Do You Know How Long It Has Been...?

I turned 39 this summer. A few of my friends did, as well. Donna and I decided we aren't so old. But I was talking to my daughter, I don't even remember the subject. A movie.
"I haven't seen that movie in..." my mind throws out a guess as it works the math. Thirteen, fourteen years, it guesses. *Ding* The math is done. I swallow... "Ohhhhhh," I groan into my salad as the actual number is twenty-seven.
My daughter reads my expression and laughs silently. "A long time?"
"Mm-hmm."

Moments like that make me shake my head in wonder. I am still that little girl... I'm ten and want to be like my mom and marry someone just like my dad, I cant wait to see my friends and I am terrified of strangers. I can spin around and around by my knees on the bars at recess and never get dizzy or hurt. I'm twelve and have a secret crush on Jeff Clark and I'm the teacher's pet and hate it, and babysitting means I can buy a ten-speed with the curled handbars. I'm fourteen and high school terrifies me and I cling to my friends and wonder how I can want to say so much and be so tongue-tied, and I love to dance. I'm sixteen and I've had four first kisses and my family are my best friends because my true best friend moves away, and my grades fall because chemistry and geometry elude me. And my heart breaks and I break hearts and I worry about what I am going to college for and my friends all seem to know and they all go away, and then I go away and my mom turns my bedroom into an office, and I am sure they have a party to celebrate my departure, but then I see the pictures and their red eyes and my mom and sister are crying. And I find someone who gets me... who makes me feel like I am enough, and yet I can be so much more, and we fight and we play and we push through together and I ask myself, "Who else would I be without him?" and I don't want to know. And we have five children and raise four. I change diapers and wipe faces and chase runaways in Walmart and believe I will never read a book again as I read to their upturned faces and they shower me with love and I sit at the table talking to my sixteen year old about old movies I haven't seen in... a really long time.

I do not feel 39. I have only been through enough to believe it. I am that little girl.

The Long-Awaited Jensen Reunion Slide Show

Once again, thanks Mom and Dad for having such a great family! Thanks, Doug and Erica for organizing it all!

Summer, We Hardly Knew Ye

The kids start school next week. They told me I was mean for writing Hallelujah on the calendar, and drawing a little school bus chugging on down the road. Was that mean? I don't think so. Actually, neither did the seven year old. Of course, she is counting down the days to second grade. She loved my little bus. Yea for seven! Yea for school!
I have been thinking of my favorites of this summer. I can't believe it is coming to a close. We do have beautiful Septembers here in Cody, though. It is a wonderful time to visit. The colors come on slowly, and blend like a watercolor. Then it snows.
But back to this summer.
Loved the kids climbing on the statues at City Park, and Miniature golfing. I am, uh, not good.
Loved all the opportunities to take pics of kids washing the dog. For some reason, this amuses me. Maybe because I was doing it by myself, when I realized I have a house full of dog washers.
Loved the breathtaking drive over the Beartooth Mountains. 11,000 feet of Alp-ish beauty.
Loved camping with my Jensen family and getting to know my nieces and nephews better. I've decided the reunion needs its own slide show. Too many fun pictures!
Loved waking up to Brandon's smile and offered shoulder. It just doesn't happen much during the school year. I sleep too hard and he wakes up too early.
Loved re-connecting with my kids on down-time. Tennis has already started. Piano, football, and ballet are next.
Loved Shell and Trev coming all the way over and expressing their enjoyment every chance they got. ANYTIME, guys.
Loved Laura coming to stay with us and that she feels so comfortable here.
Loved getting such a positive response to the book. Loved that Chelsea is totally excited about it. Sweet justification (she has been very vocal about how much time I have devoted to writing).
We didn't get to do some of the things we wanted, but there is no going back. As a matter of fact, Shell called the other day about the Oregon Coast for next year. Yes. Yes, yes, yes!
Love summer. Sorry to see you go.

Peanut Butter & Jelly

My Newest Nephew

We can't wait to meet you, little one!

Visualize It

Several weeks ago, Carla, Norma, and I decided that we would start thinking like authors. Who cared if we hadn't been published? That didn't mean we wouldn't be. We were investing time, language, thought, research, and imagination to reach that goal, weren't we? So, I read books about publishing, cleared off my desk, put a lamp on it, bought some colored pens and sticky note tabs, organized my novels, and began writing as though it was a done deal, that these stories would be read. And I prayed. It had been nine months since I had heard anything definite from my last submission, The Orchard.
Then, last Thursday, right after I got home from a birthday lunch out with my friend, Jamie, I checked my email.
There was one from Covenant Communications.
They like my book. They listed the reasons, naming my characters. They said it was too long, and I needed to cut about 80 pages, but they love it, and there were exclamation points, which I heard that a writer should be very frugal with. But the Managing Editor used TWO. As in, the manuscript is excellent! and, What a fun story!
So after I stopped jumping up and down and screaming with my daughter, I called my mom and my sister and Carla and my B (actually, I would start jumping up and down again with each phone call), and my B hurried home and we jammed on Rock Band. I pounded out Round and Round, Everlong, and a few more drums on fire songs, and Brandon was just laughing because I ROCKED and I couldn't stop smiling.
Over the last few days I have done a quick revision, and I am now deep into a second, more thorough overhaul. I have learned that I prefer writing the story in the first place, over rewriting it, but I can already see the revisions they suggested will make a stronger, tighter story.

It's just hard to cut characters I know and love, and leave the others wondering what the heck is going on. But not to worry. I will take care of it. I am an author. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Sis and I enjoying our Schnecken in front of the City Bakery in Red Lodge. Montana. As in, "Would you like a bite of my Schnecken?" It's their specialty. There is reason.

Yum.

Too Bad. It Works For Some People.

Yesterday my children were being silly. It is nothing new, but when they are giggling and falling backwards, I tend to listen, and often join in.

Chelsea is laughing with Maren. "What am I going to be when I grow up?" She plays with Maren's hair.
I answer, "Ummm, a pain in the rear?"
Maren giggles and Chelsea laughs. "No, really."
Braeden walks in.
I ask him, "Braeden, what is Chelsea going to be when she grows up?"
"A pain in the rear."
Maren giggles.
Chelsea laughs. "Why does everyone say that?"
Maren puts her hands up. "Because you are a pain the rear."
Chelsea looks concerned. "But you don't get paid for that."
Braeden and I pause, then laugh, and I say, "You say everyone tells you that is what you are going to be when you grow up, and your concern is that you don't get paid for that?"
Chelsea giggles quietly, "Yeah, that's not right."



We love our beautiful pain in the rear. You're no problem, Girl.

More Recipes!

I dragged my books and notes and little tin canister downstairs to the office so I can begin posting new recipes on my other, more tasty blog. Now, I have to go make dinner, before my family decides it isn't such a good idea to let mom on the computer (and believe me, with two teens and two little game-mongers, they could easily squeeze me out of my time slot).

Eat and feel better!