Courtesy of Melissa Drake
- As a single mother, my son's childhood wasn't an easy one, especially as he acted out.
- When he graduated high school, he met the love of his life, and they have been together ever since.
- Watching him propose felt like the end of tumultuous times and the beginning of a stable life.
Every mother dreams their child will be blissfully happy as an adult. I didn't realize that to be truly happy, my son Johnathan had to go through some difficult life trials first.
When he was growing up, I was a single mother who spent most of my time in bed. I was grieving the loss of my parents. It was a struggle to make ends meet and stay on top of my responsibilities at home. My son enjoyed his friends, playing sports, and experimenting with everything — the good, bad, and ugly.
In junior high, it was a good day when I made it through without a call from his school. They were usually calling about some offense or grievance regarding Johnathan's actions. He'd begun skipping class, kissing girls, and blowing off his studies. In high school, the calls escalated and became more severe, including run-ins with illegal substances and even the police.
I was at my wit's end — feeling very alone and doing my best to keep up. Something had to change, and when high school graduation came, we were both ready for a break.
Thankfully, he found his reason to be happy soon after.
A change of environment was a great move
Things changed after graduation when my son relocated to Florida to attend trade school and became a salesman. Life got even better after we both moved to California, and he put those sales skills to work selling RVs.
At his first RV dealership, Johnathan met Stephanie, a beautiful woman who captured his heart. From the beginning, I could tell they had a special connection full of love, laughter, and effective communication.
Johnathan and Stephanie's relationship seemed to provide the perfect outlet for Johnathan's inquisitive and exploratory nature. Plus, Stephanie is a good woman with a healthy outlook and deep family support, which was the perfect recipe for balance, stability, and growth.
In the time Johnathan and Stephanie have been together, I've seen them grow individually and as a couple in many ways. I've watched them advance in their careers, health, finances, and household responsibilities. It's been beautiful to witness him stepping up as a leader at work and home. He's even become more of a leader in my life, and I'm grateful for that.
Seeing my son propose to her marked an important milestone
It's obvious to me how much my son loves Stephanie. He consistently credits her with his recovery from unnecessary risks. He's truly devoted to his and her happiness, which showed in every detail of his wedding proposal. He went above and beyond in every way for the special mountaintop moment.
He involved all the important people in Steph's life, got their input, and managed the whole process — even drawing a map to ensure everyone knew their parts and places.
When shopping for an engagement ring, he was determined to find the perfect one that was "super big and fucking beautiful." Earlier in the week, he gifted Stephanie with money to get her nails done so the pictures of the ring would be stunning. He delivered his question with more heart than I've ever seen in him — and that says a lot because he's always had a big heart.
Although the proposal was about my son and his fiancé, it's also an important milestone for him and me. We've come a long way — especially from phone calls from the middle school office that left me feeling frenzied, overwhelmed, and scared. The proposal feels like an achievement for both of us — for making it through those difficult years together.
These days are filled with phone calls about wins, celebrations, and opportunities on the horizon. Of course, these calls feel much better on this mama's heart.
I'm certain this relationship, proposal, and soon-to-be marriage may be the single best thing that has happened in my son's life thus far, and I'm excited to see what's next.