Blogging Away Debt Our Journeys to a Debt-Free Life

by Hope

Please help me congratulate this AMAZING son of mine! He has officially passed his Basic EMS test and can now work in his chosen field. Woot, woot!

He is continuing his schooling this summer and will test for his Advanced EMS this fall either here or in California. As planned, he will be departing at the end of July to serve with Americorps FEMA for a year.

I am so, so proud of him. For those of you new to following me, I will give you a brief history of Sea Cadet…

Sea Cadet’s Story

Sea Cadet grew up in a transient home, essentially homeless until he was 12 years old and both of his parents were incarcerated. He along with his 4 siblings were placed in foster care, Sea Cadet and his identical twin brother (History Buff) were placed with me. They were in 7th grade and attending public schools. They had attended at least 6 different schools at that point, and were performing at a 3rd/4th grade level academically.

Sea Cadet had a speech impediment, couldn’t see (he needed glasses) and had an IEP through the special ed department that provided him additional support for a variety of other things. Their goal for him was to ride the public buses alone someday. I was floored when I first heard this after having him in my home for about a month at that time.

The twins had been bullied their whole lives and just passed on through the system. I received special permission to pull Sea Cadet out of public school in order to work with him as a homeschooled student. It was intense and not always pleasant for either of us. But we had an amazing homeschool community who just surrounded him and accepted him and nurtured him and pushed him.

He graduated from high school a year late and dove into this EMS program…and here we are. He’s gotten his drivers license, holds down a job and the boy they described in those initial IEP papers just doesn’t exist anymore.

What’s Next for Sea Cadet

He is a true testimony of what I’ve always believed, sometimes all it takes is for someone to tell you that you can do something.

Sea Cadet has a heart for serving…he is a volunteer firefighter in our local community, participates in the local Police Explorers program and will soon begin work as an EMT before serving a year with Americorp. I don’t know exactly what his future holds, but I can’t see anything but a fantastic adventure ahead and he is ready for it!

Hope

Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.

Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.

Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.