Living life backwards

I cannot believe I'm slacking...in the blog world, that is. Chase told me yesterday that I need to write more because I'm home enough to do it...very true. I teach around 12 fitness/dance classes per week. Other than that, I make Chase's breakfast, lunch, dinner, & do my best to keep our house & dog maintained. Apollo gets around an hour walk everyday if it's not raining. I'm a regular 50s housewife! (minus the whole -wife- part and I'm okay with that :) 


Leading me into my blog title:


My parents might be the only ones who aren't okay with my happy little lifestyle. They believe that you date for a year, then become engaged for 9-12 months, then get married. Shortly after, get a dog, then try for children...I mean, that's how it's done, right? Anytime my mother heard of anyone living their lives out of that order, she always told my sister (Gina) and I "They did it BACKWARDS." I knew what she meant, but that didn't mean that I necessarily agreed with it. Come to find out, neither does Gina. I got to Skype with her last weekend and we had a discussion about how she and I have chosen to live our lives "backwards" and for ourselves first. (At least in our mother's eyes.)


Gina is 26 years old, graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2008, and has a career in the Army where she is currently stationed in Afghanistan until next summer. I am 24 years old,  graduated from Peninsula College in 2007, and am (as stated above) teaching around 12 fitness/dance classes per week, working on my dream to become an NFL/NBA dancer, & hopefully own my own studio someday. Gina & I both have boyfriends with no plans for "marriage" in the near future. My Hellenistic self is living in sin with her boyfriend in Seattle. We have a great dog together, and I see nothing wrong with having children before "walking down the aisle". My vision is actually walking down the aisle towards my future husband who is holding onto my son/daughter. 


PLEASE NOTE: WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON HAVING CHILDREN ANYTIME SOON EITHER.


When MY mother was our age, she had been married for 3-5 years (depending on whose age you're more focused on) had a dog with her husband (our father) who she started living with in Dallas, TX only AFTER they got married, and was trying to have a baby, or already had a baby. (again, depending on whose age you're more focused on.) According to her, we're doing things BACKWARDS. I think she focused too much on instilling her views and opinions on Gina & I as children, that Gina & I are bound & determined to do things our way as much as possible. Even if it's viewed in our mother's eyes as backwards. 


I'm not saying my mom is WRONG for wanting Gina & I to follow in her footsteps. Not at all. I just think that labeling someone's life "backwards" is wrong. Everything happens for a reason, whether you choose for it to be that way, or if fate steps in & takes over. I wish my mom saw it differently, but she doesn't & that's okay. I've been dealing with her opinions for just as long as she's been dealing with mine!