I remember at the end of high school we had to take all these tests to decide what we were going to be when we grew up.

I wanted to be a little of everything.

I loved biology so at one point the guidance counselor suggested I become a doctor. At one point a therapist. Another time a PR person maybe a lawyer and she even suggested I should be an architect. And I said “As long as someone else does the sketches.”

And at the same time I wanted to be everything I wanted to be nothing because there was just so much to be.

The other day five children over the age of 18 crashed onto my couches.

One with a possible fractured ankle another with strep two with possible strep and one who needed a listening ear.

I quickly got to work dispensing painkillers and temperature-reducing medicine and dispatching the possible fractured ankle to the ER for an X-ray. I felt like I was back in the camp infirmary only this time I’m the nurse.

After everyone was medically settled — this one with a pillow that one with a blanket and another with a hot water bottle — I took off my nurse’s hat and became the cook moving to the kitchen to put up a big pot of chicken soup.

And then it started to feel a little heavy or honestly hard like it’s never going to end and I kept thinking I thought I finished this chapter I did this already Shouldn’t I be doing something else?

Then I reminded myself Hey didn’t you once dream of being a doctor? Well here you are.

And when I cooked the soup and the knaidlach and the chicken and the rice I thought Hey didn’t you once dream of being a professional chef? Well here you are.

And when I served the soup and no one could swallow I had to sell it. I did a whole advertising campaign. “It’s hot it’ll help it’s delicious.” And I thought Hey didn’t you once dream of starting an advertising firm? Well here you are.

And when my son asked me for advice about something while I was being pulled to finish another thing I stopped and listened and thought Hey didn’t you once dream of being a therapist? Well here you are.

I’m a chef an actress an advertising agency public relations decorator secretary doctor and a lawyer not despite but because I am a wife and a mother.

There’s the famous story (which has about a million versions) about the woman who’s asked “So what do you do all day?”

And she answers “I take care of ten orphans. Each morning I help them make their beds I make them breakfast pack their lunchboxes. And while they are out I clean and cook for them. I make sure they are warm in the winter.” And the one who asked the question says in awe because she’s taking of other people’s children “What an important job you have! I really admire you.”

I always had this one dream while I was raising all the little ones and all I wanted was a 20 minute nap and a pot of soup. I remember thinking that when all of mine grow up I’ll help some woman who doesn’t have family close by. I’ll let her have a good nap and a pot of soup. There was no doubt I’d do it.

The only thing I didn’t know or even imagine was that it would be for my own daughter.

So when she calls or pops in and I’m a little tired or not exactly in the mood to babysit or cook I think Hey wasn’t this once your dream? Well here you are.

Dreams can come true.