20 Questions

Well, not exactly twenty.  More like two.

I've finally compiled my answers to the questions you asked, and made a couple of self-discoveries.  First, I am incredibly long-winded.  You probably already knew this to be true.  My apologies for the last year.  

Second, some of the questions stand on their own as a complete story, so I will be sharing them later this week or at a later date.  The two questions I am addressing here both tackle the future of my family, a concept so daunting that I think it best to get it out of the way now so that I can get some sleep tonight.


What do you think the boys' lives will look like in twenty years?

Much thanks to fellow mom-blogger Shawna for this question and for the nightmares I had all weekend after contemplating my answer.  Let's set the scene a bit, shall we?

In 2032, Joel and I will be 49 and 48, respectively, and if they way our lives have been going is any indication of the future, I'm guessing we will have sold off all of our possessions slowly via Craigslist and will live a modest life from the confines of our motorhome.  Joel will spend the days fishing and organizing his closet of plaid flannel shirts and beer t-shirts while I knit pillows and throw blankets with the likeness of our Airstream.  One can only dream.

But where will Graham and Cael be?  In 2032, Graham will be 22 and fresh out of college.  Since he is too young now to display an aptitude for any particular occupation, I have no idea what he'll do with his professional life.  But I hope he chooses a career that allows him to interact with people a lot, because, despite some angst-ridden outbursts as of late that I am choosing to attribute to age and not temperament, I think he will maintain a certain gentleness that Cael must have traded in earlier in life.  I hope he got something good for it, like an extra doughnut or a kiss from one of the girls at preschool. 

I need to face the fact that one preschool kiss may lead to many more for Cael.  I think he will always have a winning smile, and the tumbling blonde curls and blue eyes may make him popular with the ladies.  They will probably make me go gray.   

But in 2032, Cael will be 24, and sadly, I won't be able to control his every move.  Even so, I expect that he will complete college.  Whether he manages such an accomplishment in four years rather than a decade of perpetual beer-logged study is up to him.  Being that he has already displayed adrenaline-junkie behaviors, it wouldn't shock me if he wound up chasing criminals down the street.   Please, God, don't let him be one of the criminals.


Once your kids are in school full time, will you still be a stay-at-home-mom?

To be honest, I haven't worked out the answer to that question.  When Cael and Graham are in school all day, it would be in the best interest of my family for me to get a job and contribute something other than casseroles and sarcastic blog posts.  But, if I hope to avoid a future in which I only visit my children behind iron bars, I think it would be smart for me to maintain a presence at home as well.


What I would like most is to turn one of my interests/marginal skills into some sort of in-home career.  But what?  As much as I would love it, I don't see my little piece of internet real estate generating enough income to keep me out of the office and in the kitchen.  Even though I do have a lovely ad bar on the right of the page, the $27 I've netted in a year is not likely to keep those casseroles on the table.  I used to have a somewhat successful side business making chocolates and other gourmet desserts, which I would be happy to revive.

I also enjoy making custom digital card and invitations, and both options would allow me to work from home, vacuum on demand, and keep the blog going until people are tired of hearing me speak.

I'm depending on that $27.  Don't let me down now.  :)