I never expected my life to shift twice within a single hour. On a late October morning in Austin, Texas, I stood in my kitchen with trembling hands, staring down at a lottery ticket while my four-year-old son, Noah, sat at the table coloring dinosaurs. I checked the numbers again and again, refreshing the results online until there was no denying it. Fifty million dollars. Even after taxes, it was enough to change everything.

I laughed, I cried, and I pulled Noah into a hug so tight he let out a surprised squeal.

My mind didn’t jump to big houses or vacations or escape. It went straight to my husband, Mark. I wanted to tell him face to face, to watch his expression when I said the words out loud. Continue reading…