I am really writing this blog for my daughter, Maddie. It's true you can be whatever you want when you grow up, but first and foremost follow the Lord because he has placed desires in your heart for a reason. Many well-meaning people will offer useless and actually harmful advice but you are the one who makes the decision. It took me a very long time to realize this. Once I came across a quote that had a profound impact on me: “You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as
it is for your lovers … If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t
settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find
it.” - Steve Jobs As long as I could remember, I wanted to be a mom. In grade school, we had to draw pictures of "what we wanted to be when we grew up". I wanted to draw a busy mom but I felt that was an inadequate response for the assignment. Sometime early in life we all learned, you can have it all. Be the mom but also do (insert whatever job will pay for your lifestyle). Eventually I gravitated toward nursing because if you are a caring person who loves people, you should be a nurse. Plus it had good job security. Anyways, only while having a child in the middle of nursing school did I stumble across my real passion again. It was there all along, buried under years of ideas and other peoples dreams. I enjoyed being a mom, in fact it was like I was made for it. Litterly, my hips are made to carry children. I am not saying everyone should be a mom, in fact I am more aware than ever that some people should not. The one thing I happen to love and find much joy in is something you do not need a degree to do. Disturbingly, you do not need any certification at all which is why so many people take for granted that you get the task to raise another human being.
After my second pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, I wondered if I should just continue my education and not have another baby until we are in the "ideal" place. You know, degrees all done, house, blah blah blah. Then a couple from out of town came to visit our church and prophesied over me. Keep in mind, she did not know, I just had a miscarriage. Her words to me were "The Lord will give you the desires of your heart, the wait will not be long, be expectant." I was surprised by her words especially "be expectant". This confirmed something in me. I do not have to have every one's approval. I always heard growing up, "you want how many kids? oh just wait till you have one and you will change your mind." At what point did wanting to be a mom become such a bad choice. I am having the time of my life doing this and honestly I could not picture myself doing anything else. Why did I spend so much time fulfilling other peoples dreams and deferring mine. I was raised as a only child, so being that I spent my childhood around adults, I am going to spend my adulthood around children. Maddie, find a passion and go after it, never looking back to wander what others are thinking. Live your life, because as another favorite quote says "life does not have a dress rehearsal, this is it." In final words, Maddie-you can change the world, you already did mine. love ya-mom
