Adoption, a quadriplegic mother, divorced parents, addict siblings. To understand the sacrifices my mother has made for me, one must understand not only my story, but the stories of those who have shaped my life. When my mom was in high school, she was involved in a life-altering car accident. She was paralyzed from the chest down and uses a wheelchair. She got married to my dad and they adopted two boys. Then, in 2007 they adopted me at two months old. At four years old, my parents got divorced and I learned how to live in two different homes. The pain and anxiety that came with the trauma of divorce incredibly impacted the mental health of my brothers. As a result, I witnessed my brothers’ lives devastated due to an ongoing battle with mental illness and drug addiction, trying to escape the hurt they experienced. Seeing them in homeless shelters, hospital rooms, and behind bars made me realize how quickly trauma can completely consume an individual. After witnessing my parents’ divorce, spending weekends going from house to house, watching multiple of my siblings self-destruct due to mental illness, and helping raise my two nieces, I have developed a deep, first-person, understanding of the immense sacrifices my mother has made for her family. My mother's perseverance save my brothers, her grandchildren, myself, and many others she has impacted. If it had not been for my mother's compassionate decision to adopt three children, my brothers and I would not have had the opportunities we were fortunate to experience. My mom is my biggest inspiration because most people who are forced to live through trials as prominent as hers would live their life with negativity. Being in a wheelchair has given my mom an appreciation for the small aspects of life most individuals take for granted. I tend to go through life focused on the future and the big picture, but my mom has taught me to have gratitude for the details of each day. Also, when times are hard and you feel like giving up, persevering and maintaining a positive mindset will help you grow from every hardship. I aspire to be as compassionate, appreciative, and empathetic as her. I’ve had opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have experienced which have helped me view life from an entirely different perspective. One was the opportunity to play soccer on a competitive level. My dad wasn't too excited about me playing competitively because of the time and cost involved, but my mom advocated for me. We finally got my dad on board, and I was able to join a competitive team at age 14. My experience I’ve had the last three years has been almost beyond words. My team has accomplished goals that other teams from Idaho, and the nation, never have. We won the Farwest Regional championship two consecutive years. No other team from Idaho had ever won that competition. We went to the USYS National tournament, three consecutive years and received third place in the nation each year. I will continue playing at Central Washington University throughout college. Without my mom’s determination to get me on a competitive soccer team, none of what I described would have happened. For that, I’m forever grateful. Because of the experiences with my brothers, their mental health and drug use, and the example of caring and compassion of my mother, I’ll use what I’ve learned from these experiences to help troubled youth in the foster care system by getting a PhD in social work. I want to advocate for them like my mom has for me.