After high school, I had dreams of becoming an interior designer. I loved the idea of creating beautiful spaces, but I quickly realized that rural America didn’t offer many opportunities in that field. More importantly, I knew I didn’t want to raise children in a big city, so I had to rethink my path.
Instead of pursuing that dream, I chose family. In just five years, I became a mother to four wonderful children. It was a whirlwind of diapers, sleepless nights, and endless love. But as much as I loved being a mother, I also knew I needed a way to support myself if I was ever left on my own. That’s when I decided to go back to school.
After my fourth child was born, I enrolled in college and earned a business management and accounting degree. It wasn’t easy. Juggling schoolwork with raising four children was exhausting, and the cost of daycare made working outside the home even more difficult. But I kept telling myself it would be worth it in the end.
And it was. My degree gave me the opportunity to help earn income for our family while also allowing me some flexibility to be present for my children as they grew. But like any working parent, I had to make sacrifices. there were times I felt stretched too thin, moments I questioned whether I was doing enough. Because with children, if you want to be present there are always sacrifices to me made.
A lot of people ask me if I would do it differently–if I regret having my children so close in age. My answer is always no. I wanted my children to grow up close, and I always said I wanted to have all my children before I was 25. I also wanted to be a young grandma, and now I cherish having the energy and endurance to keep up with my grandchildren and be a big part of their lives.
God had a plan in all of this. As you follow my journey, you will see how often doors have closed for me–only for others to open in ways I never expected. Time and again I have seen God make a way, even when I didn’t understand. Life rarely follows the path we first imagine, but sometimes the detours lead us exactly where we’re meant to be.
