Hearing God's Voice: In the Ringer... Again.

Remember times in your life when you had to learn something over 
and over... and over again. I feel like I'm in a repeat wash cycle of 
life. Similar to how a washer with an agitator uses movement  to 
remove the unwanted from clothes, I'm irritated by events in my life 
that are causing an uncomfortable friction in my soul. 


One of the things God is teaching me is to hear His voice verses what 
I want Him to say. Last week I had a small possibility of going to a 
writing conference. I'm writing a children's picture book series that 
incorporates prayer into each story. So when I happened upon Writing 
for the Ages, a conference specifically for Christian children's writers, 
naturally, I was excited. The main feature that drew me to this conference 
was that it focuses on the the craft of writing, not on "how to be published,"
but simply writing itself. 


Don't get me wrong. Learning how to become published is important, 
and one needs to know the business side of writing. However, I feel 
like the stronger one's writing is, the better chance one has at achieving 
published author status. Let's not forget why we're blogging and networking, 
let's not forget out love of crafting a story so that it touches the hearts of 
those who read it.


I so wanted to go to this conference, but limited finances available, I prayed 
if it was God's will that He would make a way. Days passed, and I became 
nervous. I was having difficulty scraping funds together and securing 
childcare. After an emotional conversation with God last friday, I concluded 
it wasn't His timing for me to go this year. After a few tears, I felt peace erase 
my fatigue and regret. God is all powerful, omniscient, and above all good.
He wants what's best for me, and I must rest in that knowledge. Now this
week, I'm once more facing a situation where I must put my wants aside
and truly listen for God's voice to guide me, hence the rewash cycle. 
With His grace, I'll make the right choice. If I'm seeking His will, God 
won't lead me down the wrong path. 


As far as the Writing for the Ages conference, I'll be saving up to go 
next year (they're fairly certain they'll have it again).  I've attached 
a link for anyone who wants to save their pennies for next year
as well. 


http://www.navigators.org/us/ministries/gleneyrie/retreats/cornerstone/writingfortheages

Why Write for Children?

Why write for children? Over the last year or so, I've read from differing 

sources that children's books are on a decline and that writing for adults

is more profitable. So why branch out of my comfort zone of a part time

nurse and full time mom to write in a classification of books on a decline?

I love children. I love children's books. I love that one can create fun 

stories with morals woven through the fabric of fun plots and dreamy 

fairy tales. 

It seems cliche to say that children are our future, but I'll say it. Children

are our future! Reading to them from a young age, even infancy, benefits

them tremendously. I've read to my children before naps, bedtimes, and 

in between since they were small babies, and now they both love books.

It seems they are constantly begging me to read to them. Although, 

attention spans vary according by age and activity levels, even if 

you can only get a few lines in before your young one dashes off to 

chase dust particles ignited by sunlight, you've reinforced his/her love 

of books and reading. 

Reading children's stories is also a great way to reinforce morals you're

trying to teach your children, important stuff like sharing, listening,

courage and friendship. I want to read my children stories that 

portray these kinds of qualities, so naturally, when I decided to write

for children, I incorporated these favorable character traits into my 

stories. But one can't just fill a book with lessons of character, there

also has to be exciting adventures and far away places. 

Imagine being a child, what would you want to be? Where would 

you want to go? This is what I think about when beginning a new 

story. I run my ideas across my kids, as they are brutally honest, to 

be sure the ideas are winners. Recently, I've begun brewing ideas  

for new characters and scenes for my fifth story in my children's 

picture book series. I'm excited to start it sometime in the next 

couple weeks. The beginning of the school year is always a bit 

chaotic. Soon we'll be in a routine, and I'll carve out time for a 

new adventure. 

The Nap Time Dilemma

This last week has been interesting. My role as Mommy has been tested 
in multiple ways from multiple directions, and I sit now watching hurricane 
coverage (being a huge weather junkie), completely exhausted, wishing
work would call and cancel me for the 7 - 11 "princess shift" I'm scheduled
to work tonight. Why so spent? 


I'll begin at the logical place... the beginning. Last Saturday and Sunday 
were great. We had my daughter's first "friend" birthday party with three
other adorable munchkins. They had a blast. The two hours flew by 
in a similar fashion to how our giant schnauzer/boxer mix chases rabbits 
through the back yard. Did you see that black streak go by? Thankfully, the 
evidence of whirlwind-like childish energy was contained to my daughter's 
bedroom. She had such a great time that she's still talking about it. 


On Sunday we had all the in-town family over to celebrate. Again Avalon 
had a wonderful time. She loves her extended family and is in heaven when 
we are all together. After the party I raced to a writer's meeting. My second 
ever and my first specifically for children's book writers. The meeting was 
helpful, encouraging, and informative. I was also able to give out some advice 
as well, instead being only on the receiving end. Looking back over the 
last eight months, I can see my growth as a writer, and it's exciting. 


On Monday, my husband drove to a neighboring state for work and just 
came home on Thursday. I dislike being alone, especially going to sleep
alone. When Jason's gone, I find myself staying up way too late, which 
usually leads to crankiness the following day. Through to Wednesday,
I was pretty proud of myself, then Thursday came. 


Thursday morning I had it good. Both my kiddos were at mom's day out
(what we call "school"). I went to Target by myself, did the dishes, and 
watched Rachel Ray. Thursday afternoon, Avalon decided to assert 
a new found independence, having reached the grown-up age of four.
Avalon usually has a hard time going to sleep, so my solution has been 
to sit in her rocking chair, reminding her to "be still" and "stop moving." 
Now, I know you're probably thinking Just let her stay up. She's four now! 
I tried letting her go without a nap for an entire week last month. It was
a disaster, and I think I acquired a few more white hairs by the end of it.


Usually my strategy of getting her to be still works like a charm, causing
her to slip into REM cycles within minutes. However, this day that wasn't
happening. She refused to be still, and despite all my creative incentives
and negative consequences, nap time never happened. After an hour and
a half, I found myself in tears after she matter-of-factly stared me down 
while ignoring my directions to put her head on her pillow yet one more time.


Knowing that the tears sent the wrong message, I went downstairs to regroup
and called my husband. Although he'd be home in a few hours, I needed
help then and there. He calmly spoke to the defiant one while I cleaned her
room out from distractions (a.k.a. new toys from B-day) and noticed she had
put the phone down so she didn't have to listen to her father. Who is this?
A seventeen year old in my four year old's body? I handed her back the phone.
Once their conversation was done, I retreated downstairs, found some 
chocolate, and prayed. 


Thoughts raced through my head such as I'm a horrible mother and Why don't 
I know what to do? A conversation with my older sister was extremely helpful,
relating to me what she had to do with her youngest during a similar phase 
a couple years ago. She had him take a nap every other day. What a great idea!


In a nutshell, my little girl is growing up, and amidst psychological minds games,
stare-downs, and full-out tantrums, I have to remember that growing up isn't 
easy, for parent or child. I need to allow her room to grow while still protecting 
her health, emotions, and sweet spirit. What a delicate balance. I definitely need 
God's help to be able to do this right. Today, Avalon and I talked about the 
every other day nap idea. She laughed and squealed with delight. Today's nap 
time was very different. All of her toys and stuffed animals are still in the hall, 
but with the knowledge that she'll get to be nap-free tomorrow, Avalon laid still 
and drifted to sleep within minutes. So here I sit, watching hurricane coverage, 
exhausted from the week, but with new found hope that the nap time dilemma is 
at least temporarily solved. Did I mention that James (22 months) screamed our 
entire time in Target this morning (forgot diapers yesterday)? But that's an 
entirely different story all together. 


For all of you on the east coast, be careful the next few days, and I'm praying
for minimal damage and safety for all who will be affected.

When Writing a Dummy Book...

For those of you who may not know, a dummy book is not a book for those
who could be compared to crayons who are not the brightest in the box,
but rather a layout of your picture book text. You make your own little
book out of construction paper (for example) to be certain it fits within 
the 32 page format required for children's picture books. It's a great way
to figure out the page turning points in your story and whether your 
story flows well. 


I've mentioned before that I've been reading Ann Whitford Paul's Writing 
Picture Books, the dummy book is covered in chapter 17. I spent the 
majority of the day yesterday making dummy books for my first three stories.
I'll share what I learned, but first let me tell you what not to do when making
a dummy book.


When making a dummy book, wait and buy "lift off" magic tape if you 
don't have it in the house. I didn't, so I used a glue stick instead. Twice 
on story #1, I realized that I had skipped lines that needed to be pasted in,
necessitating pulling some off and glueing them back in later. Don't try to
work on your dummy book if your children (especially if they are toddlers/
preschool age) are not incapacitated by sleep. Wait until nap time or bed
time. 


I thought having my daughter help me would be a good idea. Not really.
Figuring out page turning points requires concentration, and my Sweat Pea
is quite the conversationalist. Whatever you do, don't try to work on your
dummy book on your family room couch! What was I thinking? Granted I 
was using safety scissors, but my toddler thought grabbing things from me,
like it was some type of fabulous game. That didn't last long. Lastly, don't 
become so obsessed by your project that your spouse has to say, "Hey, 
Honey, yeah you, remember me?" It's hard for me to stop a project once 
I've started. 


Through the process of making my dummy books (I did get all three done),
I caught a typo or two and rearranged some wording to make the flow of
one of the stories better. It's a great way to get a fresh look at your manuscript,
and to see whether it will actually work well in book form. If you write picture
books, I highly recommend this process. 


I was also able to finish the fourth story in my book series on Tuesday night
and am so excited with how it turned out. I don't know if it's ready to go into
dummy book form yet. I'll need to reread and revise a few times first. :)

CUT!

Over the last couple months I finally felt like I had a good handle on this 

craft of writing, finally felt like the overwhelming sea of knowledge necessary

for me to learn was dwindling. My stories were perfect (though I couldn't 

help but tweak a few words here and there), I was developing my online 

presence as a children's writer, networking as best I could with the crazy

schedule I keep, and then I started reading, Writing Picture Books by Ann

Whitford Paul. Anyone aspiring to publish a children's book definitely needs

to read it. 

While I knew I still had much to learn, I didn't fully realize just how much

that was. One of the biggest lessons I have learned from the book so far is if 
a phrase, sentence or paragraph doesn't move your story forward, CUT IT! 
While this is probably not true of adult fiction, picture book writing requires 
"tight" writing. Ann Whitford Paul stressed repeatedly that every word has to 
count. 

With this new knowledge, I couldn't wait to revise my original story, the one

that started out at 1500 words (before I knew better). Last year I cut it down

to 800, after consulting with a freelance editor. Yesterday I probably reduced

it to 600 words. I didn't realize how many repetitive concepts were in my 

first story. I am happy with my revising so far and believe that the writing is

even stronger than before. 

It's amazing to read my first (unrevised) story and then to read my latest ones 

and see my growth as a writer. I can't wait to carve out some more time to 

revise my latest stories as well. It's so exciting. 

My next project (as recommended in chapter 17 of the book) is to make 

"dummy books" to figure out good page turning points. I'll probably let my 

3 year old help me with the pasting. She'd love it. 

I have to mention as a side note that while I have found this book a necessary

invaluable resource, I do disagree with the author on one point. She did 

emphasize not to attach morals or lessons one's stories, but that children's

books are to entertain. She said to leave the moral lessons to the educators

(paraphrase). I strongly believe in passing down morals through children's 

books. For ages, children's stories have been used to teach valuable life 

lessons, why would we stop that now? I have good friends who are teachers 

in our city schools and they are not allowed to teach any type of character

education except if a book they are reading opens a conversation. 

We are all entitled to our own opinions on the matter. That's one thing that

makes our nation great, but I'll agree to disagree with the author on this 

point.    

While cutting out some of my favorite phrases and descriptions felt like

taking a surgical blade to a part of my soul (dramatic, I know), I am so 

glad I took the author's advice despite the heartache. 

My Life: A Prayer List being Answered, Part 4

God has fulfilled so many of my dreams and prayers throughout my life. I am 

so blessed with all that He has given me. But as the childhood and young 

adulthood prayers come to pass, new ones emerge. Growing up, I never 

saw myself as a writer and never imagined I'd be venturing out into the 

unknown world of children's literature. 

In the spring of 2010, when I first felt a tug on my heart to write a children's 

book, I could also never have known just what having a children's book 

published would entail. I have learned so much in the last year, not only 

about writing, but about myself. When faced with the reality of the 

publication process, I had to ask myself, How much do I really want this?

What it came down to is this - if God gave me this desire to write for children, 

then there must be a reason, and I must see it through. 

My prayer for this new endeavor is that I following God's leading and 

direction beyond publication. He is the One who gave me this desire to write 

for children, and I want to be sure to honor Him in all that I do now and in the 

future. I pray for my characters to be relatable, funny, quirky, and adventurous, 

like most children I know. I pray that I keep God first, not only in this area of 

my life, but in all areas. God should be first and foremost, then family, and then 

work. I believe keeping these priorities straight will help me maintain some 

sort of balance as I strive to serve Christ, be a great wife and mother, work 

part time outside the home, keep up with the house, and write. 

Where am I in this process? I'm in the middle of some research involving

how best to revise your stories. I am reading Writing Picture Books by Ann

Whitford Paul, which has so far been packed full of great information on 

forming and revising picture book stories. For those of you who don't know,

a picture book is not a book with just pictures, but it is a classification

of a book that is for young children, roughly ages 2 - 8. I am about half

way through it, and given the opportunity, I should have it done by the 

end of the week. Much of what I am reading is affirming concepts I am 

already implementing in my work, but I do see some areas I can adjust

a bit. After I am finished reading, I'll scrutinize the three and a half stories

I have written in my children's book series to be sure they are the absolute

best they can be. I will then be pretty close to resubmitting to a literary agent

I'd love to work with. Until then, I'm trusting God to lead me and guide me

in all that I do. 

Do you have a prayer list, either written or in your heart? How has God

proven His faithfulness to you over the years?

Back in the Saddle Again

Last week, I wrote about how my dear mom had undergone a serious

emergency surgery, which completely consumed my consciousness,

time, energy, and prayers. She is recovering beautifully, so thank you

to everyone who has been praying. Now, as I survey my surroundings,

I see a lot that needs to be done. It's back to business as usual, mostly.

My house is a complete mess, a disaster really. I almost don't know

where to start. Errands, laundry, chores, everything needs to be done.

Yesterday I managed to vacuum the first floor while my husband made 

a frozen pizza for dinner. Hobbes our ninety-five pound boxer mix sheds 

horribly. Today, my goal was grocery shopping. During the school year, 

I accomplished this errand while my three year old was in mom's day out. 

It's so much easier to just take one munchkin to the grocery store. Our outing 

was a bit comedic. James, my nineteen month old, would reach to the side 

as far as he could, pulling off bags of chips from the shelves with the greatest 

sense of satisfaction plastered across his mischievous face. 

Even though I had strategically utilized a cart which one can strap in two

children, there were still screams as one pulled another's hair or tried to

take the other's sunglasses. I passed another mom with one toddler in

her cart, followed by two pre-school aged boys, trailing her like little obedient 

ducklings. She gave me a knowing sympathetic smile as my toddler let out yet 

another high pitched scream. Let me just emphasize, the boy has a good set 

of lungs. Trips to the grocery store can be so frustrating for him. "Why can't we 

just tear into all the boxes of food right now?!" his eyes pleaded. I shudder to 

think what my food bill will be in about ten years. 

Currently, my munchkins are down for their afternoon nap, hence the post. It

is near impossible for me to write any other time of the day. The plan: throw 

a much needed load of laundry into the washer, and then spend some time

reading my Bible and prayer. I hate to admit it, but I've only opened my Bible 

a couple times these last two weeks. Being that God's Word is our sustenance 

as Christians, it's a wonder that I've done as well as I have. God's wonderful

mercy, I'm sure, has helped. I'm excited to get back to writing this week as well,

probably some time when I feel like more neurons are firing. I feel like my brain

is clouded and fuzzy, needing a good wash from God's Word and a nap. I am

so thankful for God's grace these last few weeks and for my wonderful husband,

who has been so available and supportive. 

Fighting Off the Cicada Lullaby

Summertime is here and with it comes the fun of picnic lunches, mornings

at the pool, children chasing fireflies at dusk, eating watermelon slices on 

the back patio, delicious and ripe tomatoes, backyard cookouts with friends,

and the not so gentle hum of cicadas, a.k.a. - locusts. Their rhythmic humming

was a bit irritating at first, but now it's almost a like a comforting lullaby of nature,

encouraging the thought of an afternoon nap. And as much as I would love to

sneak in a few zzz's, I have far too much to do and doubt my brain would 

actually turn off long enough to allow an adequate rest. 

Yesterday, I started the 4th book in my children's book series. I only have about

a hundred words or so right now, but I'm anxious to get back to work exploring

imaginary worlds with my main character. Although I have a rough idea on how

the plot is going to take shape, the details are still fuzzy. I love how upon writing,

those details become clearer and clearer. Then suddenly you have it, a vibrant

and whimsical adventure with a fun-filled plot and a valuable moral lesson. I hope

you enjoy this beautiful summer afternoon, while I type away, fighting off the sleepy

sound of the cicadas. 

Stay True to You

As we travel through life we are constantly afforded opportunities to learn. Will we
ignore those opportunities, casting aside the chance to improve ourselves, or
will grab on to that chance with gratitude and humility, choosing to instead cast
aside our egos? It's almost a comforting thought - that we never really "arrive" in 
this lifetime to the best possible version of ourselves, whether intellectually, 
spiritually, emotionally. When will we "arrive?" From my humble perspective, we 
will "arrive" when we are in Heaven in the presence of our Maker. Until then, we
should live with the realization that we always have room for improvement. This
is a bit of a heavy way to lead into a lighter, but still vital topic concerning writing.


Stay true to yourself. Last post I mentioned that I had written a story for a certain
children's magazine last February, and I never heard back from them. What 
had gone wrong? I had studied the stories in a few of their issues to ascertain
what type and stories they published and had written a story for the "themed" 
issue for which they were accepting submissions. The reason didn't hit
me at first. Once I decided to write another short story for a different magazine,
I again studied the stories they published. However, this time, the finished 
product was a true reflection of my writing style. 


Over this last week, I've realized that the first short story I wrote was too 
similar to all the other stories that particular publisher must see. It was very 
nice and sweet, but it didn't stand out or have a unique voice. Lesson learned.
Stay true to yourself in your writing. Although it is important to tailor story 
themes and word counts to a certain publisher's specifications (at least in
writing for children), don't sacrifice your own unique writing voice or style.
I feel I should qualify that in this and the last post when referring to my "short
stories" for magazines, these are separate from the 3 manuscripts I have 
written for a children's book series. I pray that as I walk through this journey, 
in life and in writing, I remain teachable, continuing to learn from my experiences
and those around me. 

Exercises in Patience

One would think by now, I'd have being patient down pat. After all,I am a 
mother of a three year old and 18 month old. How could I be anything but
patient? Think again. It's something I've had to work on throughout the years. 
I don't like to wait, whether it's waiting for my three year old to finish her milk 
(after forty five minutes of playing and blowing bubbles), or discovering 
different ways to get my youngest to eat those things necessary for normal 
growth and development. He doesn't like meat or veggies. Dinner especially
can be a struggle. Even back in nursing school, waiting for test results was 
tortuous. Thankfully, some of our instructors allowed us to check our answers 
as soon as our tests were handed in. 


The same is true in writing. Once I have written a new story, my natural inclination 
is to wish I could see it in print tomorrow. This whole business of going through "a 
process" has been a challenge. It's over a year into that process, and I know I 
have a few things left to do. One short term goal of mine is to get some stories 
published in one or more children's magazines. It's definitely a requirement on
my writing "resume." I submitted a story for a certain magazine last February, but
never heard back from them. Although I was disappointed, last week I decided
to try again. Having done some research online, I chose a different children's 
magazine, and wrote a story tailored to their requirements. 


Upon completing the story, I could barely wait to mail it in. Thankfully, I did wait
long enough to catch a few typos and errors, and ended up mailing it last Friday. 
Now for the waiting... . Need I say more? Since it may be up to three months
before I hear anything, I should focus my attention on other things, but that is 
easier said than done. To quote Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, "I 
hate wait." That pretty much sums it up. However, I am thankful to have God's
help in any area I struggle in, including patience. So, while this "process" is
quite the exercise in patience for me, I take comfort in 2 Thessalonians 3:5
"May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of 
the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." 

Elephants as House Guests?

Times in life come when you have to make a decision. Will you make the right,
more difficult choice, or will you ignore the obvious elephant in the room, staring
you in the face? Sometimes we choose to see only what we want to, hoping the 
elephant will go away, but he doesn't. Some may try to hide the elephant under 
big blanket or arrange decor on either side of him so he'll blend into the room. 
But he's still there, eyes following your every movement, pleading for you to do 
the right thing. Will you acknowledge the elephant, facing your fears or anxiety?


All weekend, an elephant was my unwelcome guest. I didn't ask for him to visit,
but he came and waited patiently for me to work through my anxiety of confrontation, 
and not a negative confrontation, but a positive one. A confrontation that would lead
to a positive end. It was difficult, nonetheless. My heart was pounding as I dialed the
number and spoke to the person who could make a difference, the person who led
the elephant to my home in the first place. I had prayed furiously beforehand for God's
words to come from my mouth, for His peace to be upon me as I spoke, for His 
wisdom. God delivered. The other party was grateful for my call and for the guidance. 


Doing the more difficult, right thing, is just that - difficult but right. It takes courage
and fortitude. If you don't think you have what it takes, I have good news. Jesus 
Christ is our strength when we are weak, when we think we don't have what it
takes. It's important not only that we are obedient to God for ourselves and the one/s
that would benefit from our obedience, but also that we set the example for our 
children, passing on Godly morals and character to the next generation. I have 
also incorporated character education in my stories, making them fun and fanciful, 
but with a deeper truth woven within the fabric of the story. If you're encountering
a tough, moral decision, I pray you'll find the courage to do the right thing in God's 
Word. 


"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body... . So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?' " 
Hebrews 13:1-3, 6, ESV

Gametime!

It's 9 a.m., let the games begin. Life to an eighteen month old is one game after 
another. The only exception is milk and breakfast. My little guy is serious about 
both. The rest of the day, however, is all games. Need examples? I have plenty.
This morning, for instance, I was trying to clip his toenails, and the game was 
how to move in such a way as to make mom's face contort due to the effort being
put forth in keeping the foot and toes still enough to do the job. This was all 
with dad's help. He was holding both legs and the involved foot, while I was holding 
the involved foot as well, and holding each individual toe. Being nearly completely
immobilized and losing the game, my son decided to improvise on the rules and used
his shoe to repeatedly hit me on the head. Wow, yeah, that got a great reaction, I
should do this more. How funny, he must have been thinking. 


The next game was to see how many times he could run away from me, tearing into
places he knew he wasn't suppose to be in, such as my closet, the bathroom, the 
pantry... . Yes, the list goes on, and my little guy knows to end to the, "I know I'm 
suppose to do this, and I don't know why, but it's just so fun," way of thinking. I often 
wonder, what goes on in a toddler's brain? How does he make connections, a 
pathway of thought from one thing to another? How does a toddler see the world, 
experiences seemingly so limited to us (playtime, food time, bedtime over and over), 
but yet so expansive for him?


I love that children, young children especially, learn best through playing, through
the interaction back and forth with those around them. Allowing them to explore 
their environment (provided it's safe, the toilet bowl not being included in what's 
"safe"), is a great way to encourage their curiosity and feed the imagination. Life to
an eighteen month old is a game. What a fun world that must be. I hope that, through 
my writing, I am able to nurture the creativity of the children and allow their 
imaginations to be limitless as they consider the world around them. 


Just incase you're wondering why I don't want my children in my closet, I have a
basket in there that holds my dirty hospital scrubs, and I wash them separately from 
my other laundry. I'm not too super strict. I promise. :)

Purple Feathers

I am so blessed to have two of the most funny, curious, sweet, impulsive, 
imaginative, busy, and adorable kids ever. Yes, I know that most parents feel 
that way and should, but lately, I have gained an appreciation for their unique 
personalities in a way I hadn't before. Both are extremely strong willed, 
definitely sure of what he or she likes, wants, or disapproves of, but they each 
are their own little person with their own dreams and hopes. They each have a 
beautiful imagination, of which, I sometimes am able to steal a glimpse. I love 
seeing into their, not little, but huge imaginations, where anything is possible, 
where the void of earwax on a q-tip is because a "monster licked it out." Being 
with my little crew and trying to see the world as they do gives me, what I hope,
a unique perspective in writing for children. I love penning, or typing, out a story 
that was started as a conversation between my children and myself. 


In my daughter's preschool class, she and the other little girls love picking 
purple feathers off a class dress up boa and hiding them in their pockets until 
they get home. I then find a trail of purple feathers from time to time, evidence 
that my daughter has been there. I used to get annoyed at the feathers, having 
to pick them up from random places in the house and finding them soaked in 
the washing machine, while transferring a load from the washer to the dryer. 
Earlier this week, I was tidying up in my room, when I looked down and found 
a little pile of purple feathers. Instead of sighing, I giggled to myself. Holding 
them affectionately, I treasured what they represented - the whimsy of a sweet 
little girl, innocent and lovely. How much longer would she remain this way, 
concerned only with princesses, butterflies, tutus and purple feathers? 


How I need to cherish every moment, every smile and every seemingly 
silly question. I am so thankful for this time of endless hugs and kisses,
beaming smiles, furrowed brows of disapproval, unintentional food fights at the 
dinner table and baths turned magic by bubbles, even if there seems to be no 
end to the stinky diapers or more than occasional tantrums. I am so blessed for
purple feathers leaving me a reminder of what God has given me.