Hi! My name is Dana Helton and I am 32 years old. I am a divorced Mom of 32 with two wonderful children 12 and 6. I am attending Purdue University North Central in Indiana and plan to acquire a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. Ultimately, my calling is Law school and I will probably never use my Accounting degree; however, it is always good to have a back up plan. Law school is pricey and with the accumulation of loans I acquired during my first attempt at going back to school, I may have to either skip it or pray I hit the lottery.

I did attempt college at 18 after high school. I lasted one semester before I realized I wanted to party, work, and drive a nicer car. College played no part in any of that. I dropped out, had my daughter a couple years later, and with the "single mom" syndrome did not have time or money to go back to school.

I met my ex-husband and decided that with two incomes, it would be easier to start college. Plus, I was older and ready for the responsibility. However, this time I had two kids and a full time job with an hour commute. It was hard, but I managed to complete 3 years at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee before the burn out snuck up on me. Burn out, meaning: I skipped class to sleep. I felt guilty about not spending time with my kids. I lost my drive completely!

If you are reading this, you are most likely a Mom, going back to school or thinking about it, and perhaps working too. Combining all three of these attributes can be stressful and time consuming. If you are like me, when I excel in one area, I lack in another. I've noticed when my grades are at their best, my kids are giving me the sad face saying, "Mom, are we ever going to do anything fun?"

Doing what we do is full of hard choices. We have to sacrifice not only our time, but the time of our children as well. My daughter is 12 years old and can be trusted to latch-key after school and on the weekends. She is very good with her younger brother and I trust them more on their own than with a babysitter. I was left at home starting at age 8 because both my parents worked, constantly. Unfortunately, I don't remember any fun. Only house work and taking care of my little brother. I'm not complaining, though. I turned out rather self sufficient and independent.

Attending and finishing college is very important to me for 3 main reasons: (1) I will be the first in my entire blood line to have a college degree. (2) My children are more likely to go to college if I complete my education. (3) Sick and tired of my extensive experience not being enough.

I have worked in taxes and other financial services for the past 3 1/2 years but I am currently unemployed. I was able to make it for awhile with my unemployment benefits while I looked for another job. Unfortunately, I am having a hard time finding a position that will work around my school schedule. Always one heartache for another, right?

Well, I used the first post to give a little background on myself. I will use this blog to help others in my situation as the learning process progresses. We all need someone to lean on. Someone who understands what we are going through. We all need tools to ensure our success. So let's all work together to provide the above. Thanks for reading.