Thursday Morning Mom – Eva McKinney from Little Rock, Arkansas
Nominated by her daughter, Samantha Butler
Dear Tom,
I’m 18 years old and I’ve been listening to your show since I was a little girl.
My mom was a single parent and education has always been important to her. Last month, after 15 years, she graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock with a degree in professional and technical writing with a minor in management.
She would take early morning classes, go to night school and take weekend courses. Sometimes, she would sit out a semester and work a part-time job – in addition to her full-time job – so she could save up for more classes. It wasn’t easy but she did it and it inspires me to do well in school.
When I was 12, she married my stepdad and they had my little brother evan, who is 5 years old. In her spare time, she mentors teens in Big Brothers Big Sisters, she runs the nursery & youth ministry at our church, and she volunteers at an adult literacy program.
I have always been proud and honored to have her as my mother. She is strong, smart, beautiful and blessed. She hasn’t taken a vacation in a long time and I think after all of her hard work, she deserves some time away.
