A Breakthrough?

Perhaps! No, not because I finally posted two posts in ONE week once again. However, my friends, wouldn't it be nice if you came to my blog and didn't have to read sentences on the lines of "I don't know what the future holds for me.....", "I am hoping to know what I'm supposed to do next year!", etc. I bet each time you signed on you could almost guess that I would have said something on that subject! I'd wait a while and then I'd update saying almost the exact same things "what's new?" "well, the same 'ol things!" Finally! A moment WE've all been waiting for! Does Amber know what she wants to do with her life?! I might!

I can't say I was like most kids of having dreams of being a doctor, or a marine biologist (how did people know what that was, anyway? or did it just sound cool? kidding.), or an astrounaut! No, none of those occupations 'caught my eye.' In fact, my first dream job was to work in a bakery decorating cakes! No joke. I have a relative that works in a bakery and does a darn good job at what she does, so I am not belittling that occupation whatsoever. I was just a plain old jane wanting to decorate cakes and thought for sure that was something I'd do. One of my favorite things to do when my parents took me grocery shopping was to go to the bakery section and look through the book of different cake ideas and choose which one I would have for my birthday. I remember excitedly telling my friends that rode the bus with me that I would be that one day.
But eventually, that stage of my life ended.

6th grade. Amber starts having to go to the orthodontist! Yay! What kid doesn't want braces? I always thought it would be so cool to have braces and glasses. Be careful what you wish for, for both of those wishes were granted to me. After many trips to the ortho I grew a liking and interest to teeth. Yes, teeth. I now wanted to be not the orthodontist, but rather the orthondist's assistant! I thought it would be cool being so professional-like and working in an orthodontist's office someday. In fact, for our 6th grade graduation our class put on a skit. In the skit was what everyone wanted to be when they were older. We didn't actually act out the profession, but it was entangled in the skit a little bit like "And billy ended up having to go to the orthodontist and met orthoodontist's assistant Amber Shain...." etc. I had this dream for actually a few years. I don't remember when that thought was put onto the back burner, but it was.

All through high school I was STUMPED as to what I wanted to be. 9th grade. "Don't fret over it now," I thought. "You will have 3 more years after this! Take your time!" 10th grade. People start asking you more and more of what you were thinking about doing after high school. "Who knows, I still have two years to think about it!" 11th grade. It's time to start taking classes that you think may pertain to your future profession. Future profession? WHAT future profession? Even more and more people start asking you "So what do you think you will do with your life?" Yikes...with my LIFE? Good question! I'll get back to you on that one...I still have another YEAR left before I need to decide. 12 grade. December. Time to start filling out college applications! Wait...how do I know what college I want to go to if I don't know what I want to do? Almost everyone you talk to knew years ago what they wanted to do and what college they were going to go to to earn their degree in that profession. And that is when the stress began. I no longer had the excuse of having years left to decide. I needed to know, or have somewhat of an idea of what I wanted to do. "So what do you want to do with your life?" was ALWAYS a question I dreaded. I didn't like having to respond "I don't know...." Because really, I didn't know.

To cut the story short, I went (almost) 2 full years out of high school before I *drum roll please* may know what I want to go to school for!!! As a good friend encouraged me just today (it's what I needed to hear--THANK YOU!) "The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord." I think that is how it goes...or close to. And she also reminded me that sometimes we just have to take a step of faith and if God happens to close the door to that, don't fret! He's got something else planned for us. Be excited!! But for now folks, I decided to take a leap of faith and go with one of my junior high passions. As of right now, I plan to go to school to be not an orthondontist's assistant, but close. I have decided that I would like to do a dental hygienist program! Yeup, indeed that is what I have chosen for my life as of right now. I like teeth. haha! that sounds weird, but for real. I like teeth.

I was talking with another friend of mine last Wednesday and she had been telling me of how the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse is one of her perspective colleges to go to next year. Somehow we got the idea that we would both move to Wisconsin (we know some pretty amazing people in Wisconsin--I LOVE YOU ALL!) and attend college there. I am going to take a leap of faith. Try this program out and see if it is meant for me. It would be another year before I would move there. I have to wait until Molly Flynn graduates before I'd move there. But I'm thinking I will take some courses here at HCC this next fall and then by the time we move to Wisconsin (if it's the Lord's will) I will be able to jump right into the dental hygienist program.

And that's what's new with me!!! I may have an idea, but of course I am still praying and hoping that this is the Lord's doing. I'll keep you updated!!! =)

Pictures from Easter weekend will be posted soon!