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Birth
Born in Glendale, California to a single, teen mom. My mom worked full time and went to school full time so my grandma stayed home and took care of me. My dad had been incarcerted during my moms pregnany. -
Met mom's boyfriend
I was three when I met my moms boyfriend. My mom said I instantly loved him and that's when we became a family.He was my first chance at having a dad. -
Start kindergarten
This was when I started to love school. It gave me an escape and my teacher was so patient and caring towards me. When i think of the kind of teacher I want to be I always think of her. -
Brother was born
After 7 years I wasn't an only child anymore. I was so happy. It helped me grow up a bit because I helped my mom a lot and I became less selfish because I wasn't the only one anymore. -
Met real dad for the first time
I finally had the opportunity to meet my real dad. I didn't really ever have any desire to since I already had a dad in my eyes but after getting out of prison he really wanted to meet me, so i did. He told me how much he loved me and was sorry he missed out on my life but I honestly just felt angry, disgusted, and confused. He hadn't ever met me or even talked to me in almost ten years so how could he feels these things towards me. I didn't want him there, I already had a dad. -
Mom moved to Arizona
My mom and stepdad got seperated and she got a job offer in Arizona so she took it. But I had to live with my dad until June when I got out of school. I was devastated. I was already dealing with enough with the seperation and I couldn't even have my mom or brother there to comfort me. And I had to live with my dad who I still hadn't even grown to like very much. This was probably one of the hardest thing I had been through at the time. -
Youngest brother was born
I had been living in Arizona for a couple of months already when my youngest brother was born. He changed everything for me. I loved him so much and I was old enough to babysit him everyday after school. I truly think I'm as caring and nurturing as I am because I had to have a lot of patience with him. My mom and stepdad decided to work things out but it was never the same. -
Jeremy
The day my best friend died. To this day I still haven't been able to create a bond with someone the way I did with him. He changed my whole world. I gave all of myself to him, I told him things I had never told anyone and we were together 24/7. His death was an accident and something I will always feel guilty for. a part of me died that day too. I went from being a typically happy girl to being completely depressed and angry at the world. I hated life and lost interest in everything. -
Therapy
My mom got me a therapist because I was literally going insane. I was coming home drunk and high everyday. Locking myself in my room for hours dealing with the comedowns. Or waking up and screaming with night terrors. My therapist helped me cope with a lot of my pain and introduced me to Buddhism. It really helped me organize and calm my thoughts and really understand how the world works. I became a better person. I was starting to have hope again. -
10 steps back
I met Joe. Just when i thought I was getting a grip on my life back he came and stepped on it all. He was my first boyfriend. I thought it was all real. He starting hitting me, locking me in the room for days without anything to eat, calling me horrible names, just completely destroying the person I was. He force fed me drugs until I over dosed, tried killing me, you name it. I had accepted the fact that I would probably die with him. I gave up on the idea that life might get better. I was numb. -
ASU
I was able to get out of Joe's house and live in the dorms and start a new life. I met Zach, he saved me. I could live a thousand lives and never be able to repay him for saving me and showing me that life could get better. I went back to therapy. I got into ASU and knew I wanted to be a teacher. I tried to fix relationships with family and old friends I had pushed out. It's almost like all at once everything was falling together. I knew i was still broken but I had another chance. -
Growing up.
I got admitted into the teachers college. I never knew doing something like teaching would make me so hapy. Being in the classroom and helping children heled me feel whole; something I never thought I would feel. I get to do something I love for the rest of my life. I moved out into my own place. It really helped me grow up and be more aware of the real world. I appreciate my mom so much more now than I ever did before. I'm slowly but surely filling all the voids.
