When I was 18, I made a 10-year plan. On my trusty college laptop, I created a document where I listed all the ages between 18 and 28, and I wrote what I wanted to get accomplished during that time. 
Long short story, none of that happened. Or at least, some of it happened, but nothing happened on the timetable I assigned to it.
I originally said at this point in my life I would be getting engaged and then get married around 24, then have a baby in the 25-26 age range.
Um, yeah. Y’all see how that worked out, right?
But I think life has turned out alright for me. Even though I didn’t think this is what my life would look like at 23, I’m loving it. I enjoy it. What’s more – I can’t imagine life any other way.
So while my plans might have included, “Become associate editor at Essence magazine by 27″ or “Start saving to buy a house at 24,” ultimately, it’s all good. My life is sweet either way.
Did you plan how you wanted your life to look? Did you have to change those plans when you got pregnant? Discuss in the comments!
Oh yeah. I had a plan. I was gonna become an investigative reporter and travel all around the world exposing crooks and changing lives. Then meet a good man, get married and start a family… and then I woke up, lol. Lets just say, investigative reporter is looking more like new media consultant or something like that and the world travel will take place once baby and no longer baby, and as for the good man and marriage, I have lost all hope =).
Funny thing is, you never know what life will bring you if you stay in the game. Hard thing to do when “the plan” suddenly changes, but you know what they say, “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side”. Like you, I couldn’t see my life any other way.
@ Ms. Bar B – Someone told me once, “Yeah, the grass is greener on the other side, but they’ve got a hell of a water bill.” LOL. I like looking at it like that. I, for me, think your story is amazing and as soon as I’m able, I’m going to produce your life story as a movie. None of this Lifetime weekend stuff either – I’m talking big screen, nationwide!
I think I’ve been remarkably lucky in that I didn’t have a life plan. Guess I was just too lazy to make one?
On the flip side, I had unrealistic dreams. Marriage is more gritty and less romance than I thought it would be. Pregnancy is more uncomfortable and less beautiful than I thought it would be. That sort of stuff. My husband and I were standing in Target the other day. We’re expecting our first in a few weeks and we’ve been trying to pick up odds and ends we’ll need but didn’t register for over time so that the blow is lessened a bit. So we’re standing there and I pointed out that I wouldn’t want our lives to be any different. I love our house and our life together and I’m looking forward to motherhood…but I always thought it would be easier to have a baby, that we wouldn’t put aside pennies to buy a carseat and the like.
Guess life doesn’t always turn out how you think it will, life plan or not. But even so, for me at least, the reality has been much better than all my frou-frou daydreams =)
@ Sarah – I love it when people aren’t afraid to voice their fears and surprises about motherhood. Facing the unexpected is what makes motherhood, well, motherhood. You will be a great mom and no, things won’t be easy, but they’ll be great.
Thanks for stopping by! I’m trying to get back in the habit of replying to every comment but you guys write such thought provoking ones!
I am really enjoying your blog entries. I started off reading black and married with kids and I’m equally enjoying the young mommy life. Any who, I certainly can’t say that I had set goals for myself at age 18, but at the same time I never would have imagined that I would have married at 19 and had my first child by 20, but that’s the way it happened. I am very happy to say though that when I looked back at a journal I was keeping during undergrad, where I had listed some future goals for myself, after I had received my bachelor’s degree I had completed everything on my list including having another baby (she was born 2 months after graduation) and I was thrilled. Since then I try to make a habit of keeping my goals written down..some way some way they have been getting accomplished. I recently completed my master’s degree while maintaining a marriage and a 10 and 5 year old..it was difficult but I made. So for me, the bottom line is even if you are detoured get back on track and never loose sight of your goals, even if they take a little longer than expected, because when it’s all said and done nothing compares to personal success and satisfaction. I wouldn’t have had my life any other way..detours and delays included.
@Inspired – I love it when my BMWK.com readers come through! Welcome! Yes, you are right – it is important to stay on track even after detours. Sometimes the very thing you perceive as a detour is actually a stepping stone…