Skip to main content

My dream job

Growing up I thought it would be so cool to be a photographer for National Geographic. I looked at a couple of art schools when I was a junior in high school, but settled on a liberal arts collage instead. I didn't have the confidence to pursue my passion, professionally. The ironic thing is that while working my other dream job as a park ranger, I was asked to participate in a photo shoot for a National Geographic article on kayaking in Voyageurs National Park. That day was the best and worst of my life. I'd only been in a kayak once before so by the end of the day I had to be towed behind another kayak because my muscles weren't conditioned. I was a limp, frozen noodle when I was returned to the dock twelve hours later . My sweet husband had my robe heating in the dryer for me and a bubble bath waiting. While I soaked my aching body I replayed the day in my head: Eight hours of paddling, being photographed in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, watching a double rainbow arc above our kayaks, sharing the history of the park with the writer, being paid to "help" with this once in a lifetime adventure, looking up in awe at the autumn colors way up high on the sheer cliffs..... So what that for a week I couldn't lift a pencil or push open a door without excruciating pain. This was National Geographic!!!!

It would take months for my excitement to be crushed to a pulp as the article got bumped month after month. I never did get to see any of the 45 rolls of film in all their glossy glory, perfectly place amongst the pages of National Geographic Traveler, but I don't need them to remember that glorious day. They're tucked safely away in my heart.

I wouldn't change a thing about the path my career has taken. If I hadn't gone to that small liberal arts college I never would have gone to Voyageurs National Park for an internship. I wouldn't have met the love of my life and I wouldn't have my precious children. Who knows what I'd be doing right now. I do know that I couldn't ask for a better job. To stay home with my kids and get paid to create keepsakes for other people? Not too bad for a geography major.



What was YOUR dream job?

Comments

  1. SO interesting! I always wanted to be an accountant...isn't that boring? I got a degree in Finance and got a job out of college as a Corporate Credit Analyst for a large bank.. I LOVED my job and was sad to quit, but worth it to be given such beautiful children.
    Now I think it would be fun to be in real estate or graphic design...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, and Evan and I use to kayak when we were dating with our friends. SO fun, but yes what a workout!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I always wanted to be a wife and mother. But what I didn't care to much about was working outside the home. I do but someday I will stay home with my baby boy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I just wanted to be a mom and not have to work!!

    Love the new sidebar photo of Brian!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I had two. I wanted to be a Veterinarian and a Photographer of some sort. I could never be a veterinarian for the simple fact that I LOVE animals TOO much and that my heart would be broken into a million and one pieces seeing the things that those wonderful individuals see every day. So there fore, I have LOVED Photography for forever and still do to this very day and do shoots every once in awhile for people.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"How can I help?"

So many have asked how they can help MckMama and her family during this difficult time and so I've set up a Care Calendar to help coordinate meals for the family. MckMama is coordinating childcare on her end, but you can contact me for the rest. Please leave me a comment in this message and I will contact you with more information on the Care Calendar as soon as I am able. Please be sure I can get in touch with you through your blog and/or an email address. Thank you for covering my dear friend and her family with prayers!

Elsa's Birth Story

The morning of July 1st started out like all the other mornings this summer. The kids let me sleep until 7:30 and then came in to wake me up. We ate breakfast and I started picking up around the house. We had spent the previous day at the town pool and because the heat index was going to be just as high again we made plans to go to our beach. The kids really wanted to practice their swimming skills but I didn't want to have to pay for the pool again. At 8:30 I lost my mucus plug and my brain started running a mile a minute. Could this mean we're getting close? Could I actually go early for a change?I turned to Google and learned that labor could be hours or days away. I feel I should warn you - if you decide to Google mucus plug be prepared to see photographic proof. Why people felt the need to post pictures to Google images is beyond me!  Moving on..... Just in case I ended up being one of the lucky ones who only had hours to wait until labor started I kept up with my clean

Shabby Apple Giveaway!

Spring is in the air and that means it's time to start thinking about changing over our closets from Winter to Spring. I don't know about you, but that also means it's time to look for a few new pieces to bring new life to what I wear year after year. Today I can make that job a little more fun for you because Shabby Apple is sponsoring a giveaway on my blog! Yeah!!!! I had so much fun looking through their collection of women's dresses and don't even get me started on their adorable line of little girl's dresses ! It's a whole new ballgame for me now that I'm going to have TWO girls to dress. In the end I decided to pick this beauty called Azure Coast to giveaway to one lucky reader because us mom's are always buying things for our kids before ourselves. I just might have to pick up one for myself in time to wear for BabyBear's baptism this summer. It's perfect for nursing moms! Want to win one for yourself? See below , but if you d