Former meth addict Heidi Lund, who has turned her life around through the House of Hope, regained custody of her children, ages 1 and 3, just two weeks ago. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune)

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Heidi Lund hadn't planned on a life change -- even after racking up 11 felonies in six months to support her drug habit.

That didn't come until after an ambulance hauled away her baby, who had eaten meth, and after the court warned that if she didn't sober up, she would lose her two children for good.

That was five months ago. Lund hasn't used since.

The change didn't come behind bars -- the 25-year-old Kearns woman concedes she often got high the day she was released. It came in the House of Hope, a residential treatment center that teaches addicted mothers how to lead drug-free lives.

She tackled her emotions. She confided in other moms. She separated herself from people who might push her back into drugs. And she regained her self-esteem.

Without the program, Lund says, "I would have never got sober."

Lund won back custody of her children this month. From within the House of Hope's Salt Lake City treatment center, she tears up.

"My kids deserve this," she says. "I deserve this."

Jeremiah Stettler