In honor of Lisa Charkey's Fundraising Page

Today marks my eighteenth birthday and as I look forward to my journey into adulthood I can't help but think that I will be starting this journey without the only parent I ever had.  For fifteen years of my life I lived alone with the strongest single mother I ever knew.  She became my best friend, protector and at times annoying sister. The bond between a mother and a daughter is so strong but the bond between an only child and her single mother is unmatchable. So many of my strongest and weakest attributes are because of my mom. If you stumbled across this page you most likely know me even if it's just a forgotten friendship or simply by reputation. What I can promise to be true is that my loud, spontaneous, charismatic and at times chaotic personality is all thanks to her. As I leave behind childhood I cannot imagine celebrating my birthday without paying tribute to the person who made me who I am today. Growing up whenever I found myself overcome with emotion my mother would tell me to find someone to hug or simply hug myself.  Today I utilize this tool often whenever I become stressed or upset as all of us do. By creating this page I am finding a way to "hug myself". If you are willing to donate even a dollar think of it as a birthday "hug" as I celebrate my eighteenth.