January 2014 (Facebook Compilation)

January 2

Just watched my wedding video from over 13 years ago– for the first time. Ever.

All the highlights were there:
– Nose-blowing on-stage.
– Jay taking the handkerchief back after I used it.
– The “first kiss” that started with Jay kissing each of my hands (and the pastor saying “Not getting away with that!”) before Jay pulled me into a kiss that lasted long enough my mom was hissing from the front row to be done. Or so she says. We never heard her.
– The cake-bites that sealed my trust in him (tiny and neat/polite. No smashing or mess).
– The 4-count swing “first dance” (to *We rejoice in the Grace of God*).

*Man* I miss dancing. Jay said he’ll have to study the video to relearn all the stuff he used to know.

I’m sure someone could niggle us about using a 10-year-old (at the time) praise song, but I think it was very indicative of us, then and now. Lots of good words.

The vid shows us singing while we dance. I love that.

Talia Ahlquist I remember it all! (except for your mother hissing from the front row, that is)

Amy Jane Helmericks And we saw you in the vid, too 🙂

January 4

Okay Tiana, and Becky, I watched it.

I get John being mad he wasn’t informed, but I don’t see why no one used the (obvious) not-telling reason that Anybody wondering if Sherlock was really dead would be watching “honest John” and knowing the truth.

I was eye-rolling on that one.

But it was good, overall. The whole thing was fan service– a very nice visit, to be sure, but not as much story as I’d hoped for.

January 8

I been thinking.

a) If there was a perfect formula for parenting, wouldn’t our perfect God have given it to us, straight-up? (I mean, he answered relatively straight-forward when asked how to pray.)

b) If there was a perfect formula for consistently churning out kids that don’t embarrass you, and are always wonderful, productive members of society … Don’t you think He would have used it?

January 10

January 14

E: No! No! I want something *dammatic* to happen!

I look up from my Kindle. He and Melody are eating pretzels together.

M: Something dramatic has *already* happened!

She holds up a half-eaten pretzel as she explains what just [didn’t] happen(ed).

[I love my storytelling family!]

January 16

Charla was just talking about needing to be disciplined and finish a project before starting something new.

My comment:
Me too!

I have two (no, THREE!) novels at or past the 90K-words mark, and now a non-fiction curriculum calling my name. One that is really-really needed.

This is where we beg God to make *calling* clear, because the “sensible” I hear says that non-fiction is so much more REAL and IMPORTANT, and the popular fantasy says, “Ah, but fiction sell more!”

Neither of which I have any way to objectively prove one way or the other. I can only feel breathless watching my beauties (manuscripts) in their awkward “teenager” stages, where they think they’re so grown up, but I know better.

January 17

Elisha [earlier today, out of nowhere]: You’re a *great* storyteller, Mama.

Tonight Natasha saw me starting in on cleaning the kitchen while she was on her way to bed.
N: Why start cleaning *now*?
Me: I just finished [reading] a novel. I have energy now.
N: Oh. That makes sense.

Another time recently, I asked Melody what story she wanted to listen to. She said, “Tell us more of your novel!”

Being understood by my children is a beautiful thing. They are proud of me, my writing, and I can only begin to articulate how much of a gift this is to me: enormous.

[Background: people used to frame my writing in competition with my children, questioning the adequacy of my devotion to my children. This made my automatic language about each piece (“A fourth child”) feel even more scandalous– though no less true.

We had a physical 4th child in our home for 44 days, with no jealousy or angst. And I realized that’s how they take my writing, too. The fourth child. It’s not a competition, it just *is.*

And these moments when they connect– when they play at it themselves– it’s like a toddler picking up a baby doll after mama has a newborn, and surprising me with their tenderness and skill.]

I am so thankful to be a WriterMama.

January 20

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January 28

I have officially inured my children. [Nope. Not anymore.]

I was able to hoot/laugh/clap my hands in delight and nobody shrieked, *What?*WHAT?!*

Dinner-making time has provided several breakthroughs on my novel tonight.

I suppose they eventually figured out that dinner wasn’t that exciting.

 Beth Zapf Yeah, I read that a couple times trying to figure out how you injured your children… And it wasn’t even spelled wrong. Crazy brain.

Jen Sparks I totally read injured.

January 29

If you plan to read my *Sherlockian Daze* novel, and spoilers bug you, don’t read the pictures. (Not that I *really* expect you to know the story from this list, it’s such shorthand).

This is my “beat sheet” of the main novel action (sans Sherlock episode).

The point is me celebrating:

– check-marks are all the scenes already written. (!)
– stars are specific revision to-dos (mostly POV shift; important, but not time-consuming)
– circles are specific scenes still to be written

Translation: I have a whole story here, free and clear (holes closed up). It’s taken till my 5th novel, but I’m looking at exactly what I know needs to happen, and it’s being done.

I can’t tell you how exciting this is for me.