Jessica L. Elliott's Blog, page 18
July 15, 2013
Back In the Saddle Again...Sort Of
So it's been a whirlwind couple of weeks! :) I've been through six different states, two time zones and more towns than I can count. But it's been a great break and our little family enjoyed traveling to see my grandma and then going to my hubby's family reunion. I had a terrific birthday, saw old places and new-to-me places and added keychains to my collection. In fact, I think I'm going to need more corkboard. :) It was great seeing aunts, uncles and cousins and being able to explore with them.
Now that I'm home again, it's time to get back into writing. I was able to add another 2000 words to my "Prince Charming's Search" manuscript. Now I know what you're thinking. "In ten days that's all you got done? That's normally your daily average!" Well, yes that's true. But on vacation I usually don't have the time or motivation to write much. But I was able to have a couple days with short breaks where I wrote feverishly until the next activity or the kids needed me. So getting that much done was pretty good for me. Now I'm in catch-up mode and will be working to make up for lost time. It was time well spent and it was great seeing my kids play and enjoy themselves. But it's good to be back home. Between the unpacking, the cleaning and laundry, I'm finding time to write again. Soon my word goal will be all caught up and I'll hopefully be pushing beyond it.
But now it's time for some writing so I'll jump back in that storyline saddle.
Got some extra in your budget this month? Go to www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott and make a donation today! Don't forget that there are goodies for the donors:
~~All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel. I'm still piecing together what this story will be, but it will be great fun and you can have a part of it!
~~All donors will be entered into a drawing for one of three original illustrations (by me) which will be sent to you by mail. There will be one illustration for each of the books that are currently out: Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming and Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down. There will be three winners, one for each of the illustrations.
~~All donors will get my heartfelt thanks and the knowledge that I will have a fabulous birthday knowing that together, we've made a difference! :)
Now that I'm home again, it's time to get back into writing. I was able to add another 2000 words to my "Prince Charming's Search" manuscript. Now I know what you're thinking. "In ten days that's all you got done? That's normally your daily average!" Well, yes that's true. But on vacation I usually don't have the time or motivation to write much. But I was able to have a couple days with short breaks where I wrote feverishly until the next activity or the kids needed me. So getting that much done was pretty good for me. Now I'm in catch-up mode and will be working to make up for lost time. It was time well spent and it was great seeing my kids play and enjoy themselves. But it's good to be back home. Between the unpacking, the cleaning and laundry, I'm finding time to write again. Soon my word goal will be all caught up and I'll hopefully be pushing beyond it.
But now it's time for some writing so I'll jump back in that storyline saddle.
Got some extra in your budget this month? Go to www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott and make a donation today! Don't forget that there are goodies for the donors:
~~All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel. I'm still piecing together what this story will be, but it will be great fun and you can have a part of it!
~~All donors will be entered into a drawing for one of three original illustrations (by me) which will be sent to you by mail. There will be one illustration for each of the books that are currently out: Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming and Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down. There will be three winners, one for each of the illustrations.
~~All donors will get my heartfelt thanks and the knowledge that I will have a fabulous birthday knowing that together, we've made a difference! :)
June 29, 2013
One Week to Go...
Yes, that's right; my birthday is only one week away! Is it sad that I get as excited for my birthday now that I'm *cough* 28 *cough* as I did when I was five? I don't think so. Yes, the number keeps getting larger, but amazing things have happened to me over the past years and the future is bright with the promise of more amazing things!
One of those amazing things was discovering NaNoWriMo. A crazy, month-long, 50,000 word noveling frenzy. It was November 2006 and I was knee-deep in papers, projects and teaching experiences for college. I didn't have time to write a 50,000 word novel, but I took the challenge anyway. And it was a blazing success! Over 60,000 words into a ghost story called The Library on Shadow Hill. On December 1, all the papers I had been pushing off and lesson plans that were only half-written screamed to be taken care of in the mere week before finals and my novel was put on the back burner. I was determined to come back to it when school was over and get it finished in time to use my free proof copy. Well, life intervened and before I knew it, November had returned. 2007 was a dismal failure. Not even 20,000 words were managed in The Christmas Blanket between lesson-planning and trying to please my cooperating teacher, supervisor, and work part-time to cover what my student loans didn't. I set that one on the back, back burner after graduating and then the unthinkable happened. My computer died, taking with it all the writing I had done over the past few years. In misery, I stopped writing until my mother overheard me telling my little brother a bedtime story.
"You need to write that down," she said. So I began feverishly writing Charming Academy saving it to the computer, a thumb drive and emailing it chapter by chapter to my sister so that it would not go the way of The Christmas Blanket and The Library on Shadow Hill. In 2009, determined not to be a "rebel" I started Like Stars That Glitter and on December 1 jumped right back into Charming Academy. In 2010, desperate to get it finished, I had my first "rebel" NaNoWriMo and added another 51,000 words to the giant Charming Academy file. By June 2011 it was finished and the free proof copy on its way to my apartment. Friends and family waited anxiously to see the book that I had been working on for so long.
Since the release of Charming Academy, I have continued to write, each year taking the NaNoWriMo challenge. I haven't been very successful since having my children as it is more important for me to spend time with them nurturing and loving them than it is for me to write for hours at a time. But as I set up schedules and times that I'm free to write, usually when my sweetheart is home to take care of our children, I find myself falling back in the rhythms that will allow for 50,000 word months. I eagerly look forward to November and giving 50,000 another go. But in the meantime, NaNoWriMo has made it possible to get in some practice, as well as allowing for writers who can't devote their November to mad-hat noveling a chance to feverishly write their novels in Camp NaNoWriMo. It's the same basic idea as NaNoWriMo, though this year there is the added bonus of choosing your own word-count goal. Having two children at home and a big family vacation coming up in July, I am very grateful that I can set that goal a little lower than 50,000. In fact, my July goal is 20,000 which should still be a nice challenge for me between ten days on vacation and my sweet babies needing my time and energy.
I owe a lot to NaNoWriMo for helping me not only find my "voice" but also giving me the courage to share it. This is why I'm asking for donations to help fund Camp NaNoWriMo. It's a program that promotes literacy and encourages writers to find their "voice" and share it. I'm not the world's greatest author. I may never grace the New York Times' Bestseller List. And that's okay. I can still share my stories, my "voice" and make an impact in the world. You don't have to be a superhero to make a difference. You just need to be you. Stand where you are and take the challenges life throws you. And along the way you'll make a difference in the lives of those around you, whether or not you realize it.
This month for my birthday I want to make a difference. I'm asking you to visit my fundraising page, www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott, and make a small donation to fund a great program. It doesn't have to be a lot, even ten dollars will make a difference. If you don't have that in your budget, don't worry. I'm also looking to decorate my writing desk and would love to have postcards to put on it. Go to the contact page of my website (www.JessicaLElliott.com/Contact) and send a postcard to the address listed.
Don't forget that there are goodies for the donors:
~~All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel. I'm still piecing together what this story will be, but it will be great fun and you can have a part of it!
~~All donors will be entered into a drawing for one of three original illustrations (by me) which will be sent to you by mail. There will be one illustration for each of the books that are currently out: Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming and Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down. There will be three winners, one for each of the illustrations.
~~All donors will get my heartfelt thanks and the knowledge that I will have a fabulous birthday knowing that together, we've made a difference! :)
One of those amazing things was discovering NaNoWriMo. A crazy, month-long, 50,000 word noveling frenzy. It was November 2006 and I was knee-deep in papers, projects and teaching experiences for college. I didn't have time to write a 50,000 word novel, but I took the challenge anyway. And it was a blazing success! Over 60,000 words into a ghost story called The Library on Shadow Hill. On December 1, all the papers I had been pushing off and lesson plans that were only half-written screamed to be taken care of in the mere week before finals and my novel was put on the back burner. I was determined to come back to it when school was over and get it finished in time to use my free proof copy. Well, life intervened and before I knew it, November had returned. 2007 was a dismal failure. Not even 20,000 words were managed in The Christmas Blanket between lesson-planning and trying to please my cooperating teacher, supervisor, and work part-time to cover what my student loans didn't. I set that one on the back, back burner after graduating and then the unthinkable happened. My computer died, taking with it all the writing I had done over the past few years. In misery, I stopped writing until my mother overheard me telling my little brother a bedtime story.
"You need to write that down," she said. So I began feverishly writing Charming Academy saving it to the computer, a thumb drive and emailing it chapter by chapter to my sister so that it would not go the way of The Christmas Blanket and The Library on Shadow Hill. In 2009, determined not to be a "rebel" I started Like Stars That Glitter and on December 1 jumped right back into Charming Academy. In 2010, desperate to get it finished, I had my first "rebel" NaNoWriMo and added another 51,000 words to the giant Charming Academy file. By June 2011 it was finished and the free proof copy on its way to my apartment. Friends and family waited anxiously to see the book that I had been working on for so long.
Since the release of Charming Academy, I have continued to write, each year taking the NaNoWriMo challenge. I haven't been very successful since having my children as it is more important for me to spend time with them nurturing and loving them than it is for me to write for hours at a time. But as I set up schedules and times that I'm free to write, usually when my sweetheart is home to take care of our children, I find myself falling back in the rhythms that will allow for 50,000 word months. I eagerly look forward to November and giving 50,000 another go. But in the meantime, NaNoWriMo has made it possible to get in some practice, as well as allowing for writers who can't devote their November to mad-hat noveling a chance to feverishly write their novels in Camp NaNoWriMo. It's the same basic idea as NaNoWriMo, though this year there is the added bonus of choosing your own word-count goal. Having two children at home and a big family vacation coming up in July, I am very grateful that I can set that goal a little lower than 50,000. In fact, my July goal is 20,000 which should still be a nice challenge for me between ten days on vacation and my sweet babies needing my time and energy.
I owe a lot to NaNoWriMo for helping me not only find my "voice" but also giving me the courage to share it. This is why I'm asking for donations to help fund Camp NaNoWriMo. It's a program that promotes literacy and encourages writers to find their "voice" and share it. I'm not the world's greatest author. I may never grace the New York Times' Bestseller List. And that's okay. I can still share my stories, my "voice" and make an impact in the world. You don't have to be a superhero to make a difference. You just need to be you. Stand where you are and take the challenges life throws you. And along the way you'll make a difference in the lives of those around you, whether or not you realize it.
This month for my birthday I want to make a difference. I'm asking you to visit my fundraising page, www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott, and make a small donation to fund a great program. It doesn't have to be a lot, even ten dollars will make a difference. If you don't have that in your budget, don't worry. I'm also looking to decorate my writing desk and would love to have postcards to put on it. Go to the contact page of my website (www.JessicaLElliott.com/Contact) and send a postcard to the address listed.
Don't forget that there are goodies for the donors:
~~All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel. I'm still piecing together what this story will be, but it will be great fun and you can have a part of it!
~~All donors will be entered into a drawing for one of three original illustrations (by me) which will be sent to you by mail. There will be one illustration for each of the books that are currently out: Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming and Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down. There will be three winners, one for each of the illustrations.
~~All donors will get my heartfelt thanks and the knowledge that I will have a fabulous birthday knowing that together, we've made a difference! :)
June 25, 2013
Creative Entertaining
My little family is getting ready to go out to Nevada to visit my grandmother. Along with all the excitement of getting to go somewhere as exciting and adventurous as Reno is the necessary packing, planning and preparing. Now the trip is still a week away, so we're not packing yet. But that doesn't mean I haven't started thinking about the less-glamorous aspects of traveling.
Like how to keep my two little ones entertained for hours in a car.
Now, this really isn't a new concept. Mothers throughout time have tried to keep their angels on heaven's side during long travels. For example, pioneer women gave their children distracting (and to them entertaining) chores. "Here, darling, keep track of how many miles we go by counting how many times the wheel turns"
"Okay, Mama!"
Unfortunately that won't work for my kids. For one, they can't see the wheels and even if they could, I'd be impressed if they could tell how many times it had rotated. For another, neither can count. My two-year-old's version of counting is, "One, two, three, nine, ten, seven, twelve..." followed by a string of random large numbers like "forty-eight" (I really am trying to help him learn the right order). So counting miles won't work for him.
This has led to some creative ideas on how to keep them entertained. We'll bring out laptop along and they'll get to watch one movie during the day's driving time (mostly because that's all that our laptop battery will support). This week I'll be recording myself reading some of my son's favorite stories that we can play during the drive too. He can then "read" along with me as he listens to the stories he loves. I'm also going to put on CD the whale songs we ordered so that we can play it during their normal quiet time so that hopefully their sleep schedules won't get too screwed up. And then there was the last idea:
Jimmy-rig a basket to the passenger's seat so that Gary (and the passenger sitting with the kids) has easy access to the toys. My husband and I have been trying to figure out how exactly to do this, but we think we've got it. If we take the wicker toy basket and tie ropes through the handles and around the passenger's seat, it should hold the toys and provide an impromptu basketball hoop should Gary get bored. Later we'll test the idea to see if the basket will stay reasonably in place.
Hopefully with all these different things my kids will stay happy in the car and their normal schedules will stay somewhat in tact. Every parent knows the nightmare of trying to reinstate a child's schedule. They get off and then you're back at square one...if you're lucky. So by putting things in place that are the same at home, we should be able to promote some normalcy and help our children enjoy their trip even more!
What are the creative things you've done to entertain someone?
P.S. Don't forget my fundraising goal! Let's see how close to $100 we can get before my birthday on July 6. We're at $30 right now. Go to www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott to help move us closer! :)
Like how to keep my two little ones entertained for hours in a car.
Now, this really isn't a new concept. Mothers throughout time have tried to keep their angels on heaven's side during long travels. For example, pioneer women gave their children distracting (and to them entertaining) chores. "Here, darling, keep track of how many miles we go by counting how many times the wheel turns"
"Okay, Mama!"
Unfortunately that won't work for my kids. For one, they can't see the wheels and even if they could, I'd be impressed if they could tell how many times it had rotated. For another, neither can count. My two-year-old's version of counting is, "One, two, three, nine, ten, seven, twelve..." followed by a string of random large numbers like "forty-eight" (I really am trying to help him learn the right order). So counting miles won't work for him.
This has led to some creative ideas on how to keep them entertained. We'll bring out laptop along and they'll get to watch one movie during the day's driving time (mostly because that's all that our laptop battery will support). This week I'll be recording myself reading some of my son's favorite stories that we can play during the drive too. He can then "read" along with me as he listens to the stories he loves. I'm also going to put on CD the whale songs we ordered so that we can play it during their normal quiet time so that hopefully their sleep schedules won't get too screwed up. And then there was the last idea:
Jimmy-rig a basket to the passenger's seat so that Gary (and the passenger sitting with the kids) has easy access to the toys. My husband and I have been trying to figure out how exactly to do this, but we think we've got it. If we take the wicker toy basket and tie ropes through the handles and around the passenger's seat, it should hold the toys and provide an impromptu basketball hoop should Gary get bored. Later we'll test the idea to see if the basket will stay reasonably in place.
Hopefully with all these different things my kids will stay happy in the car and their normal schedules will stay somewhat in tact. Every parent knows the nightmare of trying to reinstate a child's schedule. They get off and then you're back at square one...if you're lucky. So by putting things in place that are the same at home, we should be able to promote some normalcy and help our children enjoy their trip even more!
What are the creative things you've done to entertain someone?
P.S. Don't forget my fundraising goal! Let's see how close to $100 we can get before my birthday on July 6. We're at $30 right now. Go to www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott to help move us closer! :)
June 22, 2013
My Birthday Wish...
In exactly two weeks it will be my birthday. I know this for two reasons:
1) Today is my sister's birthday (happy birthday, gorgeous!) and her birthday is precisely two weeks before mine.
2) I have a calendar. :)
As friends and family start thinking about what to do for my birthday this year, let me give you some suggestions. :)
First off, this year I'd like to give $100 to Camp NaNoWriMo. I don't have that kind of money available, so you can help me reach that goal by donating through my fundraising page www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott. Even if you can only manage a $10 donation, that will help me on my way to my goal and help finance a literacy program that is changing the way people think about writing and themselves. NaNoWriMo changed my life and I want to give back to the program that gave me the courage to share my writing with the world. If you've enjoyed anything I've written, you have NaNoWriMo to thank for it! So for my birthday, help me say thank you to this great, non-profit program. There will, of course, be some donor goodies. :) Here they are:
~~The donor with the highest donation will have a cameo appearance in the next "Charming Academy" book, Prince Charming's Search. If everyone donates the same amount (or there are multiple of the highest amount), than the first donor in that range will have the cameo.
~~All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel. I'm still piecing together what this story will be, but it will be great fun and you can have a part of it!
~~All donors will be entered into a drawing for one of three original illustrations (by me) which will be sent to you by mail. There will be one illustration for each of the books that are currently out: Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming and Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down. There will be three winners, one for each of the illustrations.
~~All donors will get my heartfelt thanks and the knowledge that I will have a fabulous birthday knowing that together, we've made a difference! :)
Second, I know that times are tough. With my husband still in the waiting stage for his teaching job to start, we know exactly how tight some summer budgets are. If you are unable to donate to Camp NaNoWriMo, don't worry! There are other ways you can wish me a happy birthday! :) I'm still decorating my writing desk and would love to have some postcards from around the country (or even around the world!) to add to my desk. Go to http://www.jessicalelliott.com/contact and send me a little note saying you'd like to send a postcard. I will then send you the PO Box that you can send it to. If you want to include an encouraging message, either put it on a separate piece of paper (so I don't lose your note when it's glued to the table top) or send two postcards, one with a note and one blank (except for the address).
Keychains would be awesome too for adding to my collection, but what I really want is to make a difference in the lives of other writers. All of us have creative genius whether as writers, artists, chefs, crocheters (is that a word?), athletes, etc. We all want to make a difference in the world around us. By helping me raise money for Camp NaNoWriMo, we can encourage creativity and literacy. So, come on! Click the link and see how you can help today! :)
Oh, and don't forget to leave me a message on the page so that I know you were there! :)
1) Today is my sister's birthday (happy birthday, gorgeous!) and her birthday is precisely two weeks before mine.
2) I have a calendar. :)
As friends and family start thinking about what to do for my birthday this year, let me give you some suggestions. :)
First off, this year I'd like to give $100 to Camp NaNoWriMo. I don't have that kind of money available, so you can help me reach that goal by donating through my fundraising page www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott. Even if you can only manage a $10 donation, that will help me on my way to my goal and help finance a literacy program that is changing the way people think about writing and themselves. NaNoWriMo changed my life and I want to give back to the program that gave me the courage to share my writing with the world. If you've enjoyed anything I've written, you have NaNoWriMo to thank for it! So for my birthday, help me say thank you to this great, non-profit program. There will, of course, be some donor goodies. :) Here they are:
~~The donor with the highest donation will have a cameo appearance in the next "Charming Academy" book, Prince Charming's Search. If everyone donates the same amount (or there are multiple of the highest amount), than the first donor in that range will have the cameo.
~~All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel. I'm still piecing together what this story will be, but it will be great fun and you can have a part of it!
~~All donors will be entered into a drawing for one of three original illustrations (by me) which will be sent to you by mail. There will be one illustration for each of the books that are currently out: Charming Academy, Finding Prince Charming and Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down. There will be three winners, one for each of the illustrations.
~~All donors will get my heartfelt thanks and the knowledge that I will have a fabulous birthday knowing that together, we've made a difference! :)
Second, I know that times are tough. With my husband still in the waiting stage for his teaching job to start, we know exactly how tight some summer budgets are. If you are unable to donate to Camp NaNoWriMo, don't worry! There are other ways you can wish me a happy birthday! :) I'm still decorating my writing desk and would love to have some postcards from around the country (or even around the world!) to add to my desk. Go to http://www.jessicalelliott.com/contact and send me a little note saying you'd like to send a postcard. I will then send you the PO Box that you can send it to. If you want to include an encouraging message, either put it on a separate piece of paper (so I don't lose your note when it's glued to the table top) or send two postcards, one with a note and one blank (except for the address).
Keychains would be awesome too for adding to my collection, but what I really want is to make a difference in the lives of other writers. All of us have creative genius whether as writers, artists, chefs, crocheters (is that a word?), athletes, etc. We all want to make a difference in the world around us. By helping me raise money for Camp NaNoWriMo, we can encourage creativity and literacy. So, come on! Click the link and see how you can help today! :)
Oh, and don't forget to leave me a message on the page so that I know you were there! :)
June 20, 2013
I'm Not Ignoring You!
So this is one big apology, my friends. Let's start at the beginning.
My hubby is an awesome tech-guru (at least compared to my dinosaur-like knowledge of such things) and built my website for me. I was super-excited by the "Contact Me" page and eagerly awaited what was sure to be a flood of fan mail! Okay, so maybe not a flood, I'm not famous yet. :) But I expected at least something.
Crickets.
I pushed on and kept things coming and this past March I told you about an email list I wanted to start, sure that now there would be many emails wanting news about my upcoming books.
Crickets again.
Until last night when my sweetie and I were updating the website. He clicked on a button and suddenly these lost messages arrived.
I am loved! :)
Followed by:
That was sent three months ago, they must think I'm a jerk for not responding at all!
So, this is just to get the word out there:
I have not been ignoring you!!! At least not on purpose. My husband and I worked for an extra half-hour yesterday making sure that our "Contact Me" page really does work. I will in fact get your comments, questions and feedback. Yay! And if you were one of the ones that sent me a message, you should now have a response and I am so sorry that you have had to wait so long.
I am still looking to add people to my mailing list, if you're interested stop by the "Contact Me" page at my website (www.JessicaLElliott.com) and send me a note with your email. Through that mailing list you'll be the first to know about new releases, special promotions and general writing news. I'm going to be trying to send out almost like a newsletter each month, but we'll see how things go. I'm scatterbrained and a busy mom, so sometimes things get missed.
And don't forget that I am still fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo (www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott). I've got some awesome prizes in mind for my fabulous donors, but that will be coming in a blog post in a couple of days. I will also paste it on the Facebook fanpage and pin it to the top so that you can see it. Look into your budget and see what you can do to help me support a wonderful program that is improving literacy and the desire to create around the world!
Have a fabulous Thursday everyone! :)
My hubby is an awesome tech-guru (at least compared to my dinosaur-like knowledge of such things) and built my website for me. I was super-excited by the "Contact Me" page and eagerly awaited what was sure to be a flood of fan mail! Okay, so maybe not a flood, I'm not famous yet. :) But I expected at least something.
Crickets.
I pushed on and kept things coming and this past March I told you about an email list I wanted to start, sure that now there would be many emails wanting news about my upcoming books.
Crickets again.
Until last night when my sweetie and I were updating the website. He clicked on a button and suddenly these lost messages arrived.
I am loved! :)
Followed by:
That was sent three months ago, they must think I'm a jerk for not responding at all!
So, this is just to get the word out there:
I have not been ignoring you!!! At least not on purpose. My husband and I worked for an extra half-hour yesterday making sure that our "Contact Me" page really does work. I will in fact get your comments, questions and feedback. Yay! And if you were one of the ones that sent me a message, you should now have a response and I am so sorry that you have had to wait so long.
I am still looking to add people to my mailing list, if you're interested stop by the "Contact Me" page at my website (www.JessicaLElliott.com) and send me a note with your email. Through that mailing list you'll be the first to know about new releases, special promotions and general writing news. I'm going to be trying to send out almost like a newsletter each month, but we'll see how things go. I'm scatterbrained and a busy mom, so sometimes things get missed.
And don't forget that I am still fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo (www.stayclassy.org/JessicaLElliott). I've got some awesome prizes in mind for my fabulous donors, but that will be coming in a blog post in a couple of days. I will also paste it on the Facebook fanpage and pin it to the top so that you can see it. Look into your budget and see what you can do to help me support a wonderful program that is improving literacy and the desire to create around the world!
Have a fabulous Thursday everyone! :)
June 12, 2013
Are You Gorgeous? Yes!
This is going to be totally un-book related, but it's something I've been thinking a lot about lately. Do you think that you are beautiful/handsome/gorgeous/ whichever adjective you choose to use? Well, I'm here to tell you that you are. Yes you. Let me tell you about why.
Like me, many of my friends have recently added beautiful, bouncing babies to their families. And like me, many of those friends are trying to shed those baby pounds. We've set our weight loss goals and started our routines to make it there. I cheer with them when they announce so many pounds lost. I eagerly read the healthy new recipe they found and loved. And I've discovered that those doing the best are the ones focusing on the positive. When one says, "Missed my exercise, but playing with baby was so worth it!" I don't criticize or remind them of those skinny jeans they want to get back into. They already know. I celebrate that they are building a loving relationship with their child and say, "Isn't that the best?"
But I've found that the key with each of my friends and with me is this: We couldn't care less what society says a woman should look like, eat like, behave like, etc. We just don't care.
Society says that we should all be slender, with perfect hair, perfect makeup and beautiful white, straight teeth. Let me tell you what society would say about me. My hair is too messy and too wild; it should be straightened. It's probably too long too and should be cut. And dear heavens! is that grey hair I see peeking out? DYE IT! My eyes crinkle too much when I smile and way too much when I laugh. Even my nose crinkles! Am I five? And my eyes are too big for my face, and my nose probably is too. I should do something about that. I'm round where I ought to be flat and there's a good two inches more bust than any decent woman should have. They do have reductions, you know. I have stretch marks on various parts of my body courtesy of two babies and a seven-inch growth spurt in middle school. I really ought to put some cream on those to make them go away. I should exercise more and probably get a personal trainer. My thirty pound weight loss goal is not nearly enough to get me to the right weight so I should eat rabbit food for the rest of my life and spend at least half of my day doing some kind of cardio. Do I want to be fat forever?...
I think you get the idea. If society were to give a grade on my body, they'd give me a great big, fat, teacher-marking-pen-red F. But I don't care because here's the real me:
I have big, gorgeous, golden green eyes that sparkle and glow when I'm happy and then darken like a spring thunderstorm when I'm angry. I really couldn't care less if people called them "doe eyes" because they are! And my nose is too big? Not really and it does its job, so why worry about it? My hair is wavy in a messy, unruly way, but it's got that beautiful red-brown color. And yes, grey is creeping into the spectrum, but who cares? I'm closer to thirty than twenty anyway and that grey is silvery and beautiful too. My face is usually smiling because life is great and though my teeth aren't perfectly straight or blindingly white, they are healthy and allow me to eat whatever I want comfortably and without problems. I agree that my bust is huge, but I'm nursing a baby. It should be! When she's weaned it'll shrink back down to where it was before. While that's still large, my hubby's not complaining so neither will I. The slenderish (I've never been skinny) hourglass I had in high school has thickened somewhat around the middle and will probably always be more of a pear than it used to be, but that's alright because when I needed those big hips to safely deliver my babies, they were there. I eat a balanced diet and no matter what Michelle Obama says, the occasional trip to McDonalds is not going to kill me or my children. In fact since she has no professional knowledge on the subject, anything she says about diet or health I immediately throw out as an opinion. My children are healthy and happy as am I. My thirty pound weight loss goal will get me back to the weight I was when I married my sweet husband. I have no illusions of getting back my freshman-in-high-school weight because my body has matured since then. I don't want to be stick-thin. I want to be beautiful and I am beautiful right now the way that I am.
You are beautiful too. Here's an idea, go to your mirror and take a peek. Don't think about anything society says you should be. Instead I want you to look at your gorgeous eyes. That's right, they're gorgeous! Have you ever seen anyone with as stunning an eye color as you have? I didn't think so. Look at your smile. See how lovely you are when you're happy? Oh look, there's a twinkle in your eye again. Where has that been hiding? Look at those loving arms ready to grant a hug when needed. Look at those cute ears ready to listen when someone needs to talk. Embrace the beautiful you. Who cares what society says you should be? God knows who you really are and He made you in His image. Doesn't that in and of itself make you beautiful? It does. Now, whenever you start feeling that you'll never be as beautiful as... I want you to look again at the beautiful you. You are gorgeous! So go on, allow yourself a little slack. Laugh, love and live for every moment. See the gorgeous you. Be the gorgeous you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Are you gorgeous? YES!
Like me, many of my friends have recently added beautiful, bouncing babies to their families. And like me, many of those friends are trying to shed those baby pounds. We've set our weight loss goals and started our routines to make it there. I cheer with them when they announce so many pounds lost. I eagerly read the healthy new recipe they found and loved. And I've discovered that those doing the best are the ones focusing on the positive. When one says, "Missed my exercise, but playing with baby was so worth it!" I don't criticize or remind them of those skinny jeans they want to get back into. They already know. I celebrate that they are building a loving relationship with their child and say, "Isn't that the best?"
But I've found that the key with each of my friends and with me is this: We couldn't care less what society says a woman should look like, eat like, behave like, etc. We just don't care.
Society says that we should all be slender, with perfect hair, perfect makeup and beautiful white, straight teeth. Let me tell you what society would say about me. My hair is too messy and too wild; it should be straightened. It's probably too long too and should be cut. And dear heavens! is that grey hair I see peeking out? DYE IT! My eyes crinkle too much when I smile and way too much when I laugh. Even my nose crinkles! Am I five? And my eyes are too big for my face, and my nose probably is too. I should do something about that. I'm round where I ought to be flat and there's a good two inches more bust than any decent woman should have. They do have reductions, you know. I have stretch marks on various parts of my body courtesy of two babies and a seven-inch growth spurt in middle school. I really ought to put some cream on those to make them go away. I should exercise more and probably get a personal trainer. My thirty pound weight loss goal is not nearly enough to get me to the right weight so I should eat rabbit food for the rest of my life and spend at least half of my day doing some kind of cardio. Do I want to be fat forever?...
I think you get the idea. If society were to give a grade on my body, they'd give me a great big, fat, teacher-marking-pen-red F. But I don't care because here's the real me:
I have big, gorgeous, golden green eyes that sparkle and glow when I'm happy and then darken like a spring thunderstorm when I'm angry. I really couldn't care less if people called them "doe eyes" because they are! And my nose is too big? Not really and it does its job, so why worry about it? My hair is wavy in a messy, unruly way, but it's got that beautiful red-brown color. And yes, grey is creeping into the spectrum, but who cares? I'm closer to thirty than twenty anyway and that grey is silvery and beautiful too. My face is usually smiling because life is great and though my teeth aren't perfectly straight or blindingly white, they are healthy and allow me to eat whatever I want comfortably and without problems. I agree that my bust is huge, but I'm nursing a baby. It should be! When she's weaned it'll shrink back down to where it was before. While that's still large, my hubby's not complaining so neither will I. The slenderish (I've never been skinny) hourglass I had in high school has thickened somewhat around the middle and will probably always be more of a pear than it used to be, but that's alright because when I needed those big hips to safely deliver my babies, they were there. I eat a balanced diet and no matter what Michelle Obama says, the occasional trip to McDonalds is not going to kill me or my children. In fact since she has no professional knowledge on the subject, anything she says about diet or health I immediately throw out as an opinion. My children are healthy and happy as am I. My thirty pound weight loss goal will get me back to the weight I was when I married my sweet husband. I have no illusions of getting back my freshman-in-high-school weight because my body has matured since then. I don't want to be stick-thin. I want to be beautiful and I am beautiful right now the way that I am.
You are beautiful too. Here's an idea, go to your mirror and take a peek. Don't think about anything society says you should be. Instead I want you to look at your gorgeous eyes. That's right, they're gorgeous! Have you ever seen anyone with as stunning an eye color as you have? I didn't think so. Look at your smile. See how lovely you are when you're happy? Oh look, there's a twinkle in your eye again. Where has that been hiding? Look at those loving arms ready to grant a hug when needed. Look at those cute ears ready to listen when someone needs to talk. Embrace the beautiful you. Who cares what society says you should be? God knows who you really are and He made you in His image. Doesn't that in and of itself make you beautiful? It does. Now, whenever you start feeling that you'll never be as beautiful as... I want you to look again at the beautiful you. You are gorgeous! So go on, allow yourself a little slack. Laugh, love and live for every moment. See the gorgeous you. Be the gorgeous you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Are you gorgeous? YES!
June 10, 2013
Surprise!!!
Well, I told everyone that Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down would not be available until June 13th, but apparently I didn't get the settings quite right and it's now available today! So, surprise!!!
I'm glad it's out a little early. I know some of you have been eagerly waiting for this new tale having read excerpts such as the chapter "Fire Drill". But it is now available on CreateSpace (https://www.createspace.com/4314083) and can be preordered on Amazon.com. (They got the message about the thirteenth. Not sure why CreateSpace didn't.) So if you've been chomping at the bit, wait no longer! You can order your copy today!
For those of you who aren't sure yet if you want to add this to your summer reading, here's a little taste to help whet your appetite. ;)
Misadventure Begins
Just before I was allowed to watch the kids myself, Mom and Dad went down to Dallas so that they could do work in the LDS temple there. A babysitter had been called to stay overnight and watch us until they returned sometime in the evening of the second day. She was recently engaged and so had spent much of the evening too excited to get much sleep. By mid-afternoon of the second day, she had us put in a quiet movie with the intention of everyone taking a siesta, as she put it. “Go get your favorite blankets and pillows so you guys can be comfortable,” she said. “Bekah, since Jessica picked the movie last night, it’s your turn to pick a movie to watch.”
Bekah ran downstairs to pick a movie and the rest of us gathered our blankets and pillows. I was even nice enough to grab Bekah’s for her since she was busy picking a movie. Soon we had all gathered up again and Bekah popped The Secret Garden into the VHS player. James rolled his eyes at her. “Again?”
“Hey, Allison said I could pick.” Bekah said stubbornly.
“Alright, no fighting,” Allison warned.
The argument ceased and everyone made little nests on the ground. We could tell she was tired and we weren’t about to tell her that we all knew “siesta” was a grown-up way of saying nap. Most of us hadn’t taken a nap in several years and had no intention of actually going to sleep. But since she was giving us free rein to make a mess of the living room, we took full advantage of it. Soon there were blankets and pillows strewn about the floor and we were watching the movie. Bekah and I both loved The Secret Garden, especially the scene in the garden when they’re taking photographs. Our favorite part was the garden swing hanging from the tall tree in the garden.
“Hey, Jessica,” Bekah whispered (Allison had fallen asleep and we didn’t want to wake her), “wouldn’t it be cool if we had a garden swing?”
“It would, but we don’t have a garden.”
“There’s the tree in the front yard that we climb in. We could put a swing there.” Bekah was usually the instigator of our mischief and if not her, it was me and she took charge of it.
“That wouldn’t work. The fence is too close. Besides, we don’t have any wood to make a swing seat from.”
Bekah paused to think. “Well, what if we built the swing inside?”
At this point, James was listening in. “That would be awesome!” he said, a little too loudly.
“Shhh!”
We all turned to the couch where Allison was still sound asleep. After a moment, we all turned to each other again. Now everyone was in on the secret. “How would we do that?” I asked her.
“We could use the railing upstairs and hang it over the stairs going to our room,” she pointed out.
I glanced again at Allison. She was really, really tired. If we were quiet, she would sleep through the whole episode and never know that anything had happened. “Alright. Eliza, go get a piece of long rope from Daddy’s Scout box. Bekah, you and I will tie it to the railing.”
Eliza scampered off to the rope box and brought the longest rope Dad had. Soon Bekah and I were tying the ends to the upstairs railing. Then we all went back downstairs. “My idea, so I get first swing,” Bekah said.
Everyone shrugged. It wasn’t worth an argument. After she had a turn, everyone else tried. When James got off the swing he frowned. “The rope hurts my bottom.”
“Yeah, it does a bit. Maybe we could use a pillow as a seat.” I grabbed my pillow and tried to put it onto the ropes.
Steven took his turn and fell off. “Ouch.”
“Well, that didn’t work,” Bekah scoffed.
“Have any better ideas?” I retorted.
“What if we made a vine swing like in Swiss Family Robinson?” Eliza asked before the fight could really get going.
“But we don’t have water to land on like they did. We would crash through the girls’ room door and hurt ourselves.”
“Not if we opened our door,” Bekah said.
“And we could pile all the blankets and pillows at the bottom of the stairs and into the room for a soft landing,” James pointed out.
I knew I should have told them that the fun was over, but in truth I’d always wanted to try out a vine swing. “Alright, but this rope is too long. Go get a shorter one.”
Eliza went to get the rope and the rest of us quietly got our blankets and pillows out of the living room. Soon there were blankets sprawled across the landing and spilling into the girls’ room. Pillows were strewn about on top to cushion us as we swung. James was allowed the first swing and we took turns for a while. It was going along great until James’ last turn. He filled his lungs with air and just as he started to swing, let out a Tarzan yell to wake the dead. Okay, maybe not the dead; but it did wake Allison.
Bolting upright on the couch, she yelped, “What happened?” Her eyes adjusted and she saw the rope dangling from the upstairs railing. “What is that?”
“A sing,” Steven announced. “You wanna tun?”
“No I don’t want a turn!” Allison replied, getting up from the couch and placing her hands on her hips. “What were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt or broken something. Your parents will be here any minute and if they catch you with that mess there’s going to be trouble.”
“You won’t tell them, will you?” James asked, putting on his best pleading face.
Allison looked at each of us. Five pairs of big eyes looked back at her. “If you get it cleaned up in the next two minutes, then I won’t tell your parents what you were up to. But only if it’s all cleaned up.”
The five of us kids scrambled to pick everything up and get it put away properly. I untied the rope from the railing and put it away in the Scout box while the others grabbed armfuls of pillows and blankets from the landing downstairs. The chaos caused a few little scuffles.
“That’s my blanket!”
“Who cares? I’m putting it away.”
“But it’s mine.”
“Stop fighting and clean it up,” Allison warned. “Only one minute left.”
“Ouch, you stepped on me.”
“Well, I’m trying to hurry.”
“Has anyone seen my pillow?”
“I un-gee.”
“Thirty seconds,” Allison called.
“Who has my throw?”
“It’s probably in the pile upstairs.”
“That’s not put away.”
“Ten seconds.”
“I un-gee.”
Allison continued counting down the seconds until she’d reached zero. ...
To find out how this story ends, you'll have to check out the book! :) Enjoy!
I'm glad it's out a little early. I know some of you have been eagerly waiting for this new tale having read excerpts such as the chapter "Fire Drill". But it is now available on CreateSpace (https://www.createspace.com/4314083) and can be preordered on Amazon.com. (They got the message about the thirteenth. Not sure why CreateSpace didn't.) So if you've been chomping at the bit, wait no longer! You can order your copy today!
For those of you who aren't sure yet if you want to add this to your summer reading, here's a little taste to help whet your appetite. ;)
Misadventure Begins
Just before I was allowed to watch the kids myself, Mom and Dad went down to Dallas so that they could do work in the LDS temple there. A babysitter had been called to stay overnight and watch us until they returned sometime in the evening of the second day. She was recently engaged and so had spent much of the evening too excited to get much sleep. By mid-afternoon of the second day, she had us put in a quiet movie with the intention of everyone taking a siesta, as she put it. “Go get your favorite blankets and pillows so you guys can be comfortable,” she said. “Bekah, since Jessica picked the movie last night, it’s your turn to pick a movie to watch.”
Bekah ran downstairs to pick a movie and the rest of us gathered our blankets and pillows. I was even nice enough to grab Bekah’s for her since she was busy picking a movie. Soon we had all gathered up again and Bekah popped The Secret Garden into the VHS player. James rolled his eyes at her. “Again?”
“Hey, Allison said I could pick.” Bekah said stubbornly.
“Alright, no fighting,” Allison warned.
The argument ceased and everyone made little nests on the ground. We could tell she was tired and we weren’t about to tell her that we all knew “siesta” was a grown-up way of saying nap. Most of us hadn’t taken a nap in several years and had no intention of actually going to sleep. But since she was giving us free rein to make a mess of the living room, we took full advantage of it. Soon there were blankets and pillows strewn about the floor and we were watching the movie. Bekah and I both loved The Secret Garden, especially the scene in the garden when they’re taking photographs. Our favorite part was the garden swing hanging from the tall tree in the garden.
“Hey, Jessica,” Bekah whispered (Allison had fallen asleep and we didn’t want to wake her), “wouldn’t it be cool if we had a garden swing?”
“It would, but we don’t have a garden.”
“There’s the tree in the front yard that we climb in. We could put a swing there.” Bekah was usually the instigator of our mischief and if not her, it was me and she took charge of it.
“That wouldn’t work. The fence is too close. Besides, we don’t have any wood to make a swing seat from.”
Bekah paused to think. “Well, what if we built the swing inside?”
At this point, James was listening in. “That would be awesome!” he said, a little too loudly.
“Shhh!”
We all turned to the couch where Allison was still sound asleep. After a moment, we all turned to each other again. Now everyone was in on the secret. “How would we do that?” I asked her.
“We could use the railing upstairs and hang it over the stairs going to our room,” she pointed out.
I glanced again at Allison. She was really, really tired. If we were quiet, she would sleep through the whole episode and never know that anything had happened. “Alright. Eliza, go get a piece of long rope from Daddy’s Scout box. Bekah, you and I will tie it to the railing.”
Eliza scampered off to the rope box and brought the longest rope Dad had. Soon Bekah and I were tying the ends to the upstairs railing. Then we all went back downstairs. “My idea, so I get first swing,” Bekah said.
Everyone shrugged. It wasn’t worth an argument. After she had a turn, everyone else tried. When James got off the swing he frowned. “The rope hurts my bottom.”
“Yeah, it does a bit. Maybe we could use a pillow as a seat.” I grabbed my pillow and tried to put it onto the ropes.
Steven took his turn and fell off. “Ouch.”
“Well, that didn’t work,” Bekah scoffed.
“Have any better ideas?” I retorted.
“What if we made a vine swing like in Swiss Family Robinson?” Eliza asked before the fight could really get going.
“But we don’t have water to land on like they did. We would crash through the girls’ room door and hurt ourselves.”
“Not if we opened our door,” Bekah said.
“And we could pile all the blankets and pillows at the bottom of the stairs and into the room for a soft landing,” James pointed out.
I knew I should have told them that the fun was over, but in truth I’d always wanted to try out a vine swing. “Alright, but this rope is too long. Go get a shorter one.”
Eliza went to get the rope and the rest of us quietly got our blankets and pillows out of the living room. Soon there were blankets sprawled across the landing and spilling into the girls’ room. Pillows were strewn about on top to cushion us as we swung. James was allowed the first swing and we took turns for a while. It was going along great until James’ last turn. He filled his lungs with air and just as he started to swing, let out a Tarzan yell to wake the dead. Okay, maybe not the dead; but it did wake Allison.
Bolting upright on the couch, she yelped, “What happened?” Her eyes adjusted and she saw the rope dangling from the upstairs railing. “What is that?”
“A sing,” Steven announced. “You wanna tun?”
“No I don’t want a turn!” Allison replied, getting up from the couch and placing her hands on her hips. “What were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt or broken something. Your parents will be here any minute and if they catch you with that mess there’s going to be trouble.”
“You won’t tell them, will you?” James asked, putting on his best pleading face.
Allison looked at each of us. Five pairs of big eyes looked back at her. “If you get it cleaned up in the next two minutes, then I won’t tell your parents what you were up to. But only if it’s all cleaned up.”
The five of us kids scrambled to pick everything up and get it put away properly. I untied the rope from the railing and put it away in the Scout box while the others grabbed armfuls of pillows and blankets from the landing downstairs. The chaos caused a few little scuffles.
“That’s my blanket!”
“Who cares? I’m putting it away.”
“But it’s mine.”
“Stop fighting and clean it up,” Allison warned. “Only one minute left.”
“Ouch, you stepped on me.”
“Well, I’m trying to hurry.”
“Has anyone seen my pillow?”
“I un-gee.”
“Thirty seconds,” Allison called.
“Who has my throw?”
“It’s probably in the pile upstairs.”
“That’s not put away.”
“Ten seconds.”
“I un-gee.”
Allison continued counting down the seconds until she’d reached zero. ...
To find out how this story ends, you'll have to check out the book! :) Enjoy!
June 3, 2013
Confessions
I have a few things I need to confess. First, I don't just write because I love to (although that is a huge motivation). I write to support my habits. This leads me to my second confession: I am a hobby addict. It seems that I add new hobbies quite often and they are rarely the inexpensive ones. I love to draw, to paint, to play my piano, to cross-stitch, to sew, to garden and the list could continue from there. Trying new things is fun and often when I try something new, it gets added to my list of hobbies. Not always, but often.
As we've turned our new house into a home, there have been moments for my hobbies to rear their heads. The nursery furniture didn't match at all and so I had to paint it. Now the dresser and desk almost look like they belong in a set together (I can't do much about the drawer pulls since they've been on so long they've fused themselves to the previous paint job). Now we're waiting on a couple of shipments from Michigan Bulb to add a shade garden between the patio and garage. It was just so boring. And in my defense, it was my husband's idea. Honest!
It's fun having so many hobbies, but it also takes money which is in part why I write. The money I make from book sales, such as it is, supplements our budget and gives me the funds to allow my hobbies to run wild! Well, maybe not wild, but you get the idea. It helps to pay for flowers, paints, sheet music, thread, embroidery floss and all those other things I need for hobbying. It helped pay for the ferns, foxglove and lily-of-the-valley that is making its way here.
And now for my last confessions of the day. "Mischief Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down" will be released in ebook and print editions sometime in the next week or so. But, it will be an unillustrated version. My illustrator has gotten bogged down with summer jobs, getting ready to move to a new state and other concerns. So I've given him an extended deadline and made it so that you can enjoy the shenanigans that you've been waiting for.
Lastly, I am recommitting to my fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo. If you have it in your budget, kindly visit www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott and make a small donation to keep this great program running! Thank you!
As we've turned our new house into a home, there have been moments for my hobbies to rear their heads. The nursery furniture didn't match at all and so I had to paint it. Now the dresser and desk almost look like they belong in a set together (I can't do much about the drawer pulls since they've been on so long they've fused themselves to the previous paint job). Now we're waiting on a couple of shipments from Michigan Bulb to add a shade garden between the patio and garage. It was just so boring. And in my defense, it was my husband's idea. Honest!
It's fun having so many hobbies, but it also takes money which is in part why I write. The money I make from book sales, such as it is, supplements our budget and gives me the funds to allow my hobbies to run wild! Well, maybe not wild, but you get the idea. It helps to pay for flowers, paints, sheet music, thread, embroidery floss and all those other things I need for hobbying. It helped pay for the ferns, foxglove and lily-of-the-valley that is making its way here.
And now for my last confessions of the day. "Mischief Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down" will be released in ebook and print editions sometime in the next week or so. But, it will be an unillustrated version. My illustrator has gotten bogged down with summer jobs, getting ready to move to a new state and other concerns. So I've given him an extended deadline and made it so that you can enjoy the shenanigans that you've been waiting for.
Lastly, I am recommitting to my fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo. If you have it in your budget, kindly visit www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott and make a small donation to keep this great program running! Thank you!
May 27, 2013
Remembering Our Heroes
Today is Memorial Day and that has a wealth of meaning in the United States. For some lucky kids it symbolizes the end of school and start of summer, no matter what the meteorologist says. For some it's a day of barbecues, hot dogs, festivals and parades. And for many of us it's a day to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. When I check my Facebook page I will be inundated with pictures of eagles, the flag, military cemeteries, and other patriotic images bearing messages like, "God Bless America", "Lest We Forget", and "God Bless Our Troops". I love seeing those. But there will also be a few cynics who write long rants with the basic gist of, "Who cares? What's so special about the military? They're just average guys doing their jobs. That doesn't make them heroes."
Those posts tend to make my blood boil a bit and with good reason. I come from a long, proud heritage of military service dating beyond the French and Indian War. Most recently I have a grandfather who was in the army air corp during WWII, another grandfather who was a naval supply officer in Vietnam, and I married into a family where the grandfather had served in the Marines during Vietnam. And then there's my hero, my dad. He was a navigator and then an inspector general in the Air Force, retiring this month as a Lieutenant Colonel. He taught me that there are things worth fighting for and that freedom doesn't come free. Someone has to pay for it. And so we waited during deployments, praying for his safety. He was always willing to go and never complained.
And that's why our military members are heroes. They are just average guys (and girls) doing their job. But their job is what makes them extraordinary. They have committed to freedom not just their time, but their lives. They are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, single and married. They are average people with average lives who feel a burning in their bosom to do something more. They know, like my dad, that freedom isn't free and they've decided that it is worth fighting for. They have put their lives on the line to ensure that we can live in peace and safety.
While we enjoy that barbecue, some of them are across the world hoping that today is quiet. They are missing their families. During their time in the desert, or the jungle, or wherever they are, they have missed birthdays, weddings, funerals, births, graduations, and other life events. They leave everything behind to make sure that we are a free people.
Does that make them heroes? I suppose that depends on your perspective. Do you value your freedom? If so, just remember that there are soldiers who fought for that freedom. There are soldiers who died for that freedom. To those who complain that they are nothing special, just remember that you have the freedom and right to say that because of them.
We would all do well to take a moment today to remember those average guys and girls who did the extraordinary. We would do well to honor and remember our military heroes.
Happy Memorial Day to all of you! And God bless our nation and our troops!
Those posts tend to make my blood boil a bit and with good reason. I come from a long, proud heritage of military service dating beyond the French and Indian War. Most recently I have a grandfather who was in the army air corp during WWII, another grandfather who was a naval supply officer in Vietnam, and I married into a family where the grandfather had served in the Marines during Vietnam. And then there's my hero, my dad. He was a navigator and then an inspector general in the Air Force, retiring this month as a Lieutenant Colonel. He taught me that there are things worth fighting for and that freedom doesn't come free. Someone has to pay for it. And so we waited during deployments, praying for his safety. He was always willing to go and never complained.
And that's why our military members are heroes. They are just average guys (and girls) doing their job. But their job is what makes them extraordinary. They have committed to freedom not just their time, but their lives. They are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, single and married. They are average people with average lives who feel a burning in their bosom to do something more. They know, like my dad, that freedom isn't free and they've decided that it is worth fighting for. They have put their lives on the line to ensure that we can live in peace and safety.
While we enjoy that barbecue, some of them are across the world hoping that today is quiet. They are missing their families. During their time in the desert, or the jungle, or wherever they are, they have missed birthdays, weddings, funerals, births, graduations, and other life events. They leave everything behind to make sure that we are a free people.
Does that make them heroes? I suppose that depends on your perspective. Do you value your freedom? If so, just remember that there are soldiers who fought for that freedom. There are soldiers who died for that freedom. To those who complain that they are nothing special, just remember that you have the freedom and right to say that because of them.
We would all do well to take a moment today to remember those average guys and girls who did the extraordinary. We would do well to honor and remember our military heroes.
Happy Memorial Day to all of you! And God bless our nation and our troops!
May 24, 2013
Finally!!!
Oh it has been far too long! Almost the entire month of May has passed by without me saying anything! Did you panic? Were you worried? Well, fear not! I am now settled in my new house (yes, I am finally out of apartments!) and trying to get back into a normal routine that doesn't involve unpacking boxes. If you've ever moved, you know what I mean!
So how have things been in my absence? Hopefully you read some good books, enjoyed some spring weather and got some summer goals set. I know I've been able to do those things! My summer is packed with plans for traveling, playing and, of course, writing.
What are my writing plans? Let me tell you. :)
This summer I will be finishing the mystery I started. Then I will edit, format and make sure it's totally awesome before publishing it hopefully towards the end of this year, beginning of next. Why so long? Because I want to make sure I get it just right! And if that happens sooner rather than later, you'll get it early! :)
I will also be writing the third Charming Academy book. Current title is "Prince Charming's Search", but we'll see what it ends up when I actually get going on it. Hopefully it will be released in time for the holidays.
My awesome illustrating brother is hard at work on the illustrations for "Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down". Hopefully they will be done within the next month so be looking for that summer release!
I'm also continuing my fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo. You may get tired of me saying it, but you truly can make a difference. This program and it's parent-program, NaNoWrimo, completely changed me as a writer. I stopped thinking, "Maybe someday I'll be good enough." This was replaced with "I am good enough right now!" And from there two books have gone on the market with plans for many more on the way. In light of recent events, I'm sure many of you are searching to donate to help the community of Moore, Oklahoma. If that is your goal, I encourage you to do so. Having witnessed first-hand the devastation a tornado can bring, I know that the help will be greatly appreciated and needed. Please make sure that you make your donations through trusted and reputable programs. Unfortunately tragedies like this can bring out the worst kind of people. Take care in who you donate to and how.
That said, I am making June and July my big fundraising months. There will be prizes, fun blogs, pictures and more, so keep an eye out. And if you can spare a few dollars, go to my fundraising page http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?f... and leave a donation. It all goes to a great program that is changing the way writers see themselves. I know it changed my vision. Help me pay it forward!
Have a terrific summer and keep watching here for updates on what's happening in my life!
So how have things been in my absence? Hopefully you read some good books, enjoyed some spring weather and got some summer goals set. I know I've been able to do those things! My summer is packed with plans for traveling, playing and, of course, writing.
What are my writing plans? Let me tell you. :)
This summer I will be finishing the mystery I started. Then I will edit, format and make sure it's totally awesome before publishing it hopefully towards the end of this year, beginning of next. Why so long? Because I want to make sure I get it just right! And if that happens sooner rather than later, you'll get it early! :)
I will also be writing the third Charming Academy book. Current title is "Prince Charming's Search", but we'll see what it ends up when I actually get going on it. Hopefully it will be released in time for the holidays.
My awesome illustrating brother is hard at work on the illustrations for "Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down". Hopefully they will be done within the next month so be looking for that summer release!
I'm also continuing my fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo. You may get tired of me saying it, but you truly can make a difference. This program and it's parent-program, NaNoWrimo, completely changed me as a writer. I stopped thinking, "Maybe someday I'll be good enough." This was replaced with "I am good enough right now!" And from there two books have gone on the market with plans for many more on the way. In light of recent events, I'm sure many of you are searching to donate to help the community of Moore, Oklahoma. If that is your goal, I encourage you to do so. Having witnessed first-hand the devastation a tornado can bring, I know that the help will be greatly appreciated and needed. Please make sure that you make your donations through trusted and reputable programs. Unfortunately tragedies like this can bring out the worst kind of people. Take care in who you donate to and how.
That said, I am making June and July my big fundraising months. There will be prizes, fun blogs, pictures and more, so keep an eye out. And if you can spare a few dollars, go to my fundraising page http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?f... and leave a donation. It all goes to a great program that is changing the way writers see themselves. I know it changed my vision. Help me pay it forward!
Have a terrific summer and keep watching here for updates on what's happening in my life!
