READY OR NOT HERE I GO!!!!

Good evening Steemians!!! I'd like to introduce myself, my name is Laura and I just turned 34 years young! I have 4 amazing children, two are my own and two are my step-children and they range from 10-13, the oldest is my son and the other three are girls.
I have lived a very interesting life with many ups and downs.... unfortunately more downs than ups. However I like to think that all the downs are only making me stronger (although sometimes I forget this).
Before I became an adult or a parent I spent many years struggling with addiction to heroin and crack cocaine. I was not the typical youth drug addict, my parents were still together and both working, I was not in care of the ministry nor was I homeless ( till later). My parents found it easier to turn a blind eye to the drugs and the changes in me, till it was too late; I was too far gone into the addiction. It took me many years of being arrested for stealing to support my habit, detox centers , rehab centers and even being locked up before I wanted to make a change. I hit rock bottom many times but didn't learn quick..... I gave 6 precious years of my adolescence to addiction.
I will go deeper into this topic in another article, cant spill all my beans at once!
The topic of my "parents" is for a whole article all on its own!!

Part of the reason my username is @freeatlast, is the freedom from the addiction, along with a few other reasons I will write about at a later date.

I have completed two levels of post secondary education in business. First - Applied Business Technology Certificate, second - Hospitality and Resort Business Management Diploma. I grew up working in the costumer service industry initially with my father while he owned a few different businesses over many years, then I moved onto a local road stop fish and chip bus. That is where I found my love for food and beverage, once I was old enough I got into serving, cooking, and then supervising and before I knew it I was a manager and I loved it. While I went to school to further my education I continued to work while being a single mother of two small children. Thinking I would never see the end I pushed through. During my last year of school I had a very bad motor vehicle accident that set me back physically but I pushed through that too ( not knowing what was to come). After finishing school I found a job that I loved, I was given an opportunity to run a local golf course. I was hired to open up for the season with a fresh new start and was able to do what I loved to do and get my hands in every part of the business.... I thrived!! I almost finished the fist season and then was given some bad news. Doctors told me that the non aggressive cervical cancer that I had for years had finally started to progress and that they were going to take precautions, but then they found it had spread into my uterus and next thing I knew I was in the operating room having a full hysterectomy. Due to some complications the recovery and leave from work went from 8 weeks to 11 months and by that time I no longer had a job to go back to as they needed someone to do my job while I was on leave.
Since that there have been many more obstacles put in my way some have taken me longer to get past and others were not so hard.
Today I am a stay at home parent, my son lives with my ex , and they just moved in with my twisted parents ( again another article lol). I live in beautiful British Colombia, Canada!!! I never want to live anywhere else, wait... ok maybe somewhere tropical as I really do not like the colder temperatures. I do love the mountains and water that I am surrounded by here, I get lost in the natural beauty of my surroundings!! When life gets me down and my mind gets overloaded the peace and serenity of nature puts me right back where I need to be!!! All year round there is something to do here no matter the weather it is always stunning!! I will share pictures in the future of some of the beauty!!

I should stop here as I have to save something to write about in the future articles..... funny that I say that - I was having a really hard time trying to figure out what I should write about. I signed up a few months ago with my boyfriend who is into crypt o-currency and leaned about Steemit from a friend, he jumped right in, head first.... me not so much. I will be honest I was hesitant, and a little confused. Since then I have read many different articles and have finally built up the courage to do it!!! I am going to take this somewhat slow and try a few different things, I would really appreciate tips and feedback so I can learn.
I hope to be a successful part of this amazing platform and community and look forward to what the future holds for me here on Steemit!!!!!