THANKSGIVING 2009
This week is Thanksgiving. Debbie Macomber spoke at our ACFW conference. She is amazing! In her non fiction book she suggested we list 5 things every morning we are thankful for. This past year has had a lot of ups and downs for me. I've written 3 books since January, 2 of them in the midst of my father-in-law's decline and eventual passing on to heaven. But in spite of that stress, it's also been a really blessed year as well. Here are the 5 things I'm thankful for this morning.

1. God's faithfulness. He's seen us through the ups and downs of the year.
2. Our little Punky. We've watched our darling grow and change. She squeals when she sees us and is a total joy. She has changed everything! We aren't moving to Arizona now because we can't bear to leave her.
3. My husband. He hauls me around from place to place, sends out bookmarks and signed bookplates, and helps my in so many ways. He's awesome!
4. My weight loss. Bet that one surprised you, didn't it? LOL I've struggled with my weight all my life. This year I found a fabulous protocol called the HCG diet and I've lost 55 pounds so far. I'm going to do one final round in the new year. I just bought size 12 jeans and I haven't worn a 12 since I got pregnant for our son-36 years ago. LOL
5. My family. My parents are always quick to help me anytime I need it. My kids are a total joy and I'm so proud of them. My church family at New Life Baptist Church is close and wonderful.

How about you? What are you thankful for this year?

Labels: Debbie Macomber, hcg diet, thankful

Everyone's talking about H1N1. It's making the rounds, and last week it stopped by our house for a visit. Since I got a personal visit, I put together an informal list.

I'm going to post about pain today, since that is uppermost on my mind. My home girls are coming to pick me up for our class reunion pajama party getaway, and I'm all packed, cleaned up and ready. My shoulder is killing me, even with percocet on board, so I'm really, really wanting my girlfriends to get here and get me started laughing. Oh, by the way, my shoulder surgery went fine, I'm healing quickly and overdoing it, hence the pain.

When I was talking to the nurse the other day after the surgery, and they were pushing the morphine, I asked her what we could do besides drugs to get rid of the pain. She looked at me as if she thought the morphine was making me crazy. But I was serious. I know the breathing technique--in through the nose, out through the mouth--and I know accupuncture is supposed to help. But at that moment, I needed something more. Then we started talking about something else--can't remember what it was--and I started laughing. Instant pain relief. Laughter really does work. I'm not sure why. Screaming also does the job, but it's a little more irritating to the vocal cords and to the people around you, so laughter is my med of choice.

I've found that when I'm depressed, hurt or angry, if there is anything that can make me laugh, that, too, eases the pain. So laughter not only eases physical pain, but emotional, as well. What would we do without laughter in this world?

What about you? What helps ease the pain in your life?

My son looks just like my mother-in-law.

TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION
Yesterday Dave had to have a ganglion cyst removed from his left wrist. Now I've seen him under the influence of drugs before. The first time he had surgery was for a ruptured appendix that had gangrene in it and he almost died. During that episode, he called me the "frito bandido!" LOL Not sure where he was in that la-la land. Yesterday he had some kind of drug cocktail that had him smiling in a goofy fashion but no weird name calling. The fun started when I went back in before they took him to surgery. They had done a shoulder block so he had no feeling in his left arm. But it FELT like the arm was still laying on his stomach when it was really down at his side. The nurse told me nerves have memories. So they remembered being on his stomach before the block so that's where he felt it.

I immediately thought I would have to use this in a book sometime. But it got even more fun when he got back to his bed after surgery. They warned me I was i the danger zone on his left side. The arm could just flop for no reason and hit me in the face. At one point it was laying on his stomach again and it just flopped out beside. Luckily, I was out of the danger zone. But again, I had to think of how I could use this in a book. Hmm, what if a woman had surgery and accidentally hit someone and gave him a black eye? And then he ended up dead? She would be the prime suspect. . .

There is fodder for stories everywhere. I just know I'm going to have to use this sometime. And that whole the nerves have memory thing. Fascinating! I love being a writer. :-)

Got any fun tidbits you'd like to see in a book that are just plain strange but true? Oh and Dave is doing great! Not much pain today. I've given him the job of trying to think up a Christmas list while I do a final read through on The Lightkeeper's Bride.

Labels: frito bandido, outpatient surgery, truth stranger than fiction

I'm so pumped! I get to spend next weekend at my annual class reunion pajama party. All girls, of course, and unfortunately not all the girls in the class, but at least five of us get together every year and spend a night or two either at a local resort, or one of our homes--when the hubby of the house is gone.

I realized years ago that I could write a novel about each of these girls. I did include some scenes from one of our pajama parties in Grave Risk, but that novel came out in 07, so you may not be able to get your hands on a copy. I'll introduce you to my friends:

Doris was our class valedictorian. She has a dry sense of humor, and one ladylike snort from her can have us all giggling for ten minutes. A farm girl born and raised, she drives home to Missouri from Dallas ten to twelve times a year to help her father out on the farm and reconnect with friends and family. I admire that kind of dedication. Unlike the way I portrayed her in the book, she can cook, she's never been divorced, and I don't think she's ever, EVER broken the law.

Tess is tall and gorgeous, looks at least fifteen years younger than she is, and she's sweet and fun enough that we don't even hate her for it. She does have some challenges--she got lost on the way to the resort two years ago, and we had to go find her in Branson and lead her in. This year we've threatened to take flares with us.

Deb designs her own clothing and jewelry and could have her own thriving business, but instead she has chosen to help raise her grandchildren. She knows what's important to her. She and her husband lived through a tornado strike a few years ago by scrambling beneath the dining room table. And she's never had a nervous breakdown. I would have long ago. I admire her deep faith in God.

Sherry is the driving force of our class. When she graduated and left town, she was sure she would never come home again--except to visit. She and her husband moved back to town several years ago. She is involved in the community, and she loves it. She keeps the rest of us in touch with each other, lets us know about funerals, illnesses or disasters among our class members.

Of course, I'm skimming the tops of these characters. I warned them I was going to blog about them, and I don't want to get into too much trouble, since they're going to have to take care of me after my shoulder surgery next Tuesday. Gotta stay on their good sides. Needless to say, of course, my former classmates could each be a main character in a novel--and someday, they just might be.

How about you? Any characters in your graduating class? Anyone who went on to become a scientist, politician, terrorist? What memorable people did you attend school with?

I'm headed to Nashville, Tennessee this morning with a group of women from our church. We're going to a Come to the Fire Conference--another version of Women of Faith--with speakers, singers, a wonderful time of worship with women from all over the country.

The hardest thing about being a mom is making plans for yourself -- because I guarantee if you're signed up to do something for yourself, the kids will be off school, somebody will fall off a scooter, someone will have forgotten their lunch or the worst of them all, someone will barf. Kids seem to have this inner sixth sense that you have something fun to do. This sets off an alarm in their head which forces them to make contact and intercept any form of Mom fun that might take place.

Now, if you're a working mom, add an important deadline. This increases the chance of vomit by at least fifty percent. The chance of a soccer tournament by 60%, followed immediately by a last minute birthday party no one told you about, that requires a trip to Target.

This is why my drug of choice is the pedicure. The pedicure is a mere 50 minutes from your day -- and you don't have to plan it. You can just show up at the nail salon, tell them you want a pedicure and the fun starts there. Without that preconceived appointment, the kids' alarms are silenced~ 50 minutes only. Chances are you're twenty minutes into it when the school calls. Surely, they can wait another 30 for you to show up and get the kid.

And if you think I'm heartless, here's the thing. There's a 90% chance your kid is faking anyway.

Happy Veteran's Day. Mine starts with a 7 a.m. soccer practice, a nine year-old house guest and four kids who will not want to do the same thing. YAY! Sometimes, there's too much freedom.

Labels: interrupted plans, Mom plans, pedicures