What defines me?

So it’s always been a well known fact that outside of me no one has ever been thrilled to the idea of the number of kids I have. I don’t think anyone was ever excited of my pregnancy at all. Everyone seen it as a burden I think. There was always talk of what I wouldn’t be able to give them. Especially financially! Lets face it when I became pregnant I was working in two fast food places in a truck stop not really a career path to be a millionaire. I never really gave a shit though. I think I did cry a bit after hearing my parent’s say abortion and adoption options with the first pregnancy but after I truly never paid mind to anyone’s comments. I decided that I would move mountains to give my kids any opportunity they wanted. So far I have done just that. I have raised all 7 kids on less than 20,000 a year. Last year my rent alone was a $1,000 a month this year dropping to just $700. My kids however didn’t miss out on anything. They were in sports like crazy. I would fill out for scholarships. Then when they needed gear for the sports I would find a thrift store that may have what we needed and I would volunteer there asking in return for any items the kids may have needed for sports. I have volunteered across the two counties doing so. There was a time once that a school ring was wanted by one of the kids. It was over 400 and not in the budget. I had 5 days to come up with the money since my child is a procrastinator and gave me no time to prepare at all. He deserved the ring though. So I posted to social media everywhere that I would work for a money order to my son’s school. I landscaped for 40 hours in this little old lady’s yard and she gave me my money order to the school. For school clothes and summer clothes I volunteer at the free store, ( a thrift store inside a church a year long free yard sale) at neighbor to neighbor, and harbor mission. In return I get vouchers or item amounts to shop for my kids. I remember once I went to this lady’s yard sale and she had goobs and goobs of girls clothing but priced way to high for me to afford. She had kids and a big farm the sale was in a barn. I purchased what I could afford and then asked if she would be interested in trading babysitting or house or farm work for clothing that she may have left after the sale. We exchanged numbers and she just thought that was so clever. I ended up babysitting for her 2 weekends and month for quite some time. Every yard sale she would have she gave me everything left over. Then I could sort for my needs and then pass on to the same places I volunteered at. Later when I moved to Niles I begun a service of picking up yard sale items keeping and selling some and then donating the rest. My kids have been to Disney. We camp like little camping fools because I googled one day trying to find a more affordable way to camp and learned that with our library cards there were many places to camp for FREE!!! 8 library cards made us able to camp all week at no cost for the sites. My kids wanted a swimming membership a few years ago and I emailed the head of the university by our home that had a pool. He allowed me to come to his office for a meeting. I explained I was a single mom that my kids needed a way to exercise closer to home. He gave us a scholarship that I volunteered for us to have free memberships. He told me no one had ever asked before. I took the kids the other night. Day before payday so I am broke kids are stir crazy and hot and we are able to go and experience a nice swim in a really nice environment. It's really about what you put in. If you want your kids to have opportunities and experiences find a way to give them to them. Not having the money is a piss poor excuse.