She was created as royalty in the year of our lord 1976. Her lineage began from Congo and Ghana, Africa to South Carolina coast. Purposed with greatness so much so that she was birthed in her family as number 7. Talents and gifts that would change a generation! Through life's journey, she saw the world! The heaven's aligned to add to her two perfect gifts as a son and a daughter. Her destiny grew stronger and furthering her education became a must and now it is here. Creating a legacy of goodness, community and academics is what she will leave!

What do you do in the event of an unwanted guest? Lunch was awesome! The melted cheese blend on the chicken breast hit the spot and I mean that in literal terms. As I return to work to finish my day, after such an amazing lunch I knew the rest of my day would be just as amazing. At 3 p.m. I begin to feel like something was coming. My stomach started moving as if anxiety was setting in. What is about to happen, what is coming, why do I feel so antsy? Right at 5 p.m. I felt better, thinking maybe it was something in the air. I had to go to Walmart to pick up groceries for the week. Walking in the store, speaking to everyone I knew. Starting shopping and that feeling from the office came back again, but this time it was a little stronger. I begin to form little sweat beads on my forehead wondering , is this my time Lord, not yet!!! I figured I would walk a little more or go purchase some water to feel better because maybe I did not get enough for the day. The cold water was great and I felt a little better. But then the feeling came back in my stomach and I begin to take deep breaths. What is going on with me, and why do I feel anxiety in my stomach? As I continued shopping, I begin to retrace my day from the time I got up to what I ate. Was it the bowl of cereal at breakfast or maybe the baked chicken with the cheese blend? Was it that I did not get enough rest last night? Maybe I did not consume enough water because I forgot to take my vitamins the night before? As I get to the dairy section, my stomach was truly having it's way with me and sweat beads turned into a light glistening shine on my face. There was pressure that was building up and my embarrassment level went to 100. My purse dropped and the next moment can only be one that is shared in your inner thoughts. The unwanted guest made its acquaintance at the most inopportune moment, being as boisterous and noxious as it wanted to be! My pecan tanned skinned turned pale as I rose with my purse in my hand. I dare turn around to see who's looking. At that moment I knew in a sea of dairy products that the unwanted guest "LACTOSE INTOLERANCE" has welcomed me to their club!

My daughter's father was murdered by his friend. At the time I was in online, working and being a mother to my daughter and my son. This moment turned our lives upside down! My daughter was 6 at the time. I was so angry and bitter! I felt like something was wrong with me because I'm raising my daughter without her father. My son's father had already checked out of his life at three. I had to figure out if I was going live in that bitterness or if I was going to rise from it! I decided to relocate to Georgia to change our story a bit. That change for us was really good! I obtained my Associates degree, the kids became settled with their our new home and their new schools. We were not perfect, but it was better! I let go of my bitterness in order to live. My daughter graduated from school with honors and I could not have been more proud! I decided to go back to school and get my Bachelors. Then my dad passed away! My parents were married for 53 years. He was an good dad, but an even more awesome grandfather! My kids has lost their father figure that took the absence of their dad. My son was in college at the time and struggled to the point of having a mental breakdown and had to withdraw from school to get my son help. My mother struggled since she was now living alone. I decided to move back to South Carolina to help her. It is a constant fight when you are grieving, but it is hardest when you feel like you cannot move from out of that grief. God was by our side daily, but I had to see him there in my children, family, memories and my own life! My dad would have wanted me to live my best life. My daughters father would want us to live our best life. The bible states God delights in our prosperity. This reminds me every time I read it that he wants me to live my best life! I fight it daily in prayer and wanting to leave a legacy for my family! I want them to see strength in bad times and understand it is up to them to walk through, to come out of it with victory!

My son had an extremely bright future! He was very creative artistically and he knew his way around computers. He fixed his XBox 360 when the ring of death appeared. He had hopes of becoming of a sneaker designer. So many dreams! 2015 was a blessed year of graduating high school and I was a proud mother! He decided to go to college and that is when the life begin to change for the worst! I noticed changes in his behavior when I would go visit him. I could not reach him by phone when I tried to check on him. It would take me contacting the housing advisor to do a well check on him. When I would go to see him, he would not allow anyone in his room. When I finally got a glimpse of his room, he had not cleaned it in forever. He stopped going to class and it was as if it was out of sight, out of mind. He was in his own world. He had to withdraw from college and the transition home was worse. I noticed that he talked to himself, even when no one was there. The content he watched on YouTube was very disturbing. He would go outside after 12 midnight and roam in the neighbor’s yard. He got arrested for threatening a neighbor with a stick. The courts ordered him to be evaluated and he was admitted into a mental health facility. Multiple counseling sessions, medication and doctor's visits was overwhelming. With all of that and much prayer, he has calmed down a lot. As a mother, I sympathize with families who have involuntarily entered this life. I tell his story and how I coped as a parent to encourage other parents that it's nothing they did, it's not their fault. I offer prayer and resources that have helped my son and I during this difficult time. Parents have enough to deal with, and if there is anything, I can do to give them a little hope, I am willing to help!

Coming from a two parent, Christian based home; my hardest adversities started after I became a single mother of two! My choices were my choices and the only regret I have is that I was not married when I had children. God blessed me with a handsome son and a beautiful daughter! They are most precious gifts I have ever received! Parenthood has handed me so much that I thought I could not handle and a strength that I thought I did not possess. A pastor made a quote in one of her sermons that have stuck with me for years “You cannot conquer what you won’t confront, and you cannot confront what you don’t identify”! When issues or circumstances came to surface, I was a professional at not dealing with it like I should. I was the walking billboard for “Out of sight, out of mind” for years. My personal life did not have room for the input of others, no matter how much help I needed! Pride was my downfall. My family was finally in a great place in life! I was in college online; I had a great job with a mortgage company and in my own place. Transparency has helped me to confront my feelings and not be ashamed. Both of my children had different fathers. I had to deal with absent fathers for both of my children in two different spectrums. My son’s father decided not to be a part of his life anymore. An unexpected death will mentally put a break on your life! My daughter’s father was murdered by one of his closest friends. A year after my daughter’s father’s death, my job with Washington Mutual Mortgage came to an end due to the closure of the company. Being in the position of a one parent unit weighed heavy on me that I did not think I could no longer take care of my children. They had already lost their father’s, losing me would have been a slow death for them. I was in a place of uncertainty and mentally feeling defeated! I had to drop out of school and move back in with my parents. Getting off state assistance was an accomplishment for me but having to take that path again made me feel hopeless. I had to confront every emotion and feeling that I had to get some peace. It was not easy and extremely uncomfortable to face my mental state and console my children in their hurt. Parents are not handed a parent handbook that covers everything to expect while parenting. After I started confronting everything I was going through, God gave me a second wind. It was time for a new start! After much prayer and being in a better mental place, I took leap of faith and relocated to Augusta, Georgia. I was blessed with a roof over our heads, hired with ADP and after some time, I obtained my Associates Degree. Adversity happened again with my son, but I had to decide that my children and our wellbeing was priority! I want to leave a legacy for my children that academic achievement is possible. My current goal is to obtain my bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Albany State University. ADP provides opportunities for degree seekers to advance. The career path after my degree is to become a Service Delivery Manager for client retention and new clients to service. Looking forward to completing this journey in a year and a half for my next motivation with my children as my motivators!