Life does not go as planned. There. I said it. Very rarely do we get that white picket fence, two kids where the son is a baseball star and the daughter is Homecoming queen, Fido sleeping peacefully in front of a roaring fire, a garage door opening to the organized wall of yard tools next to the shiny mini-van, and a husband walking in holding the newspaper greeting you with a kiss on the cheek.

When I was 10, my friends and I had plans of how we would decorate our houses, while living in close proximity, with children around the same ages. Our biggest concern was whether we would want open floor plans with the front door near the corner of the house or in the middle. (FYI – I’m now not a fan of open floor plans, they’re too noisy for me.)

When I was in my early teens, I wanted to be a psychologist, since I was good at listening to other peoples problems. Somewhere along the way, I realized that if I couldn’t solve my own problems, how would I solve others?

Around 16 or 17, I then day dreamed about working in a high rise building with a corner view, amidst all of the hustle and bustle. Doing what? I have no clue, because at that age, I still didn’t know myself.

Shortly after that, I wanted to be a Physical Therapist since the idea of working with Rodeo Cowboys appealed to my teenage boy crazy side. What I didn’t know then is that there is a lot of science involved, which has never been my strong suit.

Then life happened… I married, had a child, moved across the country thanks to the military, divorced, had another child, and experienced life.

I have experienced more in my life than most would ever care to. I have been knocked down too many times to count. But, do you know what that means? I have gotten back up each time. Sometimes, slower than others, but I have always gotten back up. Each time has made me a bit more resilient and I have taken a lesson from those struggles.

It is during those struggles that I have tried my best to keep an open mind on where my journey is headed, for sometimes I have no clue what the end game could possibly be. I have had to learn to trust in God and know that He has me on a path for a specific purpose. Although I may not know the reason, my steps may not be for my pleasure, but to be there for someone else in their time of need.

You see, with all of the good and bad that I have experienced in life, I am able to tell people that they will get through their hard times. It is tough to lose friends, family, jobs, anything that you depend on. But, I am living proof that you will make it through any of those life altering situations. Maybe that is why God has allowed me to go through what I have, to share my story with others along the way… To encourage hope, to offer guidance, to give them confidence to get back up. And since I have lived these struggles, do you really think I am going to be the one to judge you? No. I empathize because I know that God can throw a heck of a curve ball.

I can tell you one thing I always wanted to be when I grew up… A journalist. And look at me now with my own blog! I am not one that is followed by many, but I have found a way to put my experiences in to written form and to share some of what I have learned in life. For that, I am thankful. Because to be honest, white picket fences are really hard to mow around.