My Children are my real life heroes by Paty Jager

The more time I spend with my grown children the more I see the parent or young adult I wished I'd been.

I grew up without a purpose. Well, I take that back, I wanted to be a writer and an artist but I was told I had to pursue a career in the medical field. I guess that would dash ones desires. Because I wasn't allowed to think about doing something as an adult that I wanted to do, I didn't think about my future as much as I should have.

Where, as my children grew, I saw their passions and urged them to develop their passions.

oldest with her nieces and nephews

Our oldest loves animals and became a veterinarian technician. Her devotion to animals and knowing what to do amazes me. When a young horse needed a home, my daughter took it in. She discovered it was wormy, full of ticks, and under nourished. She scrubbed the horse, clean it up and doctored it back to health. When a friend had to get rid of her dog due to health issues, our daughter stepped in, took the dog, (It had fleas bad) cleaned it up and found it an excellent home. She and her husband adopted two half sisters. One requires extra time, attention, and medical help. Our daughter goes at raising her daughters with the same thoroughness she does taking care of animals and she gardens, keeps an immaculate house, and helps at the school and with 4-H.

Daughter and kids riding

Our second daughter loves horses, children, and sewing. Those were her passions while growing up. Her senior year of school she sat down to make the decision of what she wanted to do with those three things to build a career. She ended up going to fashion design school. She loves sewing and drawing new designs, but she also uses that degree to design book covers for me and other authors. She has four children, three she is homeschooling as well as she and her husband like to remodel and build houses. Plus she gardens, makes her own soaps and household cleaners and volunteers to make costumes for her daughter's dance recital. And she does it all with a smile on her face.

Son and his nephew taking a nap

Our son, has been a single parent a good part of his parenthood. He surprises me with his knowledge of world events, what distributor cap works on what engine, and how to make his daughter's hair stay in a ponytail. He's in the military and has proudly been serving since 2001.

There is nothing that expands my heart more nor makes me feel as inept than seeing the wonderful lives and talents of my children. They are my heroes.