When you grow up....

When I was a child, I remember hearing "When you grow up, YOU can make the rules!", "When you grow up, you can eat cookies for dinner, but for NOW...." and so on, and so on.  Kids want to grow up, and it's a shame, right?  Childhood is so short.  The carefree days of playing in the yard and riding bikes in the driveway do not last long enough.

My personality gives me a slightly different angle on this.

Sure, it would be nice for childhood to last.  But, when the days come where you get to create your own life, make your own choices, eat what you want for dinner, and drive yourself wherever you please.... that is golden.  All of those reasons that kids want to grow up, I love.  I love being able to have a dream and make it happen.  I love being able to leave dishes in the sink until I get around to them.  I love being able to jump into the car (ok, so pile kids into the car) and go somewhere, anytime I please.  I love being able to decide to take the kids to the mountains, or to do schoolwork outside, or move all of the furniture around in my house, or take them to Athens just to ride on the UGA Orbit bus for an hour.   I love being able to teach kids and give them a hug, say the pledge, and talk about God. 

I take my love for independence a step further.

I want to be able to eat meat that we raise ourselves, I want to be able to attempt to make a living from my own yard, I want to be able to purchase/sell raw milk, I want to be able to take my chickens to be processed in Georgia and not have to drive to South Carolina to do it, I want to be able to build any house that I choose, I want to be able to dig a hole over here, build a barn over there, or leave a big broken down tractor in my backyard without a homeowners association knocking on my door.  I want to be able to teach my children what I want to, I want them to be able to sleep in on days they need it, move ahead to the next academic topic when they are ready, and go on vacation whenever we please.  I want to be able to choose my own healthcare, choose to pay it myself, choose how to save for my retirement, and choose to fail and fall flat on my face.

I love choice.  I love freedom.  I love independence.  And, I will make the most of my adulthood.  I do not take these things for granted. They are what make all of the not-so-fun parts of adulthood completely worthwhile.  Independence is what makes being an adult, being a parent, being a couple, work.  I value my freedom and independence more than my comfort.  More than my leisure.  Only my God, my husband, and my children eclipse it.

So, when my children say things like, "Well, when I grow up I will..." or "I can't wait until I grow up so I can..."  I will try not meet it with sarcasm, because the kids actually have it right.  Being a grow up is just plain awesome.  And, sometimes I do eat cookies for dinner.