Blog Challenge Day 9: Future

So, I am impressing myself with my commitment to keeping up this blog challenge.

Anyway, I think this is a little redundant to the "Where I'd Like to be in Ten Years" topic but since I can't come up with something more creative, I'll just go with this one but focus on the longer, longer term.

One of my favorite songs is Alan Jackson's "Remember When." Actually I'm pretty sure it is my favorite. I always think of this song when I think of how I'd like my future to look. Starting in the far future and moving backwards, I hope and pray that Jared and I get to see each other turn gray, retire, and enjoy a whole new season of life that is hopefully full of grandchildren and adventures. I'm hoping I can shed my practical, homebody mantle and enjoy some traveling with my husband. I hope we have made wise choices that afford us the opportunity to enjoy our older years without too many financial worries.

I often pray for my children's future spouses. I like to imagine what they are doing and how they are being shaped and molded to become what I hope is the perfect complement to my kids. To that end, I hope my children find someone to love and share life with. Marriage, for me, has been one of the hardest but most rewarding experiences. I simply can't imagine doing this alone. I know this may sound far-reaching and silly at this point in Charlie's life but every time we've been told of this health challenge or that and more recently, that Charlie's feeding tube is probably a permanent fixture in his life, I worry that it will be stumbling block in his dating life. I know...he's not even two and I have more complicated and pressing matters to worry about but...I'm being honest when I say this has crossed my mind more than once.

I have a wonderful relationship with my parents and my siblings (and in-laws as well!). I hope I can cultivate the same love for family in my children and teach them to rely on each other. I hope I have a deep and meaningful friendship with my kids as they become adults.

I secretly hope I have a "second career"--maybe as a nurse? I love what I do but I also can see myself being fulfilled in a different line of work.

I hope we have a house that people love to come to...that are lives are rich with family and friends and an open door. I really love Portland, more than I expected to, and so I do see us here for the long term but I hope we find that perfect neighborhood. I grew up in a little town that was completely walkable...it was safe, I walked to school, everyone knew each other (that's a little bit of an exaggeration but not much) and it had such personality and charm (and apparently, the second best beach in the country). I really hope we can find a town with a similar feel. Oh--and I would LOVE to have a vacation home, ideally on a lake or at the coast.