Growing Up is Hard to Do

Tootsie and ______ (fill in the blank) kissing in the tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.

I know y'all remember that right?  Whenever one of your elementary friends had a crush on a guy, you'd tease them by singing that song.  It all seemed so simple back then right?  When I was younger, I had my life plan laid out.  I was always a cross between a tomboy and a girlie girl, but I still knew what I wanted and when I wanted it.  I had my life laid out in 5 simple steps:

1. Graduate High School and go to College (I do process work for a living, so I know that's really 2 separate steps, but to me, that was one as one couldn't be done without the other) at 18 years old
2. Graduate College Summa Cum Laude at 22 and get a good job
3. Get married by age 24
4. Have my first child by 25
5. Live Happily ever after...

o_O right?  Yeah, what was I thinking. I mean, I did accomplish 1 and 2.  I should get some credit right?  Now that I've missed step 3 and 4 by a good 4 years, I know that it's not that easy.  Actually I knew it wasn't that easy before I completed step 2 but I was still trying to keep hope alive.  Again, o_O.  Now that I'm wiser older, I understand that my plan couldn't have been more far off, nor is it that easy.  If I'm being honest, the idea of making some of these decisions gives me a wave of anxiety. 

Thinking back, I'm not even sure what drove me to have such a restrictive plan.  Was it an innate desire that I couldn't control, or was it something that I picked up from my surroundings?  As a child, I knew that one day I was supposed to get married and have kids, but why wasn't I told that it's not as easy as it sounds?  At any rate, I know the plan is out the window and I'll have to take it as it goes. 

I'm ready for what's next. ;)