What do you want to be when you grow up?

This is the question that every child from the ages of 5 to 17 are asked at least once a week.(Well some people are probably in their 30's still being asked that, but that's a whole different monster...I mean blog!) Growing up I know I had more than one answer for that question and it probably changed every week. One thing that I never actually said I wanted to be was a mother. Sure I wanted to eventually get married and eventually have kids but not at the young age of 20, which is when I got married. I wanted to be so many things throughout the years. Some examples are: Doctor, Nurse, Teacher, Missionary, and I'm sure at one time I even wanted to be a circus clown(come on now, what kid doesn't?). But one thing I never thought I would be so early was mommy. (Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my life. I am so happy that I am married to the most amazing man in the world! Without him, I would be completely lost. I love my beautiful babies, they are more fun and a lot prettier than a barrel full of monkeys! And without them, I would also be lost! ) Yesterday, when I was pretending to be Dr. Mommy, MD trying to give a baby gorilla some cough syrup, the question " What do you want to be when you grow up?" entered my mind. Then I thought of the things I wanted to accomplish and the things I said I wanted to be when I became a "grown-up". And I realized that even though I didn't have an actual degree in any of the things I wanted to be(sadly, I never made it to clown college) I was very much each and every one of those things. Here let me give you some examples. When I was about 12 or 13, I wanted to be a doctor. Little did I know at the age of12 that I would in fact be a doctor. At least twice a week, I am cleaning up a terrible boo-boo, that probably needs staples and a massive bandage.(OK, so maybe it just needs a band aid and a mommy kiss....I bet real doctors don't do that!) I also wanted to be a nurse, which was the major I had actually decided on upon leaving high school. Well everyday I take care of three kids who, always need some one to love them and hug them and take care of the occasional bump on the knee or black eye.(Because they refuse to be good patients and listen to their nurse, I mean mommy, and climb and jump on things they shouldn't!) I also wanted to be a teacher. Well being a mommy is all about teaching! The kids have to learn their ABC's,123's, their colors, their names, address, telephone number, etc., etc.,etc. This teaching job is never ending. They will always be learning, if you allow them to. I must say I love being a teacher! I also wanted to be a missionary. Well hello Mrs. Fowler, welcome to the mission field! I may not be in a third world country, but I am in a three year old's world!(Trust me that can be just as hard!) The bible says in Proverbs 22:6, to train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it. As parents, we are to teach children the values of life. We are to teach them to love as Jesus loves. We are to teach them the promises of God's word. We should teach them to give as Jesus gives and to put others before ourselves. As Christian parents, we are in the mission field everyday. There are so many other jobs that I have including: professional cleaner, hairdresser, chef, laundry service, nanny, dragon slayer, robot builder, daycare service to all things baby doll, toy repairman, (crayon)artist, play-doh builder, and yes even head circus clown. This year I will be 27, and since I'm "grown up" now, I realize that I am everything I've ever wanted to be, and that is mommy! JFowler