What does a girl have to do?

Okay, all I ever wanted to do was illustrate for children's books. I know I got sidetracked out of high school by getting married and that didn't work out so well... but now that they are all grown and gone (sort of) it is time for me to go back to my original pursuit... illustrating. I've tried it all. First I tried to do illustrations and send them to books and magazines but was thoroughly rejected by everyone. Okay. I backed up and decided that you have to get a "foot in" as it were, so I did a series of greeting cards. A series of kids on the beach, a series of teddy bears, a series of ballerinas, a series of Western and Native Americans, a series of traditional Americana.... and I was rejected 100% (with the exception of the few I printed myself and sold to a few close friends). So I backed up again and began sending a few illustrations and series pictures to poster and limited edition publishers and, well, you guessed it. Rejection. A girl can take only so much rejection. On the fine art scene I was winning a few showings but not selling much. I begin to think I'm not that good. When finally I start writing and sending a few craft articles with illustrations to children's magazines. Hey, I'm not a writer, but I do know how to put one word in front of another like most people and I've been doing children's crafts for, well, the life of my kids. Finally, I get a few acceptances... and a few of them even used my illustrations too. All I ever wanted to do was illustrate. So now I'm writing books just so I can illustate them. Is that a hoot or what? Anyone have suggestions on what else I should try?