I was in the living room with my sister Cierra when he came home. His eyes were red and he had been crying. He usually left for work early in the morning but instead he was here at nine. I looked at my father and knew that something was definetely wrong.  I asked him multiple times, "Dad, what happened?" He looked at me smugly and said he was going downstairs to talk to my brother Drew first. I tried to be nosy and I crept down the stairs and tried to listen.....all I head were both of them crying. I walked upstairs and sat on the couch by my sister. Once my father came back up he looked at me and told me to follow him to his and mom's room. He sat me down on the bed and began to explain to me that mom's surgery went fine and that recovery was going well but that there were a few complications that he was recently notified about. He looked me in my eyes and without trying to break it me gently, harshly said, "Mom's dead, and she's not coming back." He burst into tears again and buried his head in his hands. Usually when people cry it starts slow and then gets bigger and bigger. Like how when you read a book and you reach the climax eventually but then it settles down again. I skipped all the good stuff and went straight to the climax. He got up about thirty seconds later and informed me that he was going to go tell my sister Cierra, my brother Ty, and that he had some phone calls to make because my other sister and brother were visitng family in Utah. I layed in that bad and cried for what seemed like weeks. I eventually got up and picked up the phone. I called my three best friends from elementary school and told them that my mommy had passed away. Only one of them answered, and another came over that day with things for my family and I. I guess I didn't mention how old I was. I had just turned ten and this was in August. August 14, 2008. I now claim that day as the worst day of my life. For weeks all I saw were red eyes, tears, and an abundance of food for my family. All I heard were sobs, sniffles, and "I'm sorry's". I cried myself to sleep and cuddled with my little sister Cierra. I thought for the longest time that my mother's death was my fault. I prayed and asked for her to get better since she was taking medication, and then she just vanished from our lives altogether. Eventually my father remarried and kicked out all of the kids, excluding his new step-children, of course. We were spread out across the country living with different people. Many things happened throughout my life and I ended up in the Kansas State Foster Care System. There are many people who when they are upset say that they have nothing left and that nobody loves them. When you come to the point that your parents leave you, you can't find your siblings, and you are living with random strangers, THEN you have the right to say that. Many people don't realize how easy they have it. I struggled with many things in my life such as depression, anxiety, suicidial attempts, and self-harm. I've gotten the help I needed. And I can proudly say that I am doing so much better. I have found three of my siblings and I have two left to go. I live with my oldest sister Brittany and her wonderful husband Mark. I will be a senior, and I WILL graduate. I will not be a stereotype. I WILL succeed. I will not let others write my story this time. I am the one with the pen and paper in hand.