In fifteen years, I’ll be 30 years old. I’ll be a successful journalist with a well paying job and coworkers that love me. I’ll go to work Monday through Friday from 9 to 5, just like every other respectable carpooling, suburb-living, slumber party hosting, well-rounded, pure American citizen would. I’ll have 2 beautiful children and a loving husband. I’ll come home after a long day’s work and cook dinner for my family. I’ll sit down at the table and eat a five course meal and talk about how wonderful my day was. I’ll clean everything up, take a hot shower, and kiss my children goodnight, who have already put themselves to bed. And I’ll go to sleep at night with a clean house, a full stomach, and a happy family.

Now wouldn’t all of that just be ideal?

In fifteen years, I’ll be 30 years old. I’ll have a job that I may or may not love doing something I may or may not love with coworkers and people that I may or may not love. I’ll work when I’m told to work and I’ll come home when I’m done. I’ll have 2 beautiful children and a loving husband. I’ll make dinner every night for my family and eat whatever is leftover while I clean up. I’ll take a cold shower and throw my hair up in a towel when I’m done. I’ll run after my children to put them into to bed, and after an hour of fussing, kiss them goodnight. And I’ll go to sleep at night with a messy house, a rumbling stomach, and a happy family.

Now that might be a little too much?

But what I’ve come to realize, is that whether I live a flawless life or one filled with imperfections, there is always something that is the same; the fact that I’ll have a happy family. No, not everything is going to go smoothly, but that’s the joy of life. I can’t wait to run after a little toddler with food all over him, to put him in the bath. I can’t wait to kiss my children goodnight, even if I have to fight to get them into bed. And I can’t wait to sit down at the table with my family, eat a five course meal, and talk about our amazing day. I’m ready for the good, the bad, and the ugly. With life comes struggles, but your given the chance to either face them or give up. But I’m pretty sure that whether my house is clean or dirty or my stomach is full or empty, I will always be lucky enough to have a happy family and a smile on my face.