This book is based on real events of our mother, who struggled to raise ten children in a poverty-stricken environment in the 1950s. Her life journey was not easy, and she could have given up anytime, any day, but she did not. On the outside, she carried herself as a strong African American woman, always head high and a strut no one could imitate. But there were many days she was heavy inside with a burden called life. As you discover Carrie's struggles through life, you will see how she met the man of her dreams and soon discovered his dark secrets, and how she escaped to save herself and her children. Although we had escaped in the middle of the night, we continued to struggle through the years, living in poverty and always trying to get ahead. Though we were born of the same mother, lived in the same house, and were raised in the same town, our lives were different. We were raised differently, we loved differently, we had different experiences, different journeys, different memories to tell in our own unique way. Although we were raised in poverty, we didn't stay in poverty. We were able to rise when others thought we would fail. Poverty claimed us, we didn't claim poverty!