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

Watching my children learn and grow. I am so very blessed to be able to guide them. They are my entire world. Everything I do is for them. The road has not been easy, especially since their dad, my husband died. But every day I do my absolute best to make sure that they have a childhood that they do not have to recover from. That is my goal.

What is the biggest lesson motherhood has taught you?

The biggest lesson it has taught me is patience and unconditional love. I was born to parents of addiction and left to fend for myself at a young age. I never imagined I would be a mom, because I didn’t know what it was like to have parents. Being a mom- their mom, has saved me. They teach me what love really is. Every single day. My late husband gave me the best gifts- my boys. Everything I am is because of them.

What would you do with $20,000?

I would have a fence installed in our backyard. My youngest child has autism and he elopes. He loves to be outside and to explore, but he does not understand danger. He has already tried to leave the property. We live in a lake community with a lake right down our block. I am scared for his safety. I have already tried insurance and certain funds, however they do not cover a fence. To have a fence installed would be a great relief.