For sure your story is what everyone likes to hear: Steemit is a job and everyone can easily earn a huge income if s/he can write. Is that true, or is it how we like to see it?
The truth? Many still don't earn enough to buy a week's food within one year no matter what they write. If it comes to me I will never earn enough to live from, and the Steem I bought isn't even worth 50% of it's value meaning: my investment was a waste of money. I would have earned more if I had invested (buy-sell) crypto on the market or... left in a jar on Wise where I receive interest.

Last year I hoped to buy a present at the end of the year for my children from Steem, and that never happened.

I wish that the stories about Steemit being a job would end, since as long as there's no guarantee and people aren't willing to comment, reply and engage and upvote another there's a huge problem.

You, me, we, everyone cannot expect that those who invested and worked very hard for years keep upvoting everyone with nothing in return. And this is the case on platforms like these. Let's keep in mind that decentralised means no one runs the store and you are thrown on your own and you should engage to find people willing to give you an upvote.

That being said: I am really happy you managed to have a sum of Steem to pay your wedding and your child.

May I ask what you would have done if you had never received the upvotes? Would you not get married? Do you know who gave them? Do you upvote back?

I wish you all the best, thanks for inviting but contests like these I don't join.
Blessings to you.