Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Hiatus Complete!

Miss me at all? Surely not. You have all been fiendishly typing away on your manuscripts, right? I'm SO RIDICULOUSLY BEHIND, and I hang my head in shame. Quick updates all around, then I'll entertain you with a story.

I still have one partial and one full MS out. I stopped querying a few weeks ago for the most part because I have a couple of opportunities in the works and I want to see how those pan out first. I hope to give an update on my super sekrit stuff soon.

Those of you waiting on me for feedback... I'M SORRY. My kids were my priority the last few weeks and all my time went to them. I swear I'm using the next several days to get caught up on things I'm doing for you. I'm off work until Tuesday due to a death in the family.

Now for story time. I used to post little stories all the time, and I've been slacking on that pretty seriously the last couple of months. I'm reposting one of my favorite moments in my life that I originally posted back in February before most of you found my page.

For the record, I'm doing much better now, but the first couple of months of this year were very, very difficult. I'm not trying to rehash my obstacles. I just wanted to share again how awesome my kids are, and why this was originally aptly named:

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Why I'd Kill For My Kids -original post February 17th 2010

As some of you know, I've had surgery recently. Two of them, in fact, back to back. One in November, and then (due to complications) a second, more awful one. I've been off from work since November 10th. I went three weeks without any pay until my disability started paying 80% of my wages. Christmas for me and my girls sucked. I won't go into my financial difficulties, but rest assured: they suck. Like... can't afford Chex Mix suck (my lifeblood).

My girls have taken it in stride, although the odd complaint now and again makes me feel like a failure as a mother. I am still home from work, and though I've used this time to try to find an agent and feel productive, I still feel like a failure. My youngest is turning 13 in two weeks, and I can't afford to throw her a nice birthday to commemorate her entrance into the awesomeness it is to be a woman.

Said child did something amazing this morning. I was still in bed (as I don't get around too good most days) and I heard her as she sang to herself while making a bowl of cereal, then dragged the trash can to the curb (a day late. She thought it was Tuesday), then heard her outside with her friends while they waited for the bus. A few minutes later she came running back into the house, then left again, then came back inside.

I called to her to ask what she was doing. She came into my room and said, "Ashley was selling band candy. I went and got my last two dollars so I could get you some. I put it on your desk."

I argued she needed that money for lunch money, and I didn't need any chocolate.

She said, "School lunch is $2.75. We don't have that. I made a sandwich. Chocolate makes you feel better, anyway." Then she ran back outside before I could reply, hollering through the (very thin walls) that she loved me.

And I love her, too. I love her so damned much.

11 comments:

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Hard times can often make for the most precious of memories if we cling to each other rather than push each other away.

I've missed you. I've been praying that things run more smoothly for you in the rest of this year, Roland

Nicole Zoltack said...

What a precious story! You're doing something right, and that's what matters most.

Mia Hayson said...

Yay! I've missed youuuu. Take your time getting into the swing of things :) we can be patient.

Also I loved that post when I saw it originally. They are gems.

*hugs super tight*

vic caswell said...

YAY!!! welcome back!! :)

i remember when you posted this before, moving! whatta kiddo!

Terry Towery said...

Welcome back, Christi! I've missed you. Yes, I've been busy on my new MS. And, I've become an awful slacker when it comes to my own blog.

I really need to get back into it, although as some famous writer said recently, "Every word you write on your blog is one less word in your book."

So true.

The Words Crafter said...

We were very poor growing up but somehow, Mom made Christmas magical. One year, though, it was particularly difficult-for me. I don't know how old I was, I was still pretty young, under 10. Anyway, it crystallized in my brain that, though she made Christmas magical for us, no one aside from co-workers and grandma got her anything for Christmas. I still can barely think of all the years she sacrificed for us....anyway-I told my little sister that we needed to get Mommy something for Christmas. Of course, we had zero money. Our solution? We wrapped her favorite lotions, powders, perfumes, along with some of our favorite toys...in foil and gave them to her.

Another year, when I was in the ninth grade, there was no money at all, anywhere. All we got for Christmas was a second hand sweater each. By then, we had a baby brother and he got a toy. I caught Mom crying about the whole thing. I can remember telling her how beautiful my sweater was. And it really was-the softest material in the prettiest shade of ivory. And it was very fashionable. That's when I learned ivory was a great color for me. I don't know if she believed me, but I was as serious as I could be.

Somewhere inside them, your children KNOW and APPRECIATE. I'm sure of it.

Thanks for this post. You made me cry. Glad you're back!!!

Kathi Oram Peterson said...

Kids always come first.

What a sweety your daughter is. Take care of yourself, and I hope you feel better sooner than later.

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