What Did You Want to Be When You Grew Up?

I always wanted to be a 9-1-1 dispatcher......when I was younger we watched the show "Rescue 9-1-1" a lot......

I always wanted to be a full time mommy! I got my wish at the ripe old age of 39 after being married 12 years!! I was sooo happy to finally have my precious son!

i wanted to be an accountant. Ever since I can remember. Thats what I grew up to be. So I guess it stuck with me. :)

Entomologist and a Ninja.

In chronological order: missionary, astronaut, oceanographer, famous author, chick riding around on a dogsled all day, random employee at Disneyworld, turtle. That's very strange, typing it out. Regress much???
In highschool: a foreign correspondant, photographer for National Geographic, fixer of all the world's problems with my infinite teenage wisdom.

Architect. MAN, how I wanted to be an architect. Maybe that's why I loved remodeling my home, knocking down walls, rebuilding them, changing the layout. Maybe that's why I'm in the process of buying another crappy fixer upper with potential to mold into my dream house. Maybe that's why I still love going to model homes, looking at floorplans...why I have a massive pad of grid paper with all sorts of floorplans drawn on them....maybe I should've pursued that dream...maybe I still can...

An explorer.

I wanted to go into uncharted areas, and understand the people, map the land, have adventures, meet allies. My childhood home was built on top of a hill overlooking the valley, in the middle of acres of alfalfa, oak and star thistle. I would take our dogs and explore the fields, wage battles, tend wounds, participate in local (all made up) ceremonies, build forts, and "cook" food and potions.

I also wanted to be a dragon tamer and a good wizard.

I did a lot of exploration before I had children. I got to travel my own country, and other lands. I was able to sit in and observe "the Other". I got to be the Other. I got to see how we are all connected. And it's not us vs. them. Rather, it's context, systems, and spectrum, and threads. And, I saw and participated in a lot of sadness and trauma.

I searched for meaning in philosophy, religion, travel, relationships, self destructive choices, politics, macro economics, global sociology, art/beauty,

...and then, more recently, motherhood. The Grand Adventure.

I'm a stay at home mama. I do get to be an explorer, and an adventurer, and a wizard. My kids are wonderful dragons, and we spend a lot of the time flying/crashing through the woods. We discover tide pools, conquer our fears, paint our face, make up songs, and do battle with (foam swords or sticks).

Most important for me (right now), I get to create maps of my internal landscapes, which is thrilling, and sad, and hard, and scary, and challenging. I am understanding feeling connected, and alive, and accountable. Frankly, it is the greatest exploration/adventure of my life, and in many ways, my young self's dream is taking place in an abstract and awakening way. I get to explore myself, I get to feel meaning, I get to tell the story of how I got here and what it is, and now I get to follow a path that honors myself, my children, and the world.

Soon, (waiting, waiting, waiting) I'd like to begin pre nursing school. And then, (hopefully, hopefully, hopefully), I'll get into nursing school. THEN, I'd like to bring my knowledge and experience into public health. Which should be a grand adventure as well.

So, to answer your question, I am exactly who/what I wanted to be...it just looks less Indiana Jones / Enchanted Forest than what I originally had in mind. ;-)

I wanted to be a marine biologist UNTIL I realized that I hated science and biology! ;)

a tv reporter. i thought they were so pretty and glamourous. dressed nice, with perfect hair. they got to talk to all sorts of interesting people and go to all sorts of interesting places. i really envied Hannah Storm. I thought she had the perfect job doing what I like to call "armpit interviews" She would be standing there in a pretty Donna Karan suit and here comes Michael Jordan sweating buckets right off the court, draping his arm around her neck and she's looking straight up at him in his armpit asking about the game. classic

i wanted to be a circus clown and trapeze artist

An architect. But became a mechanical engineer instead because of a guaranteed job and less hrs required for the degree since I was working my way through college.
I do free hand engraving and other artwork to satisfy that artistic bent.

Entomologist, Ichthiologist, missionary pilot, children's book writer and illustrator, used book store owner, a hermit, a monk (wrong gender and I'm Protestant), and when I started college I was interested in Geriatric medicine or being a medical examiner and eventually settled on studying (with the hope of teaching college) English literature. Now I have degree in English and work for a child care resource and referral agency. NOT what I was expecting, but it is salaried and full-time in a non-profit, I have great co-workers and work for a very family-friendly company, and am pretty content.

A dancer, an artist, or a teacher.

I wish I would have stuck with dancing. At age 30, it's too late to start up again ;) Now that my kids are no longer babies, I have been creating art again and feel like it is possible to "be an artist". I would rather die than be a teacher. I think those who can do it are amazing. I am not very good with kids, other than my own. I volunteer with my kids' school and it is very wearing on me to spend a few hours there.

I had quite a few people tell me I would be a "domestic goddess" when I grew up, and it always pissed me off! (I was a bit of a gothic gal that ran with the wild crowd). But whaddya know, I DID turn out to be pretty dang domestic! I love to cook, bake, clean (weird!), do crafts, and run the household. I guess they were right!

I wanted to be the world best ballerina. I had been dancing since I could remember.

I was amazing. I danced until my junior year in high school. Stopped due to an injury. Came back after graduating to dance in college. I dance with GRCC, Cornish and Pacific North West Ballet.

So, my dreams did some what play out.

I chose to take on a relationship and family though.

I knew that my heart needed to go another way. Another injury didnt make that choice any harder. I was not gonna come back from it.

I had a go in the fashion industry when I got injured and took some time off, in high school. I tried some modeling. Hated that. I am not the egocentric. I hated cameras. I did do some designing, Not for me.

I am now doing the coolest things I think anyone could want to do in a life time...getting to hang out with my kids and draw:) The rest will only make things better:)

a writer for National Geographic

I became a high school Social Studies teacher, but haven't done so since 2005. For now I am a SAHM, until my kiddos all go to school full time, at which time I hope to resume my teaching career.

An astronaut, olympic ice skater, fiction writer. I will never be fit enough to do the first two of those things no matter how I try. Might still try for the third..

I wanted to be a veterinarian. And I am one.

A model. But I married young and had children young and lost my model body. Oh well.

I wanted to be a lawyer....I am a buyer for an automotive import parts house LOL

I always wanted to be a lawyer.

My five year old son cracks me up- he is adamant that he wants to be Batman when he grows up.

I had two things. I wanted to be a wife and mother. I am those. But, I also wanted to volunteer with a group that went down to countries that had nothing and build wells and help with medical needs and such. That never happened. I'm still alive though so maybe it will happen in the coming years.
L.

Computer Analyst by day, Opera singer at night, and WorkOut Instructor on weekends. That was the dream. I ended becoming an IT Executive Secretary and Shakespeare tutor for 12 years. Now Stay at Home Mom, love it. But still would love to be Wonder Woman...wait a minute I already am...LOL

I wanted to be a homemaker and mother, but I didn't really think I'd marry and be able to do those things. Well, I was surprised! So I have been able to live my dream.

My alternate dream was to do something in theatre. I abandoned that direction because I concluded (and I was right) I would not be able to balance that with my family life. But now that my children are grown, I've had opportunities to do things in community theatre, which is almost more fun than is legal for any one person to have.

Writer, teacher, possibly a mother. Ooops, got my wishes! Be careful what you wish for!

Ha, ha, I didn't even read down the question list before I asked a similar question! Whoops.

I always wanted to be a news broadcaster (when I was little), but decided to get my teaching degree instead.

I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up...and guess what? I am a veterinarian! And I love every minute of it! (well, almost every minute!) :o)

A detetive or a criminal lawyer (prosecutor). Never had the money for school so it wasnt a option but if I had my dream I would be solving crimes or putting the loser who commited them away forever! My mama always said I could argue the paint off a wall so I just might have been good at it!

I wanted to be a marine biologist and train dolphins for Sea World! But I had horrible self image and didn't want anyone to see me in a wet suit. How stupid is that!?
I got my degree in Elem. Spec. Ed and a massage therapy license.
I am an Admininstrative Assistant for a gold mining company.

A Vet, a photographer, a writer and for some reason a Truck Driver.
I've actually have a photography degree and did some on the side stuff. I am currently in the market to sell my first novel. Though it's a million times harder than I thought it would be, I really loved the process. The editing has been a bear but I still love it.

I always wanted to be a SAHM and have 6 kids. I always wanted a big family. I got married, got pregnant and had my very "active" daughter and decided I only wanted 1 kid. LOL. 4 years later, surprise, I'm pregnant again. But I am a SAHM so I guess part of my dream came true.

i wanted to be a cop,criminal lawyer or a professional volleyball player....i am neither of those.

I wanted to be an Interior Designer. I used to love (even very young) the responses I'd get from adults when I said that. Now I'm a graphic/web designer...not too far off. :)

i wanted to be a pediatrician....went w/social work in undergrad, now working in that, i like it - it's my calling.
i would LOVE to be a nurse practitioner, but...i'll settle for a nurse..haven't even met THAT dream yet! but i will darnit! :)

I wanted to be a cosmetologist, a soap opera actress, work at Sea World..... LOL I'm an administrative assistant! Haha But I do really Like my boss and the small company I work for.

I wanted to be a mom. And, I'm a mom. so, I'm living my dream! :-)

A Dallas Cowboy's Cheerleader, which is really funny since I was never a cheerleader, and never even wanted to be one. Go figure . . .

I also wanted to be an archaeologist, an explorer, a National Geographic photographer, anything involving travel and adventure. :)

I grew up on a farm, and the last thing in the world I wanted to be was a farm wife. Kudos to those who are, because I know what hard work it is. The only other professions I knew about for women, back in the 70s, was teacher, nurse, or secretary - none of which appealed to me. Then one of my high school teachers introduced me to computer programming and the fact that there were jobs in that. I was convinced. Got a degree in Computer Science and a job in the Twin Cities!! Did that for about 10 years before moving into other roles that involved employee career development and staffing and recruiting.

Well, I always wanted to be a famous artist. Oh, and a model (hehehe...)

I actually went to college for fine arts and did well. But really most artists have to make their money elsewhere, in design, teaching, or selling art though galleries. I still do some art but right now I am a SAHM. I have two "works in progress" and they are my little masterpieces!

Someday when i have more time on my hands I will burrow my way back into the art world and put out more work... but for now I am just living life, raising my beautiful girls, and loving it!

-M.