking a local class for my Recovery Coach certification and after that I will take the Peer Support training for that certification. I want to help people just like me, I want to let them know that no matter what someone cares for them and wants them to turn their life around. I know in active addiction my family had nothing to do with me rightfully so, All I did was hurt them with lies and I broke promise after promise to my children. I hurt everyone around me. I always felt alone like I had no one and that was the worst feeling in the world. I don't want another addict to feel that way. In active addiction a little kindness goes a long way and I just want other addicts to know that there really is light at the end of all this and they can get clean. They don't have to be alone anymore they don't have to live like that. Even if I only help one person in in my career that will be ok. At some point I'd love to start a recovery house for families that struggle with addiction and need help to get their lives together. All this is possible. I sober life is the best life.