November 30th, 2018

You are Where You are & it is Perfect

I just handed in my final paper. I am graduating in December with my Associates of Arts Degree, 24 years later. I went to college when I was 18 and I have been going on and off for 24 years. My college path and my career path have taken many twists and turns. I can look back and laugh, beginning with wanting to go to medical school, when my high school grades wouldn’t even get me into an Iowa state school and I got a 0.7 my first semester at Kansas University, don’t ask. I was young and had different passions then, which I should have @ 18 compared to 42.

My first career as an Administrative Assistant for a Staffing Agency and then an Executive Assistant at a start up company in Denver, Colorado was earning me more money than my friends who had their bachelor's degrees, teachers, law librarians, friends working in marketing and advertising, and lots of different jobs.  In my 20's the idea of becoming a teacher crossed my mind, so I took a few more classes, then stopped.  I realized I Loved my job, I could support myself and I was Happy and that is what matters most in Life. I lived for fresh powder days to head up I-70 to the mountains to ski and happy hours with my girlfriends. I only drank Bud Light Bottles, no cans, no drafts, nothing else, if I couldn’t have a Bud Light in a Bottle, I would prefer water, my friends still give me sh-- about it today. I lived for watching my boyfriend’s band, P-nuckle, play, and hanging out with him, my friends and my 2 cats as much as I could.

In my 20's, I wanted to get married to the man of my dreams, I wanted the fairy tale, and I still do.  At the time, I thought I had found my Forever.  After I got married, I didn’t need to work and my husband at the time thought the home ran better if I didn’t work.  I loved my career as an event planner at 8 minute dating because that is how me met and I was passionate about him and passionate about the company. We moved a lot for his career, and I was passionate about finding and decorating our dream homes.  I became a Realtor and helped other people find their dream homes. I loved working with buyers and watching couples find their dream home in the mountains, watching their faces, when they found the one.  My husband and I  traveled a lot and I learned a lot from being in other countries and seeing other cultures, the stuff that can only be experienced, the good stuff, drinking every kind of drink and eating every kind of food under the sun.

In my 30’s, I wanted to become a mom through adoption or have my own children. I was passionate about raising and helping children who needed homes.  I became a nanny and a foster care parent.  I moved to Cleveland and all of my becoming a mom dreams came true when I adopted Bezu and had my son Denver. My main passion became being the best mom I can be to them.  I chose to get divorced when Denver was 6 weeks old.  It was and is the toughest decision I have ever had to make in my life and I have doubted myself a million times in the last 8 years, but I know in my heart it was the right decision and that we will all be ok.  I am a very blessed and lucky mom.  After the divorce, the idea of becoming a teacher came up again, because I wanted to be home with my kids as much as possible.  Fortunately, I was financially blessed and able to spend a lot of time with them when they were younger.  I would welcome more children of my own if that is where life takes me, but I came to the realization that I do not want to work with children.  I wanted to make a difference in the world and still do.  I wanted to help people when they needed it the most.  Over the last 8 years, I tried nursing school twice, took a lot of classes.  Again, I can look back and laugh about it, because sick people, blood, veins, needles, the responsibility, all of it, freaks me out.  I have a lot of funny stories and my friends and family give me crap all of the time. I worked at Lululemon for 2 years and it was not for me.

My passions in my 40‘s are being the best mom I can be, Yoga, traveling, and writing. 24 years later, I still love fresh powder days, live music and an occasional Bud Light Bottle.  I am not sure where my college and career path will go next, but I know I am where I am and it is Perfect and You are where You are and It is Perfect. The road is never ending. We are students of Life and it doesn’t matter what degree or credentials we have at the end.  Follow Your Dreams! Live the Life of your Dreams! Don’t let anyone or anything stop You!