by Betty Jo Hawkins

Created on: January 24, 2010

Thinking back on the year 1989, I just had my second child.  It was a girl now a parent of a three year old boy and a new born girl.  I was scared and not sure how things would turn out.  I was a single parent their father ran off with another women.  Twenty six years old and new my life would be a struggle.  No support or help from him.

I went back to work four weeks after delivery.  Only to work just two weeks and the company I worked for closed their doors for good.  Now unemployed with two children no health insurance.  Once again the word struggle came to mind.

Then out of the blue their father wanted to try and make things work.  We moved to Mississippi with him from Maryland.  His family lived there.  We were there about two week and he just took off on Thanks giving day without even a good bye.  For many years that was a holiday that left me wondering what was there to be thankful for.  His family was very good to me and our children. They were truck drivers and away from home for weeks at a time.  They let me and our children live in their home while I attended college.  I knew he would never be of any assistance to me or the children.  Attending college was the only way I would be able to provide for my families future.  I had to be able to support us alone. 

Spending three and a half years at a community college I obtained an Associates arts degree in Radiology Technology and have had a wonderful career.  I have obtained advanced registry in Mammography, CT and MRI.  My children's grandmother passed away during my last year in the radiology program and their grandfather passed away five years later.  I am sad that they both did not get to see how much they made a difference in my life and my children's lives.  I do believe that they look down on us from heaven and are glad that they were able to make a difference in our lives.

I was poor during those times and struggled while in school but my children were young and didn't know how poor we were.  We may have been poor but we had one thing money can't buy and that is love.

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