THE FIGHT

Staying home didn’t magically make everything easier.

In fact, it made my life harder.

I enrolled in community college because I still wanted an education, but I couldn’t afford to stop working.

So I worked two jobs.

I went to classes when I could.

And in between, I took care of the kids.

There were days when I felt like I was living three different lives at once.

Student.

Worker.

Older sister.

But underneath all of that was something else.

I was trying to become their legal guardian.

The process was complicated, expensive, and exhausting.

Every form seemed to lead to another form.

Every appointment created another expense.

And every court-related step reminded me that this wasn’t simply a family disagreement anymore.

The future of four children was being decided.

Money became one of the biggest problems.

Whatever I earned seemed to disappear almost immediately.

Rent.

Food.

School expenses.

Transportation.

Legal fees.

I remember looking at my bank account one night and realizing how little I had left.

I had given up my scholarship.

I was working two jobs.

And somehow, I still wasn’t sure if I had enough to make this work.

Then people began helping.

Friends and family stepped forward.

Supporters learned about what was happening and contributed to a GoFundMe campaign that eventually raised nearly $10,000.

That money wasn’t a luxury.

It was a lifeline.

Still, there were nights when exhaustion completely took over.

One night, while preparing for the custody case, I was so tired that I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

I was at my paralegal’s office, surrounded by paperwork.

I didn’t even have the energy to drive somewhere else.

So I slept on the floor.

Just for a few hours.

When I woke up, my back hurt, my clothes were wrinkled, and there were papers everywhere.

But I had one thought in my mind.

I can’t stop now.

Because every time I wanted to give up, I thought about four little faces waiting for me at home.

Then came October 25, 2017.

I walked into court knowing that whatever happened that day could change all of our lives.

I had no idea whether I would walk out alone…

or with four children officially depending on me.

Then the decision was made.

And suddenly, I wasn’t just their sister anymore.