How it Started....
Born to parents that only had a 6th-grade educationÂ
Childhood in Whistler, Alabama was wonderful
Mom diagnosed with skin cancer at 17
Barely graduated high school at 18
Got married at 19
Started jr college at 20Â
Had my first baby at 21
Mother died at 21
Daddy died at 22
Marriage was a hot ass mess along the way!
Started college again at 25
Had my 2nd baby at 26 - Pulled up to Austin Peay University with a stroller. Yep, I took my baby to class with me.Â
Had my 3rd baby at 27 - Don't judge me
On probation at 27 - Weekly check-in with the probation officer (that's another story I gotta tell yall later)
Graduated College at 27 (Bachelor's in Science with a specialization in Healthcare Administration-Magna Cum Laude) - I couldn't walk across the stage at the time...I was in the delivery room pushing out a 6lb baby who came 6 weeks
Divorced at 28
Off probation at 28
Left Fort Campbell, Kentucky at 29
By the age of 29, I lost both parents, lived in 4 different states, had 3 kids all under the age of 8, my marriage was tore up from the floor up, had money, and lost some money.....the ODDS was stacked against me from the beginning.Â
Statistics say I should have been: emotionally and physically disconnected, politically ignorant, live in a low-income area, have little to no health coverage, uneducated with uneducated kids. However, I beat the ODDS!! There are so many people out here living and learning how to beat the ODDS. It's a wonderful thing to see yourself beat what statistically should have destroyed what God created. God created me to be a mover and shaker in this world. I'm taking all that he has to offer. I've learned to never let somebody's thoughts of me influence what I wanted to do or who I wanted to become because God put me here to do something amazing. Their thoughts will never limit my abilities and the means of understanding what I'm truly capable of.Â
God put you on this earth to beat the ODDS placed upon you for who you are, what you look like or where you live. Go and BE GREAT!!
Signed,Â
CandieÂ
How Its Going.... Â
At 29, Me and my three kids arrived in Columbia, South Carolina with $60 and nowhere to stay
At 34, graduated from Webster University with a Masters in Business Administration and a Masters in Healthcare AdministrationÂ
At 39, my first born graduated from Lander University with a Bachelor's in Marketing
At 40, married the love of my life
At 44, my second child graduated from Dutch Fork High SchoolÂ
At 45, the last child graduated from Dutch Fork High School
At 47, the first child (Cosmetology school) and second child (Associate in Science) graduated from Bishop State Community College
At 48, the last one is set to graduate from the University of Alabama
At 49, my second one is set to graduate from the University of South Alabama
Me at 48 &Â My husband at 49:Â LIVING our BEST LIFE
My KIDs now: BEATING THE ODDSÂ
Song:Â
Â
Â
Â