What I hope to teach my kids (or youth of the world) -- WBT

-I want to teach my kids, first and foremost, to not be scared of who they are. By this, I mean, don't pretend to be someone they're not just to please someone else.

-I want to teach them that I'm their mother first, friend second, but that doesn't mean they can't come to me if they're scared/insecure/whatever.

-I want them to love a God. It could be the Christian God, or whichever God they see fit, but I think it's necessary for them to have faith and that kind of guidance in their life.

-I will teach them support. I will support them with whatever decisions they support in life, as long as it's for the greater good.

-I will teach them that we have three things in life of the upmost importance: faith, hope, and love...and the greatest of these is love. I will teach them to love with all their heart, even when it's hard...love their enemies, because hating them is so much harder and not worth the stress it ensues.

-I hope to teach them the importance of education. Growing up, it was never assumed that I'd go to college...it wasn't ever really brought up or expected. I'm not saying I'm going to push it down their throats, but I will say that I do expect them to at least give it a shot. I know that higher education isn't for everyone, and if they decide they hate it, then that's that.

I'm sure there's more that I want to teach my kids. But these were the first to come to my head. :)

unanswered questions -- WBT

Here are some things I'd like to know before I get too old and cynical to care:

1) will the world really end in 2012?
2) will men be able to someday give birth without having to change their biological parts?
3) will the world really know peace?
4) will marijuana ever be legalized?
5) will the age limit on drinking in the United States be lowered (or raised, for that matter)?
6) will passports ever be required to enter different states in the U.S?

okay, I know they're not the world's "smartest" questions or whatever...but hey, we never said there was a requirement on that :P

Stress

This week's topic is what I do to calm me down when I'm stressed, and what I do overall.

1. I try to make whatever is stressing me out go away. If it's something work related, I ask for help or slow down my pace. If it's school related, I tell myself that I'm going to be okay and everything will work out. Also, taking a time out from whatever it is sometimes helps. Doing something else for like an hour (watching a show or reading) can help calm me down.
2. Sleep is a wonderful thing. We've become great friends over the past couple years. I've been really stressed out before, but usually not enough to where I couldn't sleep. Usually.
3. Talking about the situation really helps, especially if it's a relationship related stress, and even if it's not.
4. Managing my time has helped me a lot; prioritizing, not procrastinating, etc. That way I have time for assignments and other things. :)

five in five

Okay, so it's taken me a couple days, but here are five ideal places I'd like to see myself in five years.

1. I definitely see myself married, with one, maybe two kids. I want all my kids to be close in age, so I don't want to wait too long in between. We live in a small town, and I am a certified paralegal working in a firm.

2. We are married. We are still in Bellingham, because I landed a job at a law firm as a once in a lifetime sorta deal. Derek enlisted in the army and now works for border patrol. We will be moving soon because he will be stationed somewhere else. Oh, and we're expecting :)

3. I got the opportunity to work in a very prestegious animal law firm. There's only one problem. It's in Australia. But, it's a great opportunity. So, Derek and I pack up and move.

4. We are married, with one child. I decide that I am tired of the small town feel, so we move to a larger city that is still close to family, but just far enough away as well. ;) We are both doing great.

5. The world actually ends in 2012 and none of this has the chance to (or not). :/