My Life Story~ So My Friends on Cafe Moms Can Know More About Where I've Come From

[blessed2behome]

Read About My Journey to Be Home

Greetings & Blessings!

My name is Kantrese Smith (pronounced CAN-TREESE), but I go by Tresie (TREE-SEE). I am 26 years old. I am a mother of one 4 yr old daughter (Noëlle Winter-Marie) who will be 5 years old on December 20th 2008. I've been married to my hubby (Howard) for 5 years now. I currently reside in Williamsburg, VA.

I graduated from Lafayette High School (Williamsburg, VA) in 2000 at the age of 17 with a g.p.a. of 3.96 and was named the Highest Ranked Minority and Female Student/Athlete of the Year. I immediately began college that following August at Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, KY) where I was pursuing my major in Veterinary Medicine and 2 minors in Chemistry and Dance. While I was at EKU, I maintained a g.p.a. well above 3.5 and I made the Dean's List and was named as a freshman National All American Scholar (in which they only pick 2 students from each University/College in the USA). I attended EKU on a track and academic scholarship. Unfortunately, I was injured on the track and couldn't run for the remainder of the year. Due to that injury, the coach took away part of my track scholarship and because my family couldn't afford to send me to school, I couldn't return the following year. I came home at the end of that year to get treatment for my knee injury (Patella Femoral Syndrome, Patella Tendonitis and Lateral something...) as well as for Cervical Cancer.

I thank the Lord to this day that I am healthier than I was back then, despite the fact that I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder in June of 2006. But, I am taking my medicine and trying to get better. I thank God for that and that I am able to go to school again and do many of the million of other things I want to do. I've gone through quite a bit financially, emotionally, spiritually, and career wise over the past couple of years.  I worked for my local humane society starting in 2002.  I began working there as an Animal Care Technician and then was promoted in 2005 to Director of Business Operations.  I absolutely loved my job there.  It was the best of both worlds for me.  I got to work with animals and work for a cause at the same time.  I was EXTREMELY dedicated to my job.  I brought work home all of the time to finish.  I actually ended up neglecting my daughter and husband and even my school work just to make sure things were done properly for the organization.  I basically put 6 years of my life, heart and soul, into my job at my local humane society, just to have it rip from under me by a new vindictive Executive Director.  In September of 2008, I lost my job because of the new Executive Director.  It hit me extremely hard.  I couldn't believe it.  I had never been in trouble or written up before, so I really didn't understand.  Donors, Adopters and friends call saying that place is falling under since I left, but there is nothing I can do about that. But it was a great place to work and I gained a lot of experience from that position in other fields I didn't know I had skills in.

 

In addition, I graduated in November 2004 from a 2 year Veterinary Assistant Program that I was taking online prior to pursuing my first degree with my current college, Kaplan University (online).  I began Kaplan in October of 2004 pursing my degree in Paralegal Studies which I obtained in October of 2006 with 3.95 g.p.a. and a Summa Cum Laude.  I immediately re-enrolled into my current degree plan which is Criminal Justice-CSI.  It is hard, but I'm still maintaining a g.p.a. over 3.8.  I will be done with this degree in December of 2008.  I eventually plan to be a FBI agent or own my own private investigations firm.

 

On top of all of this, I have been going through quite a lot in my marriage.  I got married a very young age.  I was 20 years old.  I really was in love with my husband at the time, but I really wasn't ready for marriage. I was pregnant with our daughter when we got married.  I just wanted the best for my unborn child.  As I was growing up, I had a lot of unfortunate things happen to me.  No one ever knew anything until I told my long-time friends in college.  Not to go into too many details, but the shorter version is: molestation, rape, poverty (moving place to place, living out of cars, run down hotel/motels, shelters, etc), abusive father (towards my mother), drug addicts and alcoholic (father & mother).  I did not want any of that for my child.  I was already in love with her father and figured that at that point in time, it was the right decision.  However, as time has gone by, a lot of things unraveled and the mental abuse began in my marriage.  I am still trying to get out of my situation after 5 years.  Thankfully, my focus on my home-based career, my schooling, my daughter, Our Creator and drive to succeed is what has kept me sane this long.

 

I was originally approached by Ameriplan back in 2003, but because I was involved in another home-based opportunity, I turned it down.  I told myself if this opportunity came back around, then it was meant to be.  Well, it did and here I am.  I am so grateful that I had started building my business with Ameriplan prior to losing my job.  I started my business with Ameriplan in July of 2008.  When I first started, I was working a full-time job at the humane society, running another business (Blessed 2 Be Home), as well as going to school online full-time at Kaplan University to finish my second degree.  I really missed spending quality time with my daughter.  

I now do this FT/PT based upon my family's schedule.  It is so great to be there for my family every day and have an amazing home-based career where I don't ask for sick days, vacation days, or worry about lay-offs.  This is the ONLY home-based business that has ever worked for me and I hope it's a good solution for you as well.

Tags: about me, abuse, bipolar, blessed, business, care, career, caring, cervical cancer, children, college, comfort, dance, depression, disorder, divorce, drug abuse, education, encourage, family, happy, help, home-based, humane society, inspiration, job, life story, manic, marriage, minority, molestation, mom, poor, poverty, pregnant, rape, running, sahm, separation, sharing, sports, stories, support, track & field, university, veterinary, wah, wahm, work at home, work from home

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