Dream Jobs

If you ask a small child what they want to be when they grow up, you're likely to get some slightly outlandish answers. Astronaut, President, archeologist, baseball player, chef....these are all typical answers. I can only remember four things I said I wanted to be when I grew up: doctor (pediatrician), teacher, wife, and mother. Now, my Mom might remember other aspirations from when I was younger, but these are the only four answers I can remember giving to the favorite question. I held onto the dream of being a pediatrician until I was in middle school when I learned just how much schooling was required. I  knew that my main goal was to be a mother and going to school for a gazillion years and working ridiculous hours wouldn't work so well with raising a posse of little tykes. So I switched to wanting to be a teacher. Specifically, I wanted to be a special education teacher. Growing up, I had a very good friend with cerebral palsy. I loved to play with her and help her in school. I wasn't interested in doing my own work because I wanted to help Brooke first. I loved doing hand-over-hand to help her with her assignments. I thought her switchboard was the coolest thing to help her make choices and answer questions. Then my cousin was diagnosed with autism when I was in middle school. Even though we didn't live close, I enjoyed spending summers with my grandparents and helping with his therapy. In high school, I read an article in our local paper about a young family who had recently moved to the area. Their daughter has cerebral palsy and they were looking for volunteers to help with therapy in their home. I was excited to get to know this family and help with her therapy. From the first time I met her, she reminded me of Brooke. Her parents were also homeschooling her and I was able to help with some of her schooling. These three experiences combined led me to the desire to be a special education teacher.

Now, at the age of 25, I have been able to experience two of my dreams. In 2008, I was blessed to become a wife to a wonderful man. Being a wife has been the greatest joy and blessing. I know I don't always do my job well, but the Lord is merciful and my husband is patient. In 2009, I was blessed to teach for one year in a great school with an amazing group of kids. That year changed my life in many ways and helped prepare me for where I am today. There are days when I long to get back into teaching, but mainly just to teach that same class again. I know this isn't possible and life moves on, but I still think about my students every single day.

Being a pediatrician is no longer a dream of mine, but being a mother still is. We hope and pray the Lord would bless us in that way. Until then, I enjoy making a list of "dream jobs" I would like to have. Most of these I would like to experience for just one day, but others are a little more serious. Here's my current list:

• Small business owner -own a craft, vintage, home decor type business
• Author - I've often considered writing about dating, caregiving, the challenges of being a young Christian in such a worldly society
• Photographer
• Clothing Designer - specifically modest clothing for women and young girls
• Chef/Caterer
• Doula
• Operate a Christian pregnancy care center
• Bat girl for the St. Louis Cardinals :)

What are some of your "dream jobs?"