You Get to Decide
I went from fist fighting in county jail to deciding a two-hour chow line wasn't worth my…
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Dear Prison Pals
Letters I'd send anyway
Nothing Exciting to Report
Sometimes I don’t have some huge adventure or crazy story to tell y’all. Sometimes life is just peaceful, quiet, and normal. I think that’s kind of…
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Hey! That’s Mine!
After years of having no control over where I lived or where I slept, I finally have a place that’s all mine. My bedroom. My kitchen. My shower. I even named the Wi-Fi “Mine.”…
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Look at God Y’all
Seven months ago, I was sitting in prison wondering what my future would look like. Today, I’m packing for Arkansas, getting the keys to my OWN place, sponsoring other women, and…
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Rainbows, Butterflies, & Reality
I absolutely refuse to live in self-pity again. So I’m just going to keep suiting up, showing up, and trusting that one day my children will know the woman I’ve…
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The Keys were the Prize for the Prep
I honestly thought they were going to change their mind and ask for the keys back. Turns out the hardest part wasn’t buying the car… it was becoming the person ready to drive…
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Look What God Did
Five months ago, I was sitting in prison. Today, I have a stable job, a savings account, a new car on the way, and more opportunities than I know what to do with. God is still in…
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BUT WAIT. THERE’S MORE.
Lifetime movie drama. BUT WAIT. A national coding interview. BUT WAIT. A possible move across the country. BUT WAIT. A dream job offer. THERE’S…
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This Was Definitely Not the Plan
Kicked out of sober living. Moving in with the boss. This was definitely not in the…
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Blessings, Boundaries, and Bad Decisions
Good things kept coming through the storms. A driver’s license. A car. Recovery. A job I loved. Feelings I wasn’t supposed to have. What could possibly go wrong?…
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Somehow, This Is My Life Now
I still catch myself expecting to wake up in a prison bunk. Instead, I wake up to work, recovery, friendships, new opportunities, and entirely too many things to be grateful for.…
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Life Is Apparently Not Boring
I swear my life is boring. Unfortunately, the evidence continues to suggest…
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Dear Prison Pals — I’m Building Something New
New job. New blog. Same fear I might lose it all. But this time, I’m choosing to show up…
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Dear Prison Pals — Things Are Moving Fast
You may think these letters are helping you… but the truth is, you’re helping me just as much. This week reminded me how much can change when you choose growth over old…
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What Graduating from Persevere Means to Me
I couldn’t attend my coding graduation in person, so they read my words for me. The voice is mine. The name is not. For now, this is how I show…
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One Month Out and Apparently Employable
I was jobless one month out of prison. And strangely… I felt…
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Tap to Pay, Probation, & Peanut Butter Snickers
This isn’t a polished reentry story. It’s my first update to the friends I left behind and what real life looks like right after prison: messy, funny, stressful, and filled with…
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