Ten Years

Tonight I was thinking about what people ask you when you are planning for the future. Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?? Then I thought, what was I doing ten years ago?? What changes have happened in ten years?? Here's some of the stuff I remember from 1997.
Ten years ago I was a student (again). I was working toward my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I lived in Coffeyville, Kansas and commuted to Bartlesville, OK to attend Bartlesville Wesleyan College (they've changed in 10 years, too. Now they're Oklahoma Wesleyan University). I lived with my parents and my miniature schnauzer, Heidi. My nephew, the first grand baby in my family was born. I bought him lots of cute baby clothes at Kmart where I was working part-time in the apparel department. I had check-ups every 3-6 months to make sure I didn't have any recurrence of my cancer. My brother and his family lived in Indiana. I didn't know anyone in Washington state and had never considered living anywhere that was very far from Kansas.
Ten years later, I am a teacher, not exactly the way I planned to teach. I did get my degree and my teaching certificate. At one point I was certified to teach in three different states! I'm homeschooling my son. I did teach preschool when I was pregnant with my son. I taught summer school for the Olympia School district (the only job I've ever gotten without even interviewing. I didn't even know I had the job until a teacher of an autistic child called to talk to me about having him in one of my classes. I had pneumonia at the time and pretty much told her she didn't know what she was talking about. She was right, I had been hired, they just forgot to tell ME). I also substitute taught in a vast array of classroom for a few years.
I now live in Washington state with my husband and my son and an Airedale named Lucy. Well, to be honest, I'm pretty sure her full name now is Lucy Goose and sometimes I refer to her as 'The Goose'.
My brother lives in Kansas again and his family consists of himself, his wife, his son, two daughters and two doggies. He was recently diagnosed with Meniere's disease, which can effect your hearing and equilibrium. Hopefully, his low-sodium diet will help get it under control.
So much has changed in the past 10 years that I don't think the 26 yr. old me would have ever believed it if someone had told her what the future would hold. I have met so many new people in ten years, it's incredible. I've said good-bye to a couple that I wished I could have kept around longer, Colin's grandma and mine. I'm just so happy that they both were able to meet my child. I've wept with friends over lost babies and rejoiced over the ones who arrived here safely. Babies are such a miracle. I know it's a cliche, but it's true. This amazing little person with tiny hands and feet, so helpless. I remember when Ian was born, I was so sick from that pregnancy. Colin's mom helped me quite a bit the first week. Then came the day she had to go to work. I remember thinking, what are people doing, leaving me alone with this baby?? What if I do something wrong? Shouldn't someone be here just in case? I think that was my mommy awakening, that moment when you realize, you're in charge of what is going to happen with this tiny person. God blessed you with this baby, now what am I going to do with this blessing??? Yeah, I'm not sure 26 yr. old me would recognize 36 yr. old me. How about you? Where were you ten years ago?? Have things changed for you? Have you laughed, grown, changed and lived life to it's fullest? I hope so.