Salutations!

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Well I supposed the logical place to start would be an introduction.

Hi, I'm Dash. No, that's not my real name. For now though, for security that's what you can call me.

I'm a 34 year old single mother and grandmother. That's right, I'm a gramma! I've been living here in the cold Canadian prairies more or less my entire life and don't really know much else.

Like many of you, I'm sure, I was a teen mom. My son surprised us when I was only 16 and my daughter was born almost exactly 5 years later. My children both have different biological fathers and circumstances leading up to their births were vastly different, but that's a story for another time.

I struggled to make it to graduation as I was pregnant during my senior year. Luckily I always knew that I wanted a career in hairdressing and was fortunate enough to be almost completed my training by the time my son arrived. I got into the salon as quickly as I could and have more or less been there for the better part of the last 20 years.

I have been in and out of bad/abusive relationships, lived on welfare and slept on couches when I had to. It was never easy but I always made it work. In 2010 I had an incident in my home with an ex boyfriend that caused me to give my head a serious shake. In the end the police were called and I made the decision to leave town with only the clothes I could fit into one backpack.

That was the day I changed my life. It had taken almost 10 years but I had finally had my fill and I decided my children's well being and my happiness depended in it.

Since then I have fought to make my way from the couch in a friends penthouse apartment, to the wonderful 3 story, 3 bedroom home with my own salon in the basement. I lived on welfare for a while, I had my bedroom in the dining room for a number of years, but every sacrifice I made, I did it for my children and I can honestly say it has made me a stronger, wiser woman.

Beautiful photographs are developed in dark rooms. If you are ever feeling like you are alone in the dark, have faith that something wonderful is developing for you.

-Dash