Last week, Rooted photographer and reporter Cassandra Adamson brought you the story of Hope, a woman who chose homelessness to save her life. Hope made the hard decision to leave her abusive husband so she could fight drug addiction. This week, Cassandra shows you how Hope’s decision has changed her life and how coming to Austin helped her get out of the situation she was in before.

The identities of Hope and Jessica in the following story have been changed because of concern for their physical safety.

“Austin was the first city to open up to me,” Hope said. She and Jessica lived with her family for a time, but it soon became apparent that this was not a good atmosphere.

After being estranged for 20 years and having her family unable to accept her desire to change her life around, Hope became desperate to get out of her old routines. She said her family didn’t promote her drug habits, and they didn’t understand that she was strong enough to stop. They blatantly waited for her to slip as she had many times before.

“I think it’s the mindset you have,” Hope said. “I think the best thing for me was to start out at the bottom. My family had to accept that I was no longer the addict. They still saw me that way.”

That’s when she decided to leave. For months she battled addiction and homelessness while going through several programs and shelters. The first addiction program that she attended was called Austin Recovery. There, she was told to ask for letters from her family about how her addiction affected them.

“My mother’s letter was the only one I got,” she said. “My addiction affected her at age 3, even though I didn’t start drugs until I was 12.”

Her mother’s letter said that Hope’s addictive behavior was apparent at a very young age. Every choice Hope ever made had apparently caused the divide between mother and daughter. Although it was crushing to read what her mother wrote, it was also a revelation.

“My mom will never hug me and look at me and say I’m proud of you,” Hope said.

She realized that she had to do this for herself and Jessica only. She couldn’t and didn’t have to make herself well for anyone else.

“I need to prove them wrong, whether I have their acceptance or not,” she said. “I want to be more than I could expect.”

Her outlook changed in March 2010. She said the strength of the shelter made her grow. She never wants to go back to the life of drugs and loneliness she once had.

“The confidence you get when you set goals –– you don’t set goals when you’re doing drugs,” she said.

Goals were important to keep in sight. Hope went from Austin Recovery to couch surfing with a friend. She realized she still needed help, so the next stops were at the Salvation Army and the Austin Shelter for Women and Children. Finally, her application to Saint Louise House was accepted in September. The organization guarantees her an income-based apartment to rent for as long as she feels she needs to stay.

Now, Hope says her main goals are to look after Jessica and to be a disciplined mother. Jessica started having nightmares after leaving her father’s house. Hope tries to counteract the night terrors by urging Jessica to pray and immerse herself in children’s literature and television programming.

“You have to accept the things that have already happened and put out as much positive things as you can,” Hope said. “I try to fill her with good and praise until the bad stuff goes out the bottom if that’s possible.”

Hope doesn’t know if the “bad stuff” can be left behind, but she’s optimistic. The work she does with her case manager from Saint Louise House makes the chance for a new, better life even more tangible.

“I know my decision to come to Austin was right,” she said. “It was the best in my daughter’s and my situation. I don’t consider myself homeless anymore. I consider the road I traveled to get here as being homeless. I have a home now at Saint Louise House.”

Cassandra Adamson reported on and wrote this story. Becky Rother created the illustration.