Tuesday February 3, 2009
“Oh, S P R I N G,” she yelled loudly. But the only response was the hollow echo of winter.
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Do you ever feel as though someone put your brain in a frying pan full of hot oil? Or like the connections in your brain are suddenly getting zapped by electrical currents too high for the wires? And after awhile it feels as though everything is just “zing, zing, zing-ing” way too loudly. That was my January.
It’s January. No wait. It’s February. Oh, bother. January. That l – o – n – g month I always dread because it drags by so slowly. This time I couldn’t wait. I was going to scrapbook. On high. Oo la la. I actually got as far as bringing the supplies down to the dining room. And there they sit. Somehow, January evaporated somewhere under the muddle of three large, time-consuming projects.
Project 1. My children’s book which I guess is still technically a manuscript. I am very, very, very, very, very, very excited about the fact that it is actually going to be published. Even more exciting to me is the fact that the publisher asked if I would write more books for a series. And even more exciting then that is the way that God is opening doors to the first story … all ready to be put into words. Sometimes I almost get goosebumps. David Lee says if I don’t stop pinching myself I will turn black and blue.
Project 2. Complete renovation of the business website. Huge improvement. The fun part is done now though for the most part and it’s in the slaving away over the details part and I’ll be oh, so glad when it’s finished.
Project 3. Helping David Lee with his power point presentation for camp. Probably the project I looked forward to least because I’d never done one. Sometimes it feels as though camp is becoming this fifth person in our household. I know it’s temporary, this sort of boot camp preparation for presentation thing; but I am selfishly weary of it all the way to the bone. It gobbles up David Lee’s evenings like a cookie monster on steroids which means that for a little while the boys suffered from serious DDD (daddy deficit disorder) and I was nearly ready to call Dr. Hawkes to see if they prescribed Ritalin for that as well. Not only did they get grumpier, Adam got much naughtier and started acting out for attention all day long. Daddy time with the boys translates to mommy time without the boys and very quickly it wasn’t just the boys who were cranky.
(I thought too she’d grown up but it’s hard telling what will happen when the temperature goes above 60. Adam was in shock.)
Thankfully, the bulk of it is done. This weekend was the turning point because everyone was losing it. Everyone except David Lee who is always calm. No matter how many people pull at him for attention. He spent the afternoon making up for lost time with the boys after yet another meeting (unrelated to camp) that took most of the morning and by evening we were one big happy family again. Whoever said “if Mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy” way underestimated the power of a dad.
(Liam’s idea of story time: flip over daddy, flip over Adam, crawl around and repeat. repeat. repeat.)
I’m really excited about the presentation parts (she says naively, not thinking of all the driving with people in car seats). The first one is Sunday and for some reason it feels as though things will fly a little more on auto pilot after that. Aside from the fact that we’ll be doing presentations somewhere close to 50-75% of the Sundays in February and March. Auto pilot at our house? Maybe not.
Sunday afternoon the weather was in the glorious sixties. On a whim we took the boys to the park. Liam had his first real swing ride. His giggle was just darling. Adam and I chased each other up and down the slides and he got to ride his bike around the huge parking lot.
This morning the world woke up like this:
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January was also the month for the boys to suddenly grow up. I must have blinked and the next thing I knew Liam was walking behind toys (as long as it’s on the carpet to slow the toy down). Adam, the very same four year old who begged me to do everything in the evenings and yelled every night, “Mommy, don’t get water in my eyes,” switched in one night to a very big boy who can bathe himself, wash his own hair, and get his pj’s on solo. I shake my head to clear the cobwebs and wonder how it happened.
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You know, next month, I think I’d like to get hired by those Liberty tax prep people. I want the job where you just stand out by the road with the statue of Liberty costume and wave at everyone who goes past. I think I’d really excel in that role.
Congratulations on the book – that sounds beyond exciting!! I know the feeling looking at your child(ren) and realizing they are grown up all of a sudden…
How sweet— the book deal!!!!!!! I am SO happy for you!!!!!! and your pics! oh. my. goodness. your little guys are so totally adorable! and growing up so fast!
I love you all, and, honey, Spring will come- soon.
Congratulations to you, and when is the book coming out, or don’t you know yet? And, wow, what a dream come true to have a self-bathing child. 🙂
hey, i want one of your books then..wow, congrats
Oh, Congratulations on the book!! That has got to be a tremendously exciting feeling…
Spring… I’m avoiding the thought of it… the light warm breeze, the green growing brighter every day, tiny plants poking up through the dirt to see the world… so much for avoiding the thought.. 🙁 Though I AM determined to enjoy all the snow we’re having.
I love your dream of being a Liberty tax person. It seems it would be totally stress free and sort of a happy job, waving at people all day.
Spring will come. Very soon.
I will cease writing this lengthy epistle. Have a great day today!
Kudos on the book project! That is wonderful:) I would last all of 3 minutes being a waving statue, but you for it. I’ll go for the sleeping beauty part in a play any day. I got some scrapping done, but still have miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep…. hmmm, I think I’m a little low on sleep. Have a happy day:)
Loved the hodge podge post 🙂 also loved the pic of you sliding down the slide. I thought I was the only mom to do such a thing and have my kids stand in awe that Mom would do such a thing. 🙂 Congrats on the book !!! That is sooo exciting. Oh and when you get your job of being a Liberty tax person let me know………….I love to toot my horn and wave at those people standing there just a waving. 🙂
Liam is so cute in the third pictures. It makes me wish I could squish him. 🙂 I’m glad your January is over, too. Oh, and I THINK (said in a high squeaky voice) you’d get tired of standing in the cold as Ms. Liberty. 😀 😀
Love the post. Can’t wait for spring spring spring too. 🙂
A big congrats on the book deal. That is way too cool! Can I be nosy and ask who’s publishing it, or is that classified info? Its always been a dream of mine to get something published, but so far I haven’t even sent anything in. So you’re an inspriration to me…(Aaa yes it CAN be done)
I know a 102 year old lady who went down a slide several times at 98!! You can slide a looonnnggg time yet!!Keep up the good work
thanks for the giggle this morning! Imagining you as Ms Liberty just cracks me up. I have said many times the people who do that must be VERY hard up, would be the last job I would consider :)……. but who knows, maybe there would be joy there too 🙂 🙂
@ewaldro – probably not til this fall. They’d like to wait and publish all of them at one time. I’m a little disappointed b/c I thought seeing the first one in print would give me some ooph. The truth is, though that I’ll probably stay more motivated to get done this way since I really want to see the end product.
@writersblock02 – Of course you can be nosy. Vision Publishers out of Harrisonburg, VA is doing it. They’ve been absolutely delightful in coming alongside and helping me. You really should try something somewhere. You have a great writing style. (Want one of my assignments? =) ) Let me know if I can help you. Honestly, if it wouldn’t have been pushes from friends and continued pulls from them (after I talked to them about the book but then lost my nerve to send it in) I wouldn’t be on the list. So here’s a little nudge from me. And lesson learned, don’t get shy after the first rejection.
I have a friend who works at Vision Publishers! I’m so excited for you!
Vision is what used to be called Campbell Copy Center, right? There are lots of great Christian books for older kids out there, but quite the dearth of decent picture books (and I’m not just talking about Mennonite publishers). I’m really glad you stuck with it, because one publisher’s junk (as in rejection) is another publisher’s treasure (as in one of their bestselling books).
@ewaldro – yeah, but tell that to the publishers who are trying to produce more “cheap” books so the Mennonites will buy them. And yes, it used to be Campbell Copy Center. Fortunately these people are seeing the need and I’m really excited about that. Best seller? Boy, I wish. But that’s a lot to hope for. Have you started on yours?
I enjoyed reading about you again. Congratulations to becoming an accomplished author! Can’t wait to see it!
Wow, congratulations on the book deal. I have always dreamed of doing such a thing, but my imagination seems to be curiously lacking for ideas! I’m happy for you.
And yes, your children are growing up! Liam is just adorable. Can’t believe he’s already pushing toys around.
I’m eagerly awaiting the day my 3 year old decides to grow up and give himself baths. The crying about water in his ears, eyes, etc. does get old. But this too shall pass, and I shall mourn a little bit that these sweet days with my children are ever going by, and the children growing right up. Then I guess I’ll have to wait for grandchildren to spoil. 🙂