Today I decided to make a list of all the dreams I’ve ever had that have come true. When everything seems to be going wrong, it’s nice to think about all the things that have gone right in your life.

Dream 1: Marry the man of my dreams

Stop gagging, I know it’s cliché. I’m engaged to my best friend and it’s the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me.

Dream 2: Graduate from The Catholic University of America

One sunny spring day when I was 5 years old, I was playing in the front yard with my big brother Ryan. He was telling me what college was: “And they have all different universities, like Maryland University, American University, Catholic University…” “There’s a Catholic univeristy???” my little self said with complete wonder and awe. “Yeah,” said Ryan, “but you’ll never go there. It’s too expensive.” 20 years later, I’m a CUA alumna.

Dream 3: Go to Italy

I went with the CUA honor’s program in 2008 and had the time of my life!

Dream 4: Become a world traveler

When I was in 7th grade, we took a field trip to the Newseum, where I got my picture on the cover of National Geographic with the headline: “Explorer of the Century”. I’ve been to 6 countries so far, which isn’t a whole lot, but I think climbing on ruins in the Aegean, haggling with a rug salesman in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, and climbing to the top of Chartres Cathedral to look out over the French countryside count as fulfilling this dream.

Dreams that sort-of happened

Dream 5: Write my own newspaper

This one was from my elementary school days. If they had blogs back then, I would have been all over it. Maybe that’s why I like blogging so much: because it makes me feel like I’m 8 years old sitting at my desk playing with the typewriter my grandfather gave me.

Dream 6: Sing with Andrea Bocelli

Ok so this didn’t exactly happen. But I did get to sing in the choir when Pope Benedict XVI visited DC, and Placido Domingo sang with us. Pretty close if you ask me.

Dreams I’m still working on:

Publish a book, go stargazing in the Southern Hemisphere, visit all the places on my travel bucket list, and have a wonderful home with James where I have a pretty place to write and a sky that is dark enough to see the stars.

I hope all of these come true someday, and that after they do, I find new ones to take their place. A girl’s always gotta dream, after all. ♥