Memoir - My Perspective

My perspective

There are many events in my life that I feel have shaped me into the person I am today. I've seen a lot for my age and I grew up pretty fast. I moved around a lot because my father was in the Air Force so I had the opportunity to meet different kinds of people. I went to kindergarten in Turkey, which gave me a whole new perspective on various cultures very early in life. Then onto Oklahoma, where the people were even more foreign in their southern ways. I went from being an advanced student in junior high to a delinquent student in high school. At the age of 16, my group of friends changed. Instead of going to the park and eating ice cream, I went to parties and drank alcohol. Everything seemed to be going downhill so fast. Including the relationship with my father, my grades, and my priorities. I didn't care about anything or anyone but myself. As a teenager, I made a lot of mistakes and, consequently, I hurt too many people. This path of destruction I was on definitely brought me down until the most amazing thing happened to me. I got pregnant. And I owe my new life to my beautiful daughter, Natalie Marie. When I first found out I was pregnant, I was in shock and very scared. I didn't feel like I was in the right position to be a mother. I was too irresponsible and unstable. I was in some legal trouble, my father was on the verge of kicking me out, and I still had a horrible attitude. After my initial reaction, I went to the doctor and they did a sonogram. I saw my baby for the first time. That's when I knew that my life would never be the same. Don't get me wrong, I didn't change overnight, but I realized very quickly that I needed to do something different. So for the first time in two years, I got a job. I started helping my dad with things around the house. I got my driver's license back and saved my money. By the time I had Natalie, I moved into my own apartment and got a car. I never thought I could accomplish so much in nine months but I also never had that kind of motivation before. I didn't even think about going back to school until after she was born. Just a few months ago, Natalie started growing out of her clothes, which I figure she'll be doing for the next 17 years or so. This made me think of everything I'll need to buy for her as she gets older. It also made me realize that minimum wage won't cut it and raising a child is nearly impossible on a cashier's salary. The very next day, I applied at Heartland. Going back to school was the best decision I ever made and, without my daughter, I don't think I would have found the motivation to do so. Having her by my side molded me

into a responsible and devoted mother. She's had more of an impact on me than any other experiences combined.

My Father's Perspective

If I could use one word to describe my daughter five years