I am honored and humbled to receive this award. I moved my family into Sisters Place on 9/11/01. It was a very bittersweet day for us. I had just moved our belongings into our new home when we received news of what was occurring into New York. As I heard the news I was torn between the joy I felt about being accepted into the Sisters Place Permanent Supportive Housing Program and the feelings of fear and sadness about the events taking place and how the world as I knew it would be changed in ways I could not fathom. I had already met with my Case Manager, Tammie Krepp. I thank God for her because she goes above and beyond her job. She drove me back to the woman's shelter to pick up the medications I forgot to pack. As downtown Pittsburgh was evacuating, we were driving into town. That showed me how much dedication that she had to helping my children and me.

Once all the drama of 9/11 calmed down I began the process of picking up the pieces of our lives. I enrolled my children in school and I started to have therapy sessions and learned to take care of myself a whole lot better than I had previously. I had to change the mind set I was in and think more positively about myself. I had to stop blaming myself for things I had no control over and accept responsibility for the choices I made in the past and will make in the present and future. I also learned that I am still a person of value despite my traumatic past experiences. I accepted that I don't have to live my life in crisis mode. I am in control and I am safe. Our lives are so much better since we moved into Sisters Place.

I had always thought that to be a good mother I had to care only for my kids and to sacrifice myself in order for that to happen. I learned from both staff and fellow residents who I view as friends that in order to take care of my children I had to take care of myself first. I got a new doctor and had a few medical issues that were out of control so I took care of them. I have Polycystic Kidney Disease which causes hypertension and makes me more susceptible to developing kidney stones. I had 20 procedures done as a result of kidney stones in the last 3 years. If I was not in Sisters Place I would not have even known about it until it was too late. I used to put myself down a lot and had PTSD from the abuse I had been through all my life and as an adult.

When I moved into Sisters Place, I learned why I attracted abusive people and what to avoid. I learned about the cycle of abuse and when to leave. I have also learned to set limits and boundaries and to be consistent. I am now able to recognize the signs and avoid those relationships. I also am to this day still dealing with the anger I feel at times towards my abusers by talking about it. I have been through so much; however, I am not a victim anymore. I stand up for what I believe and taught my daughter to do the same. I am a survivor. I am a strong and independent woman in recovery from drugs and alcohol abuse. I have been clean for 11 years. In that time I have learned to live and have fun without chemical help. I am becoming a better person than the shell of a woman I was before coming here. I have learned to live life on life's terms and to share my life experiences with others so that they too can start to live a new way of life and to become productive and positive members of society and their family's lives. I am a proud mother of two. My daughter has ADHD and my son has autism. Despite these challenges, this has never stopped them from being who they are and trying to do their best. They will never quit and neither will I. I love my children with all of my being. I have come full circle and I plan to continue on this path for many years to come one day at a time. God bless all of you.

Read also the success stories of other Sisters Place Moms:
Story #1
Story #2
Story #3
Story #4

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