When I Grow Up

If you ask my kids what they want to be when they grow up, you will get an assortment of answers. One has wanted to be a missionary or perhaps a teacher, maybe a pastry chef. One is convinced he is going to start his own landscaping business. One wants to work in a robot factory (owned by his friend) and design trucks and eventually start his own business making robots and trucks. We have an aspiring ballerina (today at least). And one wants to be a monkey.

As a kid, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, aside from a very short stint as an aspiring country singer or police officer, I spent my entire childhood, adolescence and young adult years planning to be a teacher when I grew up. Now here I am, wondering not what I'll be when I grow up, but rather when I will be a grown up.

I remember when I was young there was a show on television called "ThirtySomething". I never watched it, my dad and I both thought it sounded rather ridiculous. I couldn't fathom what the point could possibly be. So? A bunch of people who are "thirty something", what's the point. I'm still not sure what the show was about, but now I think I'm understanding the term at least.

As a child, I planned my life until 25. After that, well, I didn't think about after that. Now I'm after that. My life is nothing like it was at 25, and for that I am thankful. Yet, I still am not sure about this elusive "grown up" that I remember thinking so much about, planning so long for. I don't feel like a grown up. Sure, I'm a mom with 6 kids. I own a house or two. I've had a real job. My husband goes to work and comes home every day. Yet, I am not sure I'm quite ready to be considered a grown up.

My husband began considering a possible job change. My first thought was, "Uh, that's a grown up job. We aren't ready for that!" Now, mind you, my husband has a nice job now doing IT work; I'm not disparaging my husband or his work, but we both realize that the possible change would be grown up stuff.

Recently, we met with a gentleman to drill us a new well. This man is my age. What business does he have drilling wells? That's grown up stuff!

Then, out of the blue, my dad calls and asks me to do his taxes. Does that make me a grown up?

All of this really begs the question "Is there really such a thing as this elusive term 'grown up'?"

So, dear reader, tell me what does "grown up" mean to you and what do you want to do/be when you grow up?