Day 21: What Does My Future Hold?

So, yesterday, I shared some of my memories from my childhood.  I flashed you back to the 80's and 90's with some of my stories, which was fitting for the spirit day I was having at work:  80's Flashback Day.

Today, I get the chance to gaze in to my crystal ball and think about what I think my life will be like 5 and 10 years from now.  Unfortunately, this doesn't go with the spirit day I'm having today...which is to dress up like our favorite artists.  I'm going as Adele.  Because I love her music, I can sing her music, and because she's the only..urm... "heavier" singer that fits that category.

But, that's not what today is about.  I have to concentrate... because my future telling is a little rusty.  Here I go gazing in to my crystal ball....it's coming to me... coming....

Five years from now, I will be 36 years old.  That I do know.  It will be a very busy year for me, because it will be the year that Peanut graduates from high school.  There will be proms and band trips and sporting events that I'm running here and there to.  On top of that, there will be trips to colleges, helping her fill out applications, and making sure she's taken all of the tests that she needs to take in order to get in to the college she wants to attend.

On the home front, we would have finally moved in to a nice house... one that I'm proud of and isn't falling apart.  We've been living in it for a couple of years, actually.  When I'm not working or playing soccer mom to a senior in high school, a junior in high school, and a 4th grader, I'm playing hostess mom to friends and boyfriends and girlfriends that are constantly in and out of the house.

Work is awesome, and I'm still full of passion and pride for teaching.  I've finally found my groove with my classroom, and have said goodbye to those newbie fears and frustrations.  And yes, it took almost 5 years for that to happen.  Some of my first year students still come and visit me - as they are freshmen in high school, now.  I'm happy at how well the kids have done through their school life, and they continue to strive for the best.

Hubby and I finally bit the bullet and got married.  It was a small little affair...at our new home a year or so after we moved in.  Close friends and family came to witness us say our vows, and then we spent the night partying it up and enjoying ourselves.

I was finally able to feel comfortable about getting married, because right after we moved in to our new home I rekindled my relationship with trying to lose weight - and finally succeeded!  I realized that my life was just about complete once I got out of that old house, and I started to get excited about going for walks, and then jogging, and finally started running again.  I'm by no means skinny - but I can fit in to a size 12 with ease, and I look OK in a bathing suit.  I dropped a total of 80lbs.  And that's just from eating better and being a lot more active.  No crazy diets.  We moved to an area that has sidewalks and a park close by.  I have a small little yard where I enjoy doing morning yoga on the weekends.  I even bought a bike, and Jelly and I ride our bikes to the park on the weekends.  Peanut was my personal trainer, going with me to walk and then jog and finally run.  We now enjoy doing 5K's and color runs together...and pretty soon I'll be tackling my first 10K.

OK....five more years in to the future I go...

Holy cow, I'm 41!  I'm still rocking my lighter body...and don't look too bad for 41, if I say so myself.  It's hard to believe that I've been teaching for 10 years.  Both of my older kids graduated high school and went about their lives.  Peanut will be graduating from law school next year, and Butter is driving a truck all over the country.  After high school, he wasn't really up for college and decided he wanted to go to truck driving school.  He also got certified as a truck mechanic, and makes pretty good money traveling around and fixing trucks - when he's not driving a load himself.

Peanut has settled down with a really nice guy.  She doesn't want to get married until after she graduates.  They've been dating for a few years, now, and I think he may be the one that she walks down the aisle with. Butter is dating a nice young girl.  He doesn't get to see her very often because of his traveling, but they are making it work.

Jelly is 15 and a freshman in high school.  She's crazy smart, and is involved in about every club and organization and sport there is.  She's also a social butterfly, and my house on the weekends is usually full of her friends.

Hubby and I are enjoying our house somewhat quieter, and we get to go on little vacations during the summer on our motorcycles.  Yes, I finally broke down and agreed to learn how to drive one - and bought one.  When we're not out riding, I'm running in races or going to yoga classes or doing some other fun athletic activity in my spare time.

My teaching fire still burns strong.  I considered going back to school to pursue my Masters in School Administration.  But, I made the quick decision that being out of the classroom just wasn't for me.  I spent so much of my life trying to get in to a classroom, that I just couldn't imagine life not being in one.  Each year I see a new set of faces, and my fire is rekindled.  I love staying in touch with my past students...and it's quite often I receive emails from my past students to tell me what they are up to and how they are enjoying life.

Jelly has expressed an interest in teaching...and I'm thrilled about that.  It would be amazing to have a child teaching along side me one day - either in my district, or where ever she decides to travel off to.  But, one step at a time.

Life is amazing.  I'm living it strong and enjoying every moment.  In no time I'll be a grandmother, I'm sure..and will get to enjoy having grandbabies around the house and spoiling them rotten.  But, not until Peanut finds her path as a lawyer and Butter finally settles down.

OK, crystal ball is starting to get fuzzy, which means it's time for me to get back in to today and go and get ready for work.  Let's see if I can pull off an Adele look alike.  HA!