Life Paths

Last Friday night I was talking to my best friend from high school. It was a typical Friday night for me... trying to get LL to eat her veggies, which she hates and just spits everywhere. Like EVERYWHERE. I don't understand how it can end up in my hair... Anyways. Typical Friday night. Feeding LL, keeping an eye on Miss L so she doesn't go behind the recliner and poop in her underwear and as we are in the midst of potty training hell, and Pumpkin laying around because his throat was hurting and it wasn't quite time for his next set of meds. She asked me what my plans where for the weekend... again typical things. Staying home as much as possible because of potty training and Pumpkin not feeling well, probably heading into town at some point for groceries, and M and I had a  movie night planned complete with popcorn. Her? Finishing packing to travel half way around the world to do some work with kids, climb a mountain, and visit a friend she had made when she studied abroad.

Isn't it crazy how different people's lives are? Here I am, married with 4 kids, working a full-time job, spending my "free time" grocery shopping, and she is traveling around with her boyfriend when she is on break from college. It made me think of what I might be doing if I hadn't chosen the life path that I did.

I think I would be done with school by now. Oh God I hope I would be anyways! And maybe I would live in a different town... nothing to big or crazy like New York, but maybe Las Vegas, with my sisters. Or even closer to home, but a couple hours away. Or maybe I would go crazy and be in Boston, cuz I have always wanted to go there. And I would have a cute little apartment for me and my dog. Every day on my walk to work I would stop and get a latte and sip it in silence. On the weekends when I wasn't going out with friends to clubs or concerts or sport events, I would take long, hot, bubble baths and read a good book and sip wine. I would get my nails and hair done regularly, and take time to put cute outfits together and do my makeup. My girlfriends and I would do random fun things, like speed dating, and try out new restaurants. I wouldn't be tied down or held back by anything other than my dog and job.

But then I look at my life, and the path I have chosen, and I am filled with so much love and contentment. My days may be filled with poopy diapers and off the wall kids, but they are also filled with slobbery kisses and belly laughs. I might not get to sit and relax in a hot bubble bath, but I get to watch LL get so excited at kicking and splashing in the water. And I may not get to go out with with friends on the weekend to do random exciting things, but I get to sit in the comfort of my house, cuddled up next to my loving husband.

I don't regret the life path I have chosen at all. Sure there are some things here and there that I would like to change, but I am so completely happy with where I am at and who is here with me.