I am so blessed to be able to spend Mother’s Day with this adorable soon to be high school senior!!! She is such my mini me and I can’t imagine my life without her. Seventeen years ago I received some news. I was barely 18 years old, a senior in high school, working a minimum wage ($5.15/hour) job, still on my parents' insurance, no credit, no savings, and no house of my own. I was also pregnant. Now, imagine if you will, receiving this news when you are completely and utterly unprepared. What thoughts would go through your mind? How would you approach this? What do you do? There was crying. Lots of it. But for me, choice never entered the equation. This was a gift from God. Albeit a bit earlier in life than I originally planned but there was no choice. I was responsible for this new life and I was going to take care of it. This was my life now. But my life didn't have to stop for 18 years. I went to school. I worked. I paid bills. I paid taxes. Carly went to school. We took vacations. We had parties. We ate a lot of cereal. Yes, I had help. I had government assistance, but I didn't want that forever. I wanted to better myself. I wanted to be able to one day help those who may find themselves in a similar situation. In 5 years I got my bachelor's degree, 5 more I got my AltCert, and in an additional 3 I got my Master's. Carly is at an academically advanced high school, gifted, brilliant, and looking at Ivy League for college and beyond. I thank God every single day for blessing me with Carly Summer. She has filled my life with love, laughter, music (Panic! At the Disco, anyone?) and an unending stream of trivia (Did you know that 11% of people are left handed?) and YouTube (Google Jack's Films. Seriously do it). Seventeen years ago my life changed for the better because I accepted the life growing within in as a treasured gift that would serve as a reminder to always see the good in every situation. There are so many people out there who can't have babies. Who struggle every day to get pregnant and who just want to feel that precious gift. Let's keep the faith that God does indeed have a plan and that He always knows what He is doing. #happymothersday
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