Changed.

My life has turned out to be oh. SO. different than I thought it would be. Seriously. Sometimes I can hardly recognize this person when I compare her to the girl she was "supposed" to be. The girl that started college in the biomedical engineering department thinking that biomedical engineering was a good "back up plan" in case the dream of going to med school fell through. She's doesn't even bare much of a resemblance to the girl who graduated college - with a Bachelors in Religious Studies and a Masters in Elementary Education (and a plan to teach for just a little while before either getting a PhD and teaching Religion at a prestigious university, or maybe becoming a principal of a school). Like the biomedical engineer/doctor, that girl is also no where to be found.

The success-driven, career-valuing girl is gone. She hasn't even left much of a trace, other than a few large diplomas sitting in their frames. That's about all you will find of her.

In her place, there is someone new. Someone who has to run out the door quickly in the morning for fear that, if she doesn't go fast enough, she might decide to not actually leave. Someone who lives for the weekends, or for 3:15 when she gets home to her baby and kisses his face until he giggles and smiles. Someone whose favorite days are spent singing "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" or some other silly song, reading countless books to a 4 month old (who, clearly, understands them), and playing the day away. This new person loves taking walks with her baby boy snuggled closely in a carrier, because he feels too far away in the stroller. This mother doesn't care if her attempt at a modern designed home is thwarted by the obnoxious baby items scattered here and there. Or if her mini trip to Charlotte takes SOOOO long to prepare for because she has to pack a million random things, or if it includes hotel room "lights out" at 8:00 and not being able to explore the city because, well, it's baby's bedtime. She doesn't care at all because she is completely and totally in love with her little family of three.

My life may not look glamorous anymore (oh, who am I kidding, it never looked glamorous) but I wouldn't trade it. I am so in love with my husband and son and pick being there with and for them over anything else in this world. Oh how things change.