Dearest Dr. Laura,

I became my kid's mom in 1997. My beloved daughter was actually born in 1996. But, the constant audio logical assault and sensical nagging of Mother Laura's voice on the radio during my commute to work FINALLY penetrated my thick skull in mid-1997.

I had put myself through college and worked very hard to obtain my dream job as a news anchor in a market near my California hometown. I served on non-profit boards and was surrounded by family and friends. Life was good. In 1993, I interviewed and later fell in love with my husband.  We had a magical yet quite traditional courtship and married in 1996.

Our daughter arrived nine months later. I took 6 weeks off work and was eager to go back. Five days a week, I drove that half-hour to work and listened to you chastising women like ME. I rolled my eyes, and most likely cursed at you many times. After several months, I could no longer stand the guilt: I knew you were right. With my income not making a dent at home and a sweet nanny bonding with MY baby, I left my job. People asked what made me leave my wonderful career. I'd reply, "Dr. Laura."

For the next 15 years, I led a fascinating albeit challenging life. It was as normal as could be. Admittedly, I had help at times. But, I was proud to be a devoted stay-home mother who also took great pride in being my husband's girlfriend in every way.

Unfortunately, our marriage went into a 'stall' then crashed with an abrupt ending. I'm a pragmatist, but the process of divorce is much more painful than I imagined. Bizarre twists and turns you'd only see in a bad "Lifetime Network" movie have punctuated much of the last year. It sucks. My life is pretty simple now. Today, I made my first batch of homemade granola and ravioli from scratch for my daughter. I took my Pug puppy for a walk and cleaned house. I wrote a thank-you card to one of the many people who have helped me through this. And I listened to you, as I do again daily. Through it all, the triumphs and the mistakes, the most important thing in my life reigns as true today as it did 17 years ago: I AM MY KID'S MOM. It is with great melancholy that I relish EVERY MOMENT OF THESE LAST MONTHS THAT SHE LIVES AT HOME BEFORE GOING TO COLLEGE.

Thank you for helping me 'see the light', which led me to experience the ABSOLUTE most important things in life. Thank you for laying out the harsh reality that I made mistakes in my marriage. Thank you for showing me that dating is a selection process, a means to an end, no matter how old you are. Thanks for giving me hope that right now, I am doing the right thing.

Dina