The most rewarding part of being a mom is watching my daughter take on the world with confidence and determination. I’ve worked hard to instill that strength and fire in her, so seeing her succeed is incredibly fulfilling. At the same time, it means everything to be the person she turns to when things don’t go as planned. Guiding her through those moments and seeing the world through her eyes is truly priceless.

The biggest lesson motherhood has taught me is patience and trust. Sometimes you don’t get to immediately see the results of what you’re pouring into your child, and what worked yesterday doesn’t always work today. You have to meet them where they are, stay consistent, and trust that you’re giving them the tools they need to succeed. And often, you hear about the impact you’ve made through others—which is a beautiful reminder that the seeds you’ve planted are growing, even when you can’t always

If I won $20,000, I would use it to take my family on a meaningful vacation where we could truly disconnect and spend quality time together. Life gets so busy with work, school, sports, and the long stretches of solo parenting during fire season that travel is one of the only ways we can fully reconnect. I would also bring my mom bestie and her family—our husbands are both firefighters, our kids are like siblings, and we truly do life together. We’ve built our own village, supporting each other