A poor school system, a single parent and siblings are what transformed something in to the best thing that has happened to me. My brothers and I had wanted to live with my dad for a long time but were unable to communicate that due to our age. I had no idea what all would transpire and that I would feel this way. 

Since I was little it was hard to see my dad because it was year-round schooling in Las Vegas. The only break we had in school was considered a “Track” break which was only 3 weeks 4 times a year. In 2010, the schools in Las Vegas went from year-round to 9-months with a 3-month Summer break. This meant that we got to see my dad and stepmom for 3 months in the summer. My dad and stepmom would also fly to Vegas during Winter break to spend time with us during Christmas and for my birthday on December 31.

Eventually, it got harder and harder to leave my dad’s. Toward the end of the summer in 2011, my brothers and I mentioned to my dad that we wanted to live with him. After talking to my dad, we knew that we had to talk to our mom about what we wanted. That summer after we flew back to Las Vegas, we refused to unpack our suitcases because we wanted to go back to our dad’s.  Eventually we had a conversation with our mom. After speaking with my mom, she contacted my dad and stepmom and they had a conversation about us moving in with our dad.  We discussed grades, because we all had F’s and Las Vegas doesn’t have the best schooling for us. We had to do what was best for us.

After six months of my dad and stepmom talking with our mom, she finally decided that we could live with our dad. My mom realized that my brothers and I were going to need a man in our life. It was hard for my mom to raise three young boys and a girl as a single mom. She was only able to work 1 job due to all of us being younger. The next thing we knew, they had bought the plane tickets and we were going to be heading to Kansas City soon.  It was hard to see my mom cry while we were getting on the plane but it was for my own good and what was best for my career after high school. Walking off the plane in Kansas City my dad and stepmom were glad to see us again. Once we got home they started laying down the house rules what we would need to do in school to be successful. They expected us to put all our effort in our school.

Even though it was hard to move away from our mom, we were in a better place with better schools.  It is still rough because I don’t get to wake up to my mom’s voice and I don’t get to see her as often as I would like. It has been a little over 5 years since we moved out to Kansas and I still think it was the best thing that ever happened to me.  I feel today that sometimes the hardest choices are the most beneficial choices.  There were a lot of emotions on this journey, smiles, laughter, anger and tears but at the end of the day, I am grateful to be here.