Week 15: My Dreams (Member Photos)

Cai Vail - When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being an artist, a painter and illustrator, a writer, and a photojournalist, traveling the world taking heartbreaking and beautiful images in grainy black and white film. Apparently I was under the impression "Renaissance Woman" was a valid career choice. Life has taken me down many paths I could never have foreseen as a child, but it’s remarkable how little my dreams have changed. While most of us shed our fantastical ideals and creative dreams by the time we enter adulthood, I’ve just never been able to let go and live in the ‘real world’. I’d rather stay up here, with my head in the clouds.

Tausha Coates - My dream is to see this girl fly!

Aubrey Dettmer - {dream} Applewood Photography

My dream has always been to have a big family. As time marched on, my dream morphed into getting to be a mom at least once, and I've been blessed to have two beautiful daughters. I still dream of that big family, and it could happen if we're lucky.

I have another dream, and that dream is to travel the world. I always wanted to see Germany, and in 2007, my husband booked a surprise trip for us. In 2012 we went to Ireland twice. I've had the travel bug ever since, and daily my husband begs me to agree to move to Ireland.

These two dreams are very different, but I believe we can still have both, first one and then the other. My greatest dream has always been my children, and I may regret not having more children, but I will never regret filling our home before filling my passport.

Eboni Rivera - My Dreams {luxeartimages.com} I thought of many different dreams to try to capture this week but then my husband was hit with the horrible news of a childhood friends dad who lost his battle with cancer. To see him so distraught over someone who he considered a stand up guy and admired with the utmost respect was really disheartening. It also brought back the memories of suddenly losing my Aunt early last year to cancer as well. I haven't had to deal with many deaths within my lifetime but it seems that recently this "C" word has been taking loved ones from my friends at an alarming rate. So tonight, I simply dream that there will be a cure for cancer and that I will be able to see it sometime in my lifetime...

Ellen Anne - One of my big dreams is home-peace. I will bend schedules, dinnertime prep, and delay chores so I can read with and snuggle my babies. But some things just need to be done! I am constantly DREAMING about ways to keep my household happy while I do the necessities. Loading the dishwasher so we have more plates for the next meal, putting in a load of laundry so we have more undies, and completing my toilette so I can feel like a lady. Moussing my hair, splashing some makeup on and having a small potty break in peace are ... a dream. A big, beautiful dream. www.facebook.com/ellenannephoto

Jennifer L. Bruce - I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a mom. I don't know if I can tell you why, but it was a strong feeling. Young life took me on many twists and turns and ups and downs. By the time I found The One, I already suspected we might have some trouble having a baby. We were 31/32 when we got engaged, and didn't wait to start building our family. But nothing happened. Nothing but month after month of mourning someone who never was. We tried everything within our power (and budget) that we could. I even endured two surgeries. After nearly 9 years, time was running out. We didn't have the money for IVF and we couldn't bear the stress of adoption - which is also no guarantee. We decided we would try one more time and then we would talk about what our lives would look like without children. To be honest, it seemed pointless.

Then a miracle happened. I felt tired and sore and just a bit different. I didn't think much of it, because even the simplest of fertility treatments wreak havoc on your body. Finally, I got out of bed early that Saturday morning, pissed off at the world, to take a pregnancy test just to get the bad news over with, as I had so many times before. Only this time, when I rubbed my bleary eyes to look at the test, there was the faintest line. My heart pounded so loudly I am surprised it didn't wake up my husband.

"Lee!" My husband, who is 6'5", sat up in bed and started looking around the room to find out what was wrong before his eyes focused on me. "What? What's going on," he said. When I told him I thought I was pregnant, he shot out of bed like a rocket, and we both stared at the little strip (when you suffer infertility, you buy pregnancy tests by the bundle). He saw the line, too!

We held each other and cried, pleading for this to be real. Oh, baby...was it ever real. Right before my 40th birthday, my biggest, longest running, most wished-for dream came true. Her same is Somerley Taylor. She is my dream.

Emily Ingalls - Ever since I as a little girl, I dreamt of getting married. I wanted the big white dress, a party with friends and family, and the perfect man. My dreams came true when I married my husband, Andrew, almost 10 years ago. It wasn't the dress of my dreams because my original dress was ruined in Hurricane Katrina. I didn't really care about the ceremony as much as having a big party to celebrate us. In fact, I didn't even pick out most of my wedding stuff. My main focus was spending the rest of my life with Andrew. We've been through ups and downs like every couple, but I love him no matter what. He fulfilled my dreams.

Lynette Davis - My Dreams. {lcdavisphotography.com} In my dreams I reach out for my mother who left me, left us, too soon. In my dreams I talk. I tell her about her grandson and admits that she was right - he is the most amazing thing in the world. Sometimes I get mad and say mean things because there is so much that she should be here to experience. She was born to be a grandmama, but she only got to do that through the haze and pain of chemo. But she was Queenie B. And she was amazing. Ten year later she is a faded memory to my son, but he has no doubt that YaYa is still watching over him. The warmth of the morning sun that wakes me up from my dreams, remind me she didn't want to leave. I miss her voice. She took a piece of my heart with her, I think to comfort her on the journey she never wanted to take. Until I see her again I will continue our dream talks and wake up to the light. I will love my son and model her example and probably make some of her mistakes. I will continue on knowing that when I see her again, she will take my hand and my heart will be whole again.

MacKenzie Gilliam - All I ever wanted and dreamed of was a being a mommy. I needed those little arms around me to keep me sane and happy. My dreams all came true, I have a wonderful husband and 4 happy beautiful babies. No matter what life brings me, I honestly always feel happy and content because of them.

Loren Haar - Since I was an adolescent, I have had a recurring dream of being sort of buried alive, but it's not dirt or a coffin, it's more like being pushed into blackness -- pushed and pushed until there is no more me. I can't really explain it -- like most recurring dreams I guess.