It’s been a week of preschool graduation and reflecting on careers.

On Monday, Maxim graduated from Share and Care preschool.  And, it was just a perfect ceremony.  They sang songs for us, we saw a great slide show, and then…watched as these little people walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.  Oh, I was proud.  How could this little boy be finishing preschool?  Time is just going. way. too. fast.

I truthfully don’t think it’s quite hit me yet because the tears and emotions haven’t been flowing.  I think I’m in denial.  But that’s okay, I guess, because at least I don’t look like a clown with mascara running down my face.

So, the preschool teachers asked the kids THE question.  What do you want to be when you grow up?  And this is what Maxim said…

Maxim’s big dreams

(Isn’t he just the cutest??!!?!!)

I was surprised, considering that he doesn’t care to go to the dentist.  But that’s great!  A dentist.  He’ll be a gentle dentle dentist.  I did ask him again, just to clarify…”What do you want to be when you grow up?”  And last night, he had a few more careers to add to his list of dreams (I love it.  Just like his mother.  One dream is never enough.), “A knife cutter.  A farmer.  Oh, and a dentist.”  So, there you have it folks.  You can be farming a field with a toothache, when Maxim the farmer dentist comes with his knife cutter to check on your teeth.  Big dreams.  I love them.

And for the record.  I asked big brother this question, too.  Nate confidently said, “I want to be an NFL football player when I grow up.”  This is great.  We’ll have both of our sons supporting us as we retire.  I love it.  He does have some of the fastest feet I’ve seen on a football field, so I’m going with “You’ve got a shot, Nater.”  See his talent below in the picture.  It’s almost blurry from the amazing speed.

Touchdown!

All of this planning for the future had me reflecting on what I said I wanted to be when I grew up, back at the ripe age of 5 or 9 years old.  Because I’m just so fickle, my dreams changed often.  Here were just a few things I wanted to be when I grew up.

A grocery store clerk.  I can’t tell you how many times I would take canned goods and boxes of food out of Grandma Helen & Grandpa Caleb’s cupboards, only to ‘ring them up’, sack them, walk around the house and back into the kitchen, to put them neatly back in the cupboard on the shelf.  Oh, I could type in those prices like no other on that little calculator with the roll of paper printing out the numbers.

A teacher.  I loved having my cousins (or stuffed animals and dolls) sit on the floor as I would teach to them, read stories to them, and boss them around.  It was so fun to use old grade school books and check the papers.  Who knew that this would be my career for 17 years?  (I’m currently taking a year off to stay home with our boys, but teaching has been wonderful.)

A major league baseball player’s wife.  Yes.  I can own that one.  In 4th and 5th grade, we went to the Iowa Oaks baseball games (now known as the Iowa Cubs) A LOT.  And, those ball players…oh, I had a crush on one of them.  Then, when he went to the major leagues to play for the Yankees, but still kept in touch with us, I thought it only seemed fitting to want to grow up to be a ball player’s wife.

A singer.  My brother and I used to sing some serious Def Leppard like NO OTHER.  We were in 5th and 6th grade when we would belt out “Photograph” or “Foolin'” with our curtain rod microphones and pillow drum sets.  We were BOSS.  I’m sure Mom thought we were out of our mind, but we could put on one good concert, I tell you.

Clearly, not all of my aspirations came true.  Because Def Leppard has not called me yet.  And Jay left the Yankees, went to the Braves and found a wife there.  Anyway, marrying a 5th grader would have been slightly wrong.  And, I never did get to be a grocery store clerk entering in all manner of food item prices on a big ol’ cash register.  So, tell us…what were your dreams?  What did you want to grow up to be?