At a lunch with several women, one of them shared this.

“I went the the Singles Ward (where her husband is a Bishop), and the girls were talking about their dreams and hopes for the future. They were expressing hopes for love, marriage, kids, some wanted to stay home, others wanted to keep working. but all of them wanted a family.”

She then paused.

“And I realized, I AM LIVING THE DREAM!” I’m doing what I hoped to do. I got married, I got kids. I got my family!”

But, but,

it’s so messy! And loud! And I live in the car for three hours day! And the smells, and fights, and chaos!

Some days I feel so overwhelmed at it all. I don’t always feel like this is what I signed up for! How did I get here? Is this even where I want to be?!

Kids were hard when they were all tiny, but back then all I had to do was keep them alive. Now, they’re all huge and I’ve got to somehow help them become capable and strong adults. I don’t remember signing up for that part.

But I’m trying to remember a day 25 years ago, in a singles ward at BYU, where I’m sure I sat in a Relief Society Class and hoped for love, marriage, kids.

I am living the dream. And it’s a hot mess. But I still love it (at a solid 80%).