If you've been following along, you know this challenge comes at a perfect time for me. This week, I got to announce my own dream-come-true: Swoon Romance will be publishing my Young Adult novel, TWELVE STEPS, in 2014!!
Many, many years ago, my step-grandfather cornered me one day to ask what I wanted to be when I grow up. I told him that I wanted to be a mom and a writer. And then, I had to endure a never-ending lecture all about how I was much too smart to waste my brain on being "just a mother." (And I do mean never-ending. My own amazing mother stepped in and rescued me that day, but from that day on, until my first child was born and he realized it was too late, Grandpa lectured me about how my dreams were a waste of a good brain every single time he saw me.)
But I knew that being a mother was totally not a waste. My own mom was a total rockstar. She could do anything, and she always taught me that I could too. In fact, I always believed that my super-smart brain (the one Grandpa didn't want me to waste) was a direct result of the time and energy my stay-at-home mother spent on me. And what better way to use my brain than to pass that gift on to my own children?
Achieving the first half of my dream (being a mother) was relatively easy. (Okay, to be honest, being a mom is never really easy. It's a daily roller coaster ride, emotionally, mentally and physically. And if you've read my previous blog posts, you've likely witnessed many of my ups and downs there.) But I have four amazing and beautiful children, and a super-supportive husband. When Grandpa (or anyone else) asked what I wanted to do with my life, I could point to my family and proudly announce: "I'm already living the dream!" And I totally love being Supermom.
But that was only half of the dream. I also desperately wanted to be a real, published author. The kind where people who aren't related to me might want to read my books. And there were times when I thought it might never happen. I wrote plenty of stories that were quickly abandoned as not good enough. And I wrote a few that I probably gave up on way too soon. But I kept going. Once I decided to go for the dream, I didn't stop. I didn't quit. I didn't look back (although I'll admit, I was tempted on more than one occasion).
When the offer from Swoon came a few weeks ago, my youngest daughter asked, "Mom, if I work hard like you, will my dreams come true too?"
And that was when I knew I'd truly accomplished my dream. I'm a mom. And I'm an author. And even more important: I'm a mom who, in striving to accomplish my goals, taught my daughter that hard work and determination can make dreams come true.
those were my dreams growing up as well. My mom had the same reaction as you grandfather, so that was hard, but I'm also living the dream so it doesn't matter what anyone else says.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you didn't give up! :)
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