I got pregnant with my first son the same month I turned 18 and the same month I moved in with his father(after four months of dating). At the time, I was working two jobs, he had a job and we had a really cheap little place. I thought we were doing great and irresponsibly wasn’t taking my pill like I should have been. Once I got pregnant, we only stayed together for a couple months maybe, we were AWFUL together. When we broke up, all hell broke lose. He was the one with the car, I had to move in with my drug addicted mother, and I lost both my jobs. He told me that he didn’t think it was his kid, but then I had his mother threatening to take the baby away because of who I was living with, even tho I had no better option. I was so depressed, I had no idea what I was going to do. I cried myself to sleep most nights because I was so scared. But, I got myself a job at a Burger King down the road from my moms house, I walked back and forth to work until I saved up some money and got a few hundred dollars back with my tax return and bought a $900 02 two door Chevy Cavalier. Then, the next month I saved up enough to get a decent 2 bedroom apartment on a move in special with all bills included and was able to get on food stamps. I still barely made it by and had no idea what I was gonna do when the baby got here which was weeks away. Everything I had for him was given to me and I hadn’t talked to his father in months.

Once I had my son, a bunch of drama broke out at the hospital, he didn’t show up, his mom did demanding a dna test 30 minutes after he was born, it was awful. I told them to leave and we’d talk about it later. And that his father could come see him, but they needed to leave. He never showed and I didn’t hear anything until my son was 2 months old. They wanted me to pay for a DNA test. Which I obviously did not have the money for, so I told them that I’m all for a DNA test, but he was going to pay for it. I had no doubt he was the father, he had no real doubt, he knew I never cheated on him, he just wanted an excuse to not have to take responsibility.

I ended up losing my job because I couldn’t afford childcare and the waiting list for vouchers was way too long. I lost my apartment and moved in with my dad that I hadn’t talked to in years. He helped me in so many ways, I am beyond grateful. He paid for my son to go to daycare while I went back to school for my GED and CNA license. I finally got a job at a nursing home, I was on a waiting list for income based housing since I broke up with his father, I finally got in! By this time my son was about 6 months old. I moved in, kept working and was able to get a new, more reliable car! My sons father finally came around and started paying some child support and started visitation. Everything was going so smooth. Life was great, I started dating again, I met my now husband right around the time my son turned 1. Were now married, with another baby on the way! I’m only 22 now and my son is 3, but so much has changed! I’m on no kind of government assistance, we’re buying a 3 bedroom, 2 bath and 1 car garage house! I just completed my nursing degree, and I am now a RN and Life is SOO good. My sons dad is also now married, she is a great step mom. But, we still aren’t on great terms. But we’re working on it. My mom is also almost 1 year clean and my dad and I have established a great relationship. I’m getting awfully emotional thinking that just four years ago, I was more or less homeless and had no idea how good life was going to become. I gets better!!