For the majority of my writing career, I have worked in a profession unrelated to writing. With luck, focus, and some hard work I have been able to make that a sustainable model. In October 2018, I decided to change careers and apply to MFA in Creative Writing programs. I was accepted into a program in early 2019 and began attendance in the fall of 2019. In late August of 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, at the outset of my second year of the MFA and just before my second book was released, my mother was stricken by a severe stroke. Most of the plans I made back in October 2018 were thrown into chaos and doubt. Luckily, school was 100% virtual, which allowed me to move in with my mother and become her primary caretaker. It has been an enormous challenge the last two years caring for my mother’s day-to-day needs; it has grown me in ways I did not anticipate and has shown me things about myself and our family dynamics that have been illuminating. While I was able to graduate from the MFA (albeit a semester late) according to plan, I have not been able to pursue teaching positions or other literary-connected employment opportunities outside of the home since my mother requires 24-hour care. Thus, this generous gift from the National Endowment for Arts will enable me to continue to care for my mother and write without the stress of impending financial ruin. What this grant means to me is time and peace of mind, while I continue my literary career and navigate this road of caring for an elderly parent without institutionalizing them. My family and I deeply appreciate the support to keep striving for and living a compassionate and artistic life.