My First 30 Years

When I graduated high school, I had big plans: I was going to be a big time journalist in a major city. My goal was to be very good at something that was very important. I really had no thoughts about marrying or having children in my 20s because I just wanted to focus on my career.

Today, on my 30th birthday, I've been thinking about those plans I had. At first glance, I have completely failed. I'm not a big time journalist. In fact I am unemployed. I don't live in a cute flat in New York City. Instead I have toys strewn all over my living room in Kentucky.

But I don't feel like I have failed in the least. I still write, but now it's recording memories of my children's lives on this blog and encouraging other moms a Spina Bifida message board. And, hey, I was recently published in Exceptional Families Ky with my story about Nate.

I may not be employed, but I think I have one of the hardest jobs on earth! Being a stay at home mom requires constantly putting yourself second and ungrateful little balls of energy first. It means the heavy responsibility of shaping little lives and preparing them for their own futures. Add some special needs into that, and over time I've become a medical doctor, physical therapist, and activity director.

I don't live in Chicago, New York, or L.A., but I love living in Louisville because my husband has a good job here, and my son has every opportunity for therapies he could ever need, and we have a church that we adore, and in a short time we have formed deep, wonderful friendships. Just this week, I was again in total awe of God's intricate plan to bring us here for so many good, life-changing opportunities.

When I thought I wanted to be very good at something that was very important ... I was thinking too small with the journalism thing. God had WAY bigger plans for me than I ever could have dreamed up. He gave me such an amazing, important responsibility with this family of mine. I don't think I'm always very good at it, but with his help I'm making progress all the time.

If someone would have offered me this life when I was 18, I probably would have passed on it for the opportunity at career accomplishments. But I was an idiot. There are no accomplishments greater than these:

Thanks, God.