Challenge Wednesday #24

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for some great natural food from Steve's Originals. Giveaway ends Monday, 12 March 2012. See Details here.

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Please join me in welcoming Jen from A Drop in the Bucket for a guest post:

Last week, when she was visiting over at my blog, Tracey asked me the following:  What did you want to be when you grew up, did you follow your dream, and how are you making your dreams a reality in your current situation?

LOVE Tracey's questions.  They are always so timely.  And TRUST me, we don't plan this out... 

So, to the question.  My dream job as a child changed a bit throughout my childhood {as I am sure it does for most kids}.  I started out firmly believing that I was going to be a lawyer.  How did an introvert like me who likes to make everyone happy think that would work out?  Ha.  

Anyways...that all changed.  In fifth grade, I had an English teacher who told me I was good writer.  And I believed her.  It also started me on the road to wanting to be a writer when I grew up.  I was pretty sure journalism was my place.  

I started out writing for our elementary school newspaper in junior high {I went to a small Catholic school}.  In high school, I took zero hour {which meant starting school at 6:40 am!} my freshman and sophomore years so that I could start taking journalism class when I was a sophomore {which happened to be when and where I met my now husband...coincidence?}.  

In college I ended up going for a school that was a bit more focused on television journalism, but I still was more interested in writing and producing the news than being an anchor.  So I thought for sure I would end up producing newscasts in a small midwestern town {since with journalism, you start out small and then move to larger markets...usually}.  

But along came J#1 {my husband}, who I ran into just before my senior year in college.  He was living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.  And I fell in love.  And I moved back to my hometown.  

I found jobs that gave me a  bit of a chance to indulge my dream of being a writer, but mostly revolved around fundraising, employee orientations and promoting consumer brands. Through all of those jobs, I had people reminding me that I was a good writer, so the idea was never far from my mind.

So that's a long way to get to the 2nd part of Tracey's question, but essentially...I didn't follow my dream. 

But God's got a plan for everything right? 

If I hadn't met my husband, we wouldn't have made this most recent move overseas together.  Where I find myself as a stay at home mom, and I also finally find myself with time to write.  

So now?  Now I am following my dream.  I finished a novel in November.  I haven't touched it much since, but now that I have my dreamy office?  

Work shall commence. I have a few ideas brewing.  And I am VERY excited about them. 

I am making a few other changes too. One you may just hear about here in the future.  

The others? Cutting back on time wasters like watching t.v. and playing Angry Birds {seriously, WHY is that game so addicting?}.   That will help facilitate even more writing.  And reading...which can only help me become a better writer.  

So...Tracey, for next week,  I want to know the same thing.  What did you want to be when you grew up?  Are you doing that...or did things change and take you down a different road?