When I graduated high school, I thought I had my life all figured out. i was going to go to Eastern Michigan University to become a teacher. Since teaching jobs, at that time, in Michigan were over saturated, I had grand plans of moving to a place in desperate need of teachers. At that time it was Arizona. I figured once I graduated college, I would meet a guy, get married and live happily ever after and have 2.5 kids (which…I never quite understood how a .5 kid worked, but that was what I was having). Fortunately for me, that is not how things worked out. Life interrupted.
About a month after starting college (at Eastern…that part did happen), I met a guy at work. I had no intentions of dating a guy from work. I had worked at this place since I was 15 years old…I didn’t want a guy making it awkward. However, he was very persistent. Always walking me out to my car when I got off after dark and always asking me out on dates. I said no for the longest time until one day i looked at him and said, “if I go on a date with you, will you stop asking me?” Little did I know, I would fall completely head over heels for this guy. Life interrupted.
10 months into our relationship, we got engaged. Quite a few people thought it was rather sudden. A mistaken even, but we knew it was the right thing for us. Neither one of us could imagine spending the rest of our lives with anyone else. About a year or so after we got married, and right before I was going to start my student teaching, I got pregnant. I finished my student teacher and graduated college one month before my son was born.
Life Interrupted
After he was born, and as I anticipated, teaching positions were just not happening in Michigan. There were TOOOOOO many teachers graduating at the same time. So I did a lot of long term subbing. I also decided to go back to school to get a Masters in Early Childhood Education. But again, life had other plans for me and I got pregnant with my daughter. Since she made me sick the entire pregnancy, and the smell of dry erase markers sent me running from the room, I finished those classes and didn’t sign up for another semester. Again, life interrupted.
I had my life completely planned out at 18 years old and guess what, not a single thing happened the way I had planned. Sure I got married and had kids (still waiting on that .5 kid…maybe my cat qualifies for that part???), but other than that, it’s nothing like I imagined. I am not longer teaching or have a desire to teach; we still live in Michigan and that guy I went out with just to get him to leave me be, ended up becoming my husband and we’ve been married for 14 years and you know what, I wouldn’t change anything. So while I still have my pipe dream of becoming a published author one day and writing a book or a series that is as popular as the Alex Cross novels by James Patterson and becoming the breadwinner of the family, I am here to tell you that it is OK to have dreams and it is OK to plan your life out, but be prepared for things to jump in your path that completely sends you in a different direction. Everything always has a way of working themselves out in the end.
Leah, you are an amazing woman and I think your life wasnt interrupted, it just turned out the way it was supposed to. Its not a pipedream to be a writer…you are one every day.
trisha
Aw thanks! I do not mean “life interrupted” as a negative thing at all!! And like you said, my life turned out, differently than I planned, but the way it was supposed to turn out! To me, Life Interrupted means all the little (and big, sometimes) things we have happen in our life that changes the course of things. It could be something as small as a package we ordered not showing up when we need it (or showing up early) or as big as a move, baby, etc!
My life did not go as I planned it when I was 18 either. But you can still become a published writer 🙂
I’m working on the published writer thing daily! I definitely WILL, one day, see my name on a book in Barnes and Noble!
My life did not turn out the way I thought either! So different from what I thought it would be, but SO much more fulfilling!!! I love my sweet, little family 🙂 You have a beautiful family too!
Thank you Kim!! We took that family picture this past weekend at a family wedding in Pennsylvania!
Sometimes life happens just as it should. I was going to be a teacher too. I ended up as a banker….I can’t wait to read your book. Whenever you get to writing it.
How wonderful to hear your story and how you have embraced changes along the way.
Isn’t it funny how we plan things and they work out in a completely different way!? I’m so glad you flexed where you needed to so your life could be what it was meant to be! 🙂
You have a beautiful family and you all look so happy!!!! Life interrupted is wonderful isn’t it?
I’m laughing at that 2.5 kids thing :). I was supposed to have 3 kids – yep, I’ve got an “only”! It’s so interesting how life turns out!
Wow, what a post. My life didn’t go as planned either… But it has definitely made me stronger!
What a great story! I agree, my life is nothing the way I dreamed it would be in my 16 year old mind when I had imagined it, but I love every second of it!
My life was certainly interrupted when I learned I was pregnant with my second child after one careless night with hubs, despite it taking us almost two years to conceive our first. Sometimes surprises are the absolute best things that could ever happen to us!
I believe everything happens for a reason too! 🙂
I love your story and it truly is how life works. You can have plans but sometimes you are through for a loop and your just have to adjust them plans. Thanks for sharing your story and I hope some day your pipe dreams come true.
I love your story and it truly is how life works. You can have plans but sometimes you are through for a loop and your just have to adjust them plans. Thanks for sharing your story and I hope some day your pipe dreams come true..