Struggling

I am a single mother of 2 boys, one on the spectrum and I work full time.  My soon to be ex and I have 2 boys together.  Our marriage had been struggling for a while and I tried really hard to work things out and be a family.  There was a lot of anger issues with him and depression issues.  I suffer from depression as well, but I am dealing with it with my doctor and I am on low dose medication.  I feel there is nothing to be ashamed of.  

Our youngest son was diagnosed with Autism on March 17, 2012, just a little before he turned 2, I decided at that point to end my marriage so I could focus on our 2 boys and this new journey through Autism.  At the time, he was the stay at home dad and I told him we would need to discuss what needs to be done since he is home with the boys.  The next day, he brought a U-Haul and took all his stuff and whatever else he wanted and left.  I had 1 day to find a sitter and I was just hit with the reality of my son’s diagnosis and all we have ahead of us.  

Since March 18, 2012 my ex has maybe had the boys a total of 30 days added up, he has not helped out financially at all and he is not involved with any of our son’s services.  I paid for his cell phone for over 2 years, as I would not have the boys there with no way to contact them.  When he did take the boys, I would usually need to give him food or money so he could care for them.  Rather than tell him he cannot have the boys because he could not care for them, I helped make it happen.  

From then till the end of 2013 I had been doing amazing financially with getting everything paid up and not living exactly paycheck to paycheck.  All without any of my ex’s help.  Then at the end of 2013, there was the first of 3 family emergencies where I would have to get myself out to California (which is where the majority of my family live, none really in Colorado where the boys and I are).  My grandmother was going to have surgery in November 2013 where the doctors stressed they did not think her heart would handle the surgery.  Thankfully she is still with us, but she has been in and out of the hospital or nursing homes since, I made another trip for another scare.  She and I are very close and family is the only thing that makes living in Colorado hard.  However, Colorado is my home (at least for now). In June 1014  my dog had an emergency surgery on her ear.  Then I was participating in one of the many 5K's I do, I had fallen and tore my ligament in my thumb.  I had an emergency surgery if I wanted to use my thumb ever again properly.  With all that happening and no extra income coming in, I actually had my car repossessed (which I have gotten back) and I have been struggling so hard since about the middle of last year.  

I have asked my ex for help with them and he always saying he cannot.  Then at the end of February 2015, my ex decided to say goodbye to our boys and leave to go back to California.  So, now it is just us.  I have a great full time job that I have been with for 10 years.  I am trying to find work from home jobs at night and weekends so I can pay my bills.  I have done some work on oDesk, but that is not making a real difference yet.  I am selling all that I do not need.  Unfortunately, I am not in a position to get a part time job away from my home.

I am actively taking classes and finding out any information I can for my son on the spectrum.  I am helping with the Autism Society of Colorado again this year.  I always help out anyone I can whenever I can no matter if that means I go without.  I have taught myself to be an extreme couponer so I can afford to keep food on the table.  I have shared my couponing with many others to help them save.  However, no matter what I do, I just keep getting further and further behind and I am very scared I will be losing the home we rent and possibly more.  I am ashamed to have to ask for help and I am still trying every avenue I can to bring  money in.   And now I am an It Works Rep, again doing all I can to bring in more income for my family.  It Works Page  FaceBook It Works Page

Thank you so much for reading this.  Even if this does not touch your heart to donate to my go fund page, a prayer for my family and I that it will all work out would be always welcome.