Connect What is the most rewarding part of being a mom?

The most rewarding part of being a mom has been being happy. My daughter makes me happy when I'm at work, she makes me happy when I'm at home, she makes me happy without even knowing it. I've never felt the feeling of genuine happiness until I had my daughter. I talk to my boyfriend often about life before our daughter, Aria. I describe how I felt lost and confused, I felt really out of place in a big world. But, since having my daughter, I don't even remember what it feels like to be lost.

What is one memory of your kids that you will never forget?

My favorite memory of my daughter is when we were watching Frozen II, as we do most days.It got to the scene where Olaf was lost in the woods getting ready to sing "When I am Older".Olaf is walking through the woods and here's a noise and says "Samantha" and my daughter started laughing so hard.I've never seen her laugh at a joke. She's two, two-year-olds, or so I thought, don't grasp the idea of a joke.It made me realize how consciously aware she is,now I think about it all the time.

What would you do with $20,000?

Use it to continue to grow a great foundation for our family.When I was pregnant with my daughter, my boyfriend and I saved up a years' worth of rent so after maternity leave,I could start college again and we would have our rent taken care of because we saved it up.We managed to save 12k, I started back at school Aug 2023 and graduated Dec 2024. To say 20k would change my life is an understatement,however you never know when life is going to get messy, so I'd have save for financial security.