Dreams

We said goodbye to my new unit last week as they deployed. Now I'm the only one left to work on three big construction projects! It's really got me thinking about what I will do after I get out next year and move back to New York. Should I go to school for something practical like architecture or have fun with it and go to art or culinary school?

My heart is in art school but I don't know if I want to throw away the last five years of experience just to end up with a degree that isn't useful. I have a family and I know we need money to live. I would also like to be comfortable and not have to worry about bills all the time. I would like to be able to buy some makeup or clothes without feeling guilty about it. I want to buy a house too and have a car that has a working climate control. I don't want Ellie to have stressed out parents who worry about money.

What I really don't want is to be the person who gave up on their dreams. I always wanted to work in the art world and I still do. In a lot of ways I think it would be worse to show Ellie that it's more important to make money than it is to be happy with your job. 

The thing is, I can ponder this all day, plan it all I want and life is still going to happen in an unexpected way. "The best laid plans" as they say. I certainly didn't think I would be wearing an army uniform in my life!

I'll just have to see what happens. I plan on applying at art school and culinary school at the end if the year. 

I never take pictures in uniform and my mom is always bugging me for them. Since she got us a couple of camo onesies for Ellie I figured I owed her a few pics!