Have you achieved your dreams?

[bisous]

The "lucky" thread got me thinking. What are your dreams? Have you achieved them?

Some of the answers in the lucky thread were really inspiring. People who are doing really well now that got to this point by carefully planning and saving. I really do admire that.

I would say that I have not really achieved all my dreams. My family is now "here". I've always wanted 4 kids and I have them. There are aspects of my life that are perfectly dreamy. Our family is very happy even though life is hardly perfect and feel overwhelmed and crazy sometimes.

On the other hand, while we live comfortably enough but we are NOT financially comfortable to my mind. DH and I are both 38 and we wonder if we'll ever even own a home let alone a dream home. That was always my fondest dream. I confess that sometimes I feel guilty to have a dream. Sometimes I'm afraid to have one because I'm afraid I'll never reach it.

What about you?

I think I just got inspired to try again while reading that thread!

[wifecat]

Our current one - yes. And the next time - I'm far less afraid to dream again, and to leap for it.

We have two kids, are pregnant with our third (this does NOT feel like living the dream and I'm once again in a high risk pregnancy, but I'm hoping and planning for everything to work out), live in the place we've always wanted to live, tremendous mountains to climb, have an amazing community of homeschoolers to raise our kids with (a community that I built because when I moved here I didn't find the kind of community I wanted), dh has a good and solid (if not terribly creative) job...

I'm excited to see what our next dream is and to see how long it takes for us to take the leap. We have friends who are setting out to sail the world. They sold their house here a year ago, are living in an apartment, and their lease is up in two months. Then they're off to a coast to buy a boat and spend a year doing small sailing trips and working before heading off to the big seas. It's been amazing to watch them dreamchase.

[bisous]

Our current one - yes. And the next time - I'm far less afraid to dream again, and to leap for it.

We have two kids, are pregnant with our third (this does NOT feel like living the dream and I'm once again in a high risk pregnancy, but I'm hoping and planning for everything to work out), live in the place we've always wanted to live, tremendous mountains to climb, have an amazing community of homeschoolers to raise our kids with (a community that I built because when I moved here I didn't find the kind of community I wanted), dh has a good and solid (if not terribly creative) job...

I'm excited to see what our next dream is and to see how long it takes for us to take the leap. We have friends who are setting out to sail the world. They sold their house here a year ago, are living in an apartment, and their lease is up in two months. Then they're off to a coast to buy a boat and spend a year doing small sailing trips and working before heading off to the big seas. It's been amazing to watch them dreamchase.

Awesome! I'm seriously going to talk to DH. :)

[melrose7]

For the most part- yes. My dream was to have a family. All I wanted when I was a kid was to be able to have kids. I have 3 and even though my life isn't what I imagined (with 1 special needs child) I have an amazing husband who loves me more than anything and 3 wonderful kids. I did imagine myself not working and staying home to raise my kids. I do in the sense that I am home but I run a daycare in my home to be able to stay home so my days of helping out at school and such don't happen as much as I has originally thought.

[snowbunnies300]

The simple answer is no.

I dreamed of having a successful job working in the very glamorous field of law. It was not glamorous and I was glad to leave it to be a stay at home mom.

I dreamed of being a mom and doing all of the fun and exciting mom “things” with my children. I was going to do mommy and me classes, there would be t-ball and soccer and swimming lessons. There would be day camps, hiking, boating, playing at the park and sleep overs. Instead I have logged countless hours in waiting rooms at doctor offices and therapy centers. My children do not have the gross motor skills to do most of the things I dreamed of doing.

I dreamed of hearing “I love you mommy”. I have only heard that phrase from DS2 and only when prompted by his dad. DS1 and DS3 are non-verbal.

I never dreamed I would have three autistic children.

I never dreamed I would be potty training a 10, 8 and 6 year old all at the same time.

I never dreamed I would be so sad at the end of every school year because my child was not invited to one birthday party all year long.

No I have not realized MY dreams. But my dreams were nothing compared to the life I am living.

I could never dream that going to a poker party thrown by a co-worker at a law firm would 4 years later lead me to meet my husband.

I could never dream of all the wonderful people and their families I have met in all of those waiting rooms. Wonderful, beautiful, soulful people. People who lifted me up when I couldn’t do it on my own.

I could never dream that I of all people would be considered by others to have more patience than anyone else they have ever met. Patience was not a virtue I held prior to motherhood.

My life isn’t what I dreamt. I have met people I would have never met if it wasn’t for autism touching my life. I have a deeper understanding of the suffering of others. I have learned to not be so judgmental of others. I am a better person than I could have ever dreamt I could be. And I know that my sons love me without hearing the words. A mother’s heart hears things, sees things and feels things that no one else can.

[crayonblue]

The simple answer is no.

I dreamed of having a successful job working in the very glamorous field of law. It was not glamorous and I was glad to leave it to be a stay at home mom.

I dreamed of being a mom and doing all of the fun and exciting mom “things” with my children. I was going to do mommy and me classes, there would be t-ball and soccer and swimming lessons. There would be day camps, hiking, boating, playing at the park and sleep overs. Instead I have logged countless hours in waiting rooms at doctor offices and therapy centers. My children do not have the gross motor skills to do most of the things I dreamed of doing.

I dreamed of hearing “I love you mommy”. I have only heard that phrase from DS2 and only when prompted by his dad. DS1 and DS3 are non-verbal.

I never dreamed I would have three autistic children.

I never dreamed I would be potty training a 10, 8 and 6 year old all at the same time.

I never dreamed I would be so sad at the end of every school year because my child was not invited to one birthday party all year long.

No I have not realized MY dreams. But my dreams were nothing compared to the life I am living.

I could never dream that going to a poker party thrown by a co-worker at a law firm would 4 years later lead me to meet my husband.

I could never dream of all the wonderful people and their families I have met in all of those waiting rooms. Wonderful, beautiful, soulful people. People who lifted me up when I couldn’t do it on my own.

I could never dream that I of all people would be considered by others to have more patience than anyone else they have ever met. Patience was not a virtue I held prior to motherhood.

My life isn’t what I dreamt. I have met people I would have never met if it wasn’t for autism touching my life. I have a deeper understanding of the suffering of others. I have learned to not be so judgmental of others. I am a better person than I could have ever dreamt I could be. And I know that my sons love me without hearing the words. A mother’s heart hears things, sees things and feels things that no one else can.

Snowbunnies300, you brought me to tears.

[crayonblue]

I always thought I would have a huge family, like 8 kids. I never dreamed I would have two miscarriages and then bury a 4 year old. But, I've got my two girls who keep me hopping and make me smile every single day. And I have a truly wonderful husband. I didn't even know what to dream for a happy marriage since I did not witness one. I got even better than I could have ever imagined. If my girls find a husband as great as DH, they are truly blessed.

And like snowbunnies, the trials of life have introduced me to some wonderful people. I never would have met them or even understand an ounce of their pain without going through what we went through.

As I sit here I guess I can say YES I have achieved my dreams and far, far exceeded them.

[BDKmom]

The simple answer is no.

I dreamed of having a successful job working in the very glamorous field of law. It was not glamorous and I was glad to leave it to be a stay at home mom.

I dreamed of being a mom and doing all of the fun and exciting mom “things” with my children. I was going to do mommy and me classes, there would be t-ball and soccer and swimming lessons. There would be day camps, hiking, boating, playing at the park and sleep overs. Instead I have logged countless hours in waiting rooms at doctor offices and therapy centers. My children do not have the gross motor skills to do most of the things I dreamed of doing.

I dreamed of hearing “I love you mommy”. I have only heard that phrase from DS2 and only when prompted by his dad. DS1 and DS3 are non-verbal.

I never dreamed I would have three autistic children.

I never dreamed I would be potty training a 10, 8 and 6 year old all at the same time.

I never dreamed I would be so sad at the end of every school year because my child was not invited to one birthday party all year long.

No I have not realized MY dreams. But my dreams were nothing compared to the life I am living.

I could never dream that going to a poker party thrown by a co-worker at a law firm would 4 years later lead me to meet my husband.

I could never dream of all the wonderful people and their families I have met in all of those waiting rooms. Wonderful, beautiful, soulful people. People who lifted me up when I couldn’t do it on my own.

I could never dream that I of all people would be considered by others to have more patience than anyone else they have ever met. Patience was not a virtue I held prior to motherhood.

My life isn’t what I dreamt. I have met people I would have never met if it wasn’t for autism touching my life. I have a deeper understanding of the suffering of others. I have learned to not be so judgmental of others. I am a better person than I could have ever dreamt I could be. And I know that my sons love me without hearing the words. A mother’s heart hears things, sees things and feels things that no one else can.

This is beautiful. Thank you.

[anonomom]

I feel pretty superficial posting this given other posters' experiences, but here goes.

All my life, I only every had one dream. I decided when I was 7 that I was going to be a lawyer, and I achieved that at 24. For the first few years, it was amazing and I think I will always love practicing law (though I've been out for 8 years now). But when I was around 28, I remember thinking to myself "now what?"

Never, not once in my whole life, did I ever dream of having a family. It simply didn't enter my mind except for random rebellious thoughts when I was a kid: "When I have children, I will NEVER [do whatever my mom was doing at the time]" If you'd told me at 10 or 15 or even 20 that at 38 I'd be a SAHM with three kids, living happily below the mason-dixon line, I'd have thought you were nuts. But I met DH when I was 20 and knew shortly thereafter he was the person I"d spend my life with. Everything else has kind of fallen into place. My life now is literally beyond anything I ever dreamed, but I'm pretty happy with it.

[trcy]

My 'dream' was to be a SAH mom with 3 children and to own a modest, but nice home. My reality is I am a working mom with one child and renting. It will be many years before we can buy and I don't know if we will have a number two DC. DH's employment has always been unstable and the majority of my paycheck goes toward daycare and insurance. We have recently hit a really rough spot financially, so that has me kind of down. I know things can always be worse and I try to look at the bright side. I have a 'dream' DD & DH :)

[specialp]

Oh, of course not. It would be so sad to me to be in my 30s and not have any goals or dreams left!

Goals, dreams, ambitions change as life happens and your priorities change so I can’t think of one big one that has been a constant my whole life. I knew what career I wanted by middle school and did achieve that. I never dreamed of being married and having children. It just wasn’t on my radar. Then I met DH and honestly didn’t have enough imagination to dream up someone that was such a good fit. I’m not talking about “he is so dreamy and perfect”, but just completely different than men I grew up around. Then of course that led me to sort of wanting children to (when it didn't happen right away) thinking I would just die if I didn’t. I did not end up with as many kids as I would have liked. Then the kids lead you to truly wanting to do things you never imagined you would care about. I think it is a good thing that they evolve as you do.

[Pennylane]

Yes, I have. My dream was to get married, have children, and be a SAHM. It has been way better than I could have ever imagined when I was younger. Perfect, no but my DH and I have been very fortunate . My only dream now is to stay healthy and live long enough to watch my children turn into adults and hopefully have grandchildren to enjoy one day.

Makes me feel a little lame that I don't have bigger dreams but this is what makes me happy!

Ann

[hellokitty]

I feel like I have reached parts of my dream. I wanted to get married and I am, to a wonderful guy. I wanted to have kids and I have three healthy and vibrant children. DH and I have a stable and happy marriage (this may sound like a given, but my parents and his parents do not have good marriages, so as a little girl, I always knew that I would want to make sure that I married someone who wasn't going to be selfish. We have a house, dog and two cars. The american dream. The only thing that I haven't met in terms of dreams/goals is I wish we lived in a better area. However, I've come to the conclusion that we are probably stuck here, at least for a few more yrs and we just need to make the best of it. In terms of my career, that has probably been what I have been most unhappy about regarding dreams. Ultimately, I am someone who wanted to do something to make a change and help ppl. My original profession, technically does that, but it was one where *I* felt unappreciated and burned out. So, it's been something I've thought a lot about. I just got offer a job and will be returning to work after 10 yrs of being a sahm. This new job is actually one that I think will help fulfill part of my dream. The biggest thing is that, I am getting my foot in the door and hope to continue to move up within the organization, which would be a goal of mine, and along the way I will probably also pursue at least my graduate degree (100% tuition reimbursement is a benefit, so I would be a fool not to take advantage of this), which is something that I had always wanted to do, but did not get around to, before having kids. So, in terms of my career, I think that I am finally headed in the right direction. It's a little bit later than I had hoped for, but I also feel that it's given me time to really think about what I want, b/c my goals have changed quite a bit after becoming a mom. It's definitely not a field that is high powered or makes lots of $, but I am very lucky that since my dh has a career that makes a good living, that it allows me the chance to pursue a career that doesn't pay as well, BUT is something that I think I would enjoy doing and makes me feel like I am making a difference.

[mikala]

Snowbunnies300, you brought me to tears.

I'm crying too. That was beautiful.

[boolady]

I feel like I have reached parts of my dream. I wanted to get married and I am, to a wonderful guy. I wanted to have kids and I have three healthy and vibrant children. DH and I have a stable and happy marriage (this may sound like a given, but my parents and his parents do not have good marriages, so as a little girl, I always knew that I would want to make sure that I married someone who wasn't going to be selfish. We have a house, dog and two cars. The american dream. The only thing that I haven't met in terms of dreams/goals is I wish we lived in a better area. However, I've come to the conclusion that we are probably stuck here, at least for a few more yrs and we just need to make the best of it. In terms of my career, that has probably been what I have been most unhappy about regarding dreams. Ultimately, I am someone who wanted to do something to make a change and help ppl. My original profession, technically does that, but it was one where *I* felt unappreciated and burned out. So, it's been something I've thought a lot about. I just got offer a job and will be returning to work after 10 yrs of being a sahm. This new job is actually one that I think will help fulfill part of my dream. The biggest thing is that, I am getting my foot in the door and hope to continue to move up within the organization, which would be a goal of mine, and along the way I will probably also pursue at least my graduate degree (100% tuition reimbursement is a benefit, so I would be a fool not to take advantage of this), which is something that I had always wanted to do, but did not get around to, before having kids. So, in terms of my career, I think that I am finally headed in the right direction. It's a little bit later than I had hoped for, but I also feel that it's given me time to really think about what I want, b/c my goals have changed quite a bit after becoming a mom. It's definitely not a field that is high powered or makes lots of $, but I am very lucky that since my dh has a career that makes a good living, that it allows me the chance to pursue a career that doesn't pay as well, BUT is something that I think I would enjoy doing and makes me feel like I am making a difference.

Congratulations, hellokitty! How exciting!

[lizzywednesday]

Well, I haven't become a gymnast (what I wanted to be when I was 6), or a paleontologist (what I'd wanted to be from ages 8 to 10), or gone to medical school to be a pediatrician (ages 10 to 14 - I nearly failed HS biology, despite being up to the material), or a political speechwriter (an idea I'd toyed with during my late teens and early 20's), and I decided against attending law school (a friend suggested it after I scored very well on a practice LSAT given by Kaplan or Princeton Review, but after working on law school textbooks over the course of a mostly uneventful post-college life, and despite the encouragement of a now-retired Circuit Court Judge, I decided against it.)

But ... one of the things I've realized as I get older, and sometimes less cynical, is that dreams change depending on where you've been in your life.

I've had an interesting journey so far, and expect no less than interesting things.

I never dreamed I'd want children, for example, but I changed my mind and now we have DD.

I never really dreamed of owning my own home until we decided to have children - I wanted a backyard and some dirt to dig in. (I have a backyard, where I've been known to send DD when I just need to get stuff done, and flower beds that, despite looking really sad and overgrown right now, are going to be my best therapy when things are rough.)

Maybe it depends on how you define "dreams" - mine changed, but so did my priorities.

And, well, maybe it's time to start dreaming again.

[Dream]

The simple answer is no.

I dreamed of having a successful job working in the very glamorous field of law. It was not glamorous and I was glad to leave it to be a stay at home mom.

I dreamed of being a mom and doing all of the fun and exciting mom “things” with my children. I was going to do mommy and me classes, there would be t-ball and soccer and swimming lessons. There would be day camps, hiking, boating, playing at the park and sleep overs. Instead I have logged countless hours in waiting rooms at doctor offices and therapy centers. My children do not have the gross motor skills to do most of the things I dreamed of doing.

I dreamed of hearing “I love you mommy”. I have only heard that phrase from DS2 and only when prompted by his dad. DS1 and DS3 are non-verbal.

I never dreamed I would have three autistic children.

I never dreamed I would be potty training a 10, 8 and 6 year old all at the same time.

I never dreamed I would be so sad at the end of every school year because my child was not invited to one birthday party all year long.

No I have not realized MY dreams. But my dreams were nothing compared to the life I am living.

I could never dream that going to a poker party thrown by a co-worker at a law firm would 4 years later lead me to meet my husband.

I could never dream of all the wonderful people and their families I have met in all of those waiting rooms. Wonderful, beautiful, soulful people. People who lifted me up when I couldn’t do it on my own.

I could never dream that I of all people would be considered by others to have more patience than anyone else they have ever met. Patience was not a virtue I held prior to motherhood.

My life isn’t what I dreamt. I have met people I would have never met if it wasn’t for autism touching my life. I have a deeper understanding of the suffering of others. I have learned to not be so judgmental of others. I am a better person than I could have ever dreamt I could be. And I know that my sons love me without hearing the words. A mother’s heart hears things, sees things and feels things that no one else can.

Your post made me realized I should be happier living my life and be more grateful.

No I didn't achieve my dream.

I completed my undergrad studies in UK and came to USA I was working but unhappy at my job so I went back to school for a MS in Accounting, graduated with a job offer from one of the Big4 accounting firms and I thought my dream came true. But due to my immigration status I couldn't start on the start date. A week after the start date my green card was approved, but they didn't re-consider, this was in the heist of the 2008 economy crises. Then I became pregnant and we started a family, 6 years later, after 2 kids I'm still at my first job, a job I hate/hated for the last 12 years. Its making me miserable but it brings in money and gives me ample flexibility to take care of all my kids needs. So I'm blessed in lot of things except my career and this has been bringing me down more than I care to admit. My kids are not the easiest to deal with, specially older DD and drains any energy I have left when I leave work. I sit down to start applying for accounting job and it makes me feel I'll never get a job since every job requires at least 2 years of accounting experience which I don't have.

[StantonHyde]

Snowbunnies300, you brought me to tears.

A big YEAH THAT!!

[mommylamb]

Before I answer the question, just sending :hug: to snowbonnies300.


As far as achieving my dreams, I guess I didn't have very specific dreams/goals as a kid. Or rather they shifted around a fair bit. I often changed my mind about what kind of job I wanted to have when I grew up. As it is, on paper, my job certainly fits into what my dreams were at different times in my life, but I often feel like I haven't been able to achieve anywhere near what I would have wanted in my field. And my professional life is constantly being balanced with my home life needs, so it is always difficult.

As far as my family goes, I do feel like I have achieved my dreams for the most part. DH and I have a really wonderful marriage and partnership. I am very lucky. I always wanted to have 2 children, and I have 2 children. Though, I always wanted a girl to name after my grandmother who passed away when I was 16, and I have boys. However, I am so happy with my two boys now, in a way that I could never have imagined when I was dreaming about some day having a daughter. Wouldn't trade them for anything.

Before I started grad school, I had this fantasy that I would meet the man I was going to marry when I was there. I had this all planned out in my head. He was Scottish (I love Scottish accents and I was kind of obsessed with Trainspotting at the time, though the man of my dreams was not a drug addict, LOL) And I even had picked a first name picked out for this fantasy guy. Anyway, I met DH while I was there, and while he's not from Scotland, he is from Northern England and he has a pretty cool accent. And his middle name is the name of my fantasy guy. So, pretty close to a dream come true.

[Tenasparkl]

Snowbunnies300, you brought me to tears.

Me too!

[wencit]

Yes, I have. My dream was to get married, have children, and be a SAHM. It has been way better than I could have ever imagined when I was younger. Perfect, no but my DH and I have been very fortunate . My only dream now is to stay healthy and live long enough to watch my children turn into adults and hopefully have grandchildren to enjoy one day.

Makes me feel a little lame that I don't have bigger dreams but this is what makes me happy! :yeahthat: Exactly, word for word.

And big :hug: to snowbunnies.

[Binkandabee]

Hugs to you snowbunnies300....I've not faced challenges like that with my children, but I have faced some significant medical challenges personally and I TRULY understand what it is like to be appreciative of the people that come into life during those very dark and difficult times and the lessons that are learned through all of it.

That said, I have absolutely not achieved my dreams. Life has kicked me down so many times over the last 10 years that it's hard to even imagine what life was like before all of the struggles I've had to face. I truly feel like my golden years are already behind me and I'm not even 40 yet. I'm currently looking for a job and hope that when/if I find one it is the starting point of things turning around for us. I just have to be patient in finding it, and that's extremely difficult for me. I'm capable of so much more than what I'm doing professionally right now it's depressing.

[Philly Mom]

Snowbunnies300, you also brought me to tears.

As for the question at hand, I have new dreams all the time. I love my husband and my kids. I am not sure I ever thought I could love or like my kids so much. They are truly wonderful and fun (well the baby is only 6 months). I have found that dreams, once achieved, aren't always what you wanted them to be and things that were never imagined replace them. So, I always wanted to be a lawyer. I am one. I wish I had not had such a singular focus as I don't love litigation (what I spend 75+% of my time doing, it was less before I went on maternity leave). I enjoy problem solving but hate fighting. I like all of my clients. I keep asking myself what I want to be when I grow up. I don't have an answer right now. DH and I keep talking about moving to southern Florida. My parents are snow birds so we would move near them. Right now we are 2 hours away from them for 6 months of the year and 3 hour flight the other 6 months. We love the sunshine and want to be able to be outside more. We also want a slower paced life with more time with our kids. Who knows if we can make it happen but we will keep talking about it.

FWIW, my current dream is to win the lottery, spend the winter in Florida, and the summers split between Maine and England. Somehow, I think it is unlikely that this dream will come true. For starters, I haven't played the lottery since my 18th birthday.

[Giantbear]

nope, still can't fly :superhero:

[Giantbear]

need to start reading replies before i respond.

Snowbunnies300, i want to bottle your attitude and sell it, good for you an keeping a positive outlook and perspective on life. I have always maintained that happiness comes from within and you embody that.

That being said, i still want to fly :superhero:

[lkoala]

Snowbunnies300, your incredibly moving response reminded me of something I read a long time ago. Erma Bombeck (http://www.downsyn.com/bombeck.php).

I am very grateful for the life I have. I think my dreams have changed as I've grown older. I would love a bigger house, more time at home with my child, time for hobbies, etc... but I enjoy a semi-flexible job, have health insurance and now that my little one is older, I can sleep in on saturdays :)

[Gena]

Yes and no.

As a kid, my biggest dream was to one day meet my birthparents (I was adopted as an infant). I dreamt of getting the opportunity to see them face to face, to really understand te earliest part of my life story. I was able to meet my birthmother, and it was an amazing experience. However, my birthfather passed away before I even knew his name.

The other thing I always wanted was to have kids. I wanted a big family with lots of adventures and activities.




I could never dream of all the wonderful people and their families I have met in all of those waiting rooms. Wonderful, beautiful, soulful people. People who lifted me up when I couldn’t do it on my own.

I could never dream that I of all people would be considered by others to have more patience than anyone else they have ever met. Patience was not a virtue I held prior to motherhood.

My life isn’t what I dreamt. I have met people I would have never met if it wasn’t for autism touching my life. I have a deeper understanding of the suffering of others. I have learned to not be so judgmental of others. I am a better person than I could have ever dreamt I could be.

snowbunnies, this is so beautifully written. And you have so eloquently expressed what a lot of parents of special needs kids feel.

I had not drempt of having a child with multiple disabilities, including autism, vision impairment, and a chromosome disorder. I have met amazing people on this journey - doctors, teachers, therapists, other parents, and especially extraordinary children and adults with a variety of challenges and strengths. And I am so grateful to have met these people. But more than that, my child has taught me more than I ever dreamed. He has taught me what real integrity - trueness of self - looks like. He has taught me how to find joy in small accomplishments and everyday events. He has taught me what true sight is. He has taught me what simple faith is. He has taught me real love - with no grudges, no pretense, no conditions. He is so much more than I had ever drempt.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

first of snowbunnies300, wow, that was one of the most moving posts i've ever read on this forum!!

and to answer the question, well yes, in some sense. I married my soulmate and best friend. I have a son and daughter who are healthy and (for the most part) are inseparable and are so loving to each other. We have a huge house in a good neighborhood. I have a job I really love at a great company. Ok typing this out I realize it sounds so braggy but I think most people know from my past posts that there were a good 2 years that were extremely difficult for me..i think being a SAHM to 2 kids so close in age nearly broke me. Now that the kids are 3 and 4, and I work full-time I feel like I can finally breathe and actually enjoy being a mom, and it's awesome.

Though as PP said, being in our mid 30s, there are still lots of things we want to do. DH is starting a business. I am only just getting started in my career and hoping to get a promotion next year. We are looking to save up to buy a new house and move closer to the city. As the kids get older we want to be able to travel with them. I guess I really am liking the kids getting older and being old enough to appreciate things.

[TxCat]

Snowbunnies300 - :hug:. Thank you so much for writing that.

[musicalgrl]

Thank you for your post, and big hugs to you, snowbunnies300. You have an amazing way with words that moved me to tears as well.

[ZeeBaby]

Snowbonnies, I wish I could share your attitude with so many in my life. The ability to accept and show happiness in a situation is something that many cannot accept.

I am a lawyer, I am married and I have two beautiful children. Overall I am happy and feel that I have so much to be thankful for, but I feel like I have so much more to accomplish. I joined a run group and I am hoping to run at least a 1/2 marathon in the next few years. I am trying to get promoted at work. I am trying to do things to focus on myself as I truly believe I am the source of my own happiness and dream making.