“Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”

A phrase coined from the 1950 Disney film “Cinderella”. If you are unfamiliar with this popular story, it of course ends in “Happily Ever After”.

If only our dreams would come true as easily as Disney stories and “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. The reality is many of us have encountered broken dreams. So have I…

As a high school graduate I was unsure of what I wanted to be when I grew up. As many young adults, life came so quickly and I wasn’t ready to “choose my adventure”…so I decided to attend a Community College for a year. While attending college I teetered between a career in elementary education and nursing. After accepting a job as a full-time certified nursing assistant in a local retirement home, I knew I wanted a career in the medical field with an emphasis in Geriatrics.

I attended a local university to become a Registered Nurse. The geriatric facility I worked in actually opened up a scholarship program just for me so that I would come out of college debt free. Life was good and my dreams were coming true! Everything falling into place until…

I was a bit of an overachiever. Working multiple jobs, going to school and dating a special guy who now is my now husband. I often didn’t eat well and tried to do way more than my body could handle. I will spare all of the details because this is a blog and not a novel. Lol. One sentence can sum it up well…

My dream of becoming a nurse in geriatrics was crushed. A medical diagnosis of Lupus at 21 years young changed my life. A doctor informed me my test was a heavy positive and lupus would eventually destroy my organs and I would die.

I remember crying like I had never cried before. Not only did I know my body couldn’t handle a career in nursing…I wasn’t sure if I would ever live long enough to marry the love of my life and have a family. Multiple dreams… destroyed.

So dreams apparently don’t just come true, “Bibbidi,, Bobbidi, Boo”.

This was the very first time my faith would be seriously tested. Can I really trust God with my dreams?

My faith and dreams would constantly be tested as more “life” continued happen. The loss of our first child and my amazing father. Still, I am so glad I trusted God with my future and allowed Him time to make my dreams come true in every case.

After leaving nursing I entered into the self employment world. Not by choice but because I trusted God had a good plan I didn’t know or understand. I continued to work in various retirement facilities doing therapeutic music for residents who were bed ridden. I also conducted hymn sings regularly with residents who could make it to on-floor activities. So indirectly, I was able to experience a small piece of my dream because I was given the opportunity to continue to work with seniors. My sweet spot.

After I had our third child, Noah, my husband encouraged me to try Real Estate. It was never an aspiration of mine but quickly became something that was flexible and I would enjoy for many many years. Soon after I realized this would be a long term “gig” I managed to sit long enough through a class to obtain my SRES (Senior Residential Estate Specialist) designation. If possible, I wanted every opportunity to work with the senior population in my Real Estate Career.

Now, almost 19 years later, God is allowing a past dream to come to fruition. I’m coming back to where my heart is. Closely working with the senior population and their families.

The end of 2022, I will be putting my Real Estate license in referral status. Meaning, I can continue to refer great clients and friends, present and past to those I’ve interacted with and worked closely beside. I am thrilled and excited to now help others build their client base and achieve their dream of having a great, lucrative career in Real Estate. This is a substantial life change and has been and will be a shock for many.

The beginning of this year our pastor encouraged fasting and praying…fasting all outside voices and interference. No social media, tv, radio, etc… After believing nothing earthshaking came of it, I went back to life as normal.

One week after our fast, God would change my life forever and bring me slowly back to a “delayed dream” of working with seniors and their families long term. He started the ball rolling probably a decade ago when I realized the strong absence and tremendous need for home healthcare.

Not only will I be realizing a “delayed dream”, I will also turn in my self-employed, round the clock, always “on call” schedule happily for an 8:30am-5pm job. It’s not nursing. It’s a leadership role in an extraordinary company with incredible love, value and respect for all who enter their doors whether they are employees, clients, or other.

There is so much more to this story of which I could truly write a book. However, this is a blog so I will keep it brief. My hope is that by writing this blog it will inspire others to never give up on their dreams. God has a divine and unique plan for everyone. Believe it and receive it. Unlike most predictable fairytales, it may not look exactly like we envision it but it is good. Some dreams will be lost and others found. Don’t stop dreaming. Don’t stop believing. Our Heavenly Father is in the business of making our dreams AND miracles come true. Almost 20 years later I’m a walking testimony of it!