A Rose In Any Other Language

I read my daughters' texts nightly. They are not allowed to have their phones in their rooms at night and they are not allowed to change their passwords so that Brian and I can have access to them. This is not an invasion of privacy. This is a safety precaution. They are still learning to navigate life, and we need to be aware of what's going on. So far, they are respectful of this and only bothered a tiny bit.

Then, Hadley pulled a quick one on us.

She began texting in Espanol. Wha--?? I only speak Dora, ya know, and she's way beyond Dora. Weirder still was the friend she was texting with--let's just call her The Sweetest Girl Ever In The Whole Wide World. I couldn't imagine The Sweetest Girl Ever In The Whole Wide World saying anything that needed to be coded. Heck. I couldn't imagine her saying much at all!

My curiosity (and my nerves) were peaked. I copied the texts and pasted them into Google translate. Y'all know what? They were texting homework. They had a conversational test in Espanol I and were practicing. Okay. So, not only do I have a good kiddo, but she's got good friends as well. Wanna know what the conversation was?

My dad teaches geography, helps with softball and golf and likes world politics and spending time our family (mi familia, Dora taught me that).

My sister is very athletic. She plays softball, likes to laugh and is social. She is eleven years old.

My mom is forty-four years old and likes to rest. 

Um ... That's what she has to say about me? Brian gets world politics; Briley gets "laugh" and "social" and I get rest?!?

I've been blogging since 2005. I've written four full-size books in two years. I'm in the middle of finishing my fifth book. Sure, I'm running behind schedule, but who doesn't? I was a regular for over a year on a local news show. I write a regular newspaper column, I write a regular magazine column, I teach full-time, and I speak to various groups all over our region. I co-produce the OKC Listen TO Your Mother Show. I attend softball tournaments and drive to golf events. And the word she comes up with is REST?

But, you know what? She's got a point.

Friday night, I took a book to bed at 8:30. It was glorious.

When she grows up, Hadley wants to study political sciences and behavioral sciences. She wants to work with the FBI in their behavioral analysis group.

She thinks she's so smart ... and she is.

After reading her texts in Espanol, I totally believe she's chosen the right field.

As for me? I'm going to bed early tonight, hoping I can turn off my alarm in the morning because of snow...

Thanks, Rachel and Rachel and Brian

In September, my friend Rachel Hough said, "Hey! I've got a lake house--let's go!" So this weekend we did. 

I've spent the past few months trying to find my new balance. Briley is in the fifth grade (which is the worst grade ever invented if you ask me); Hadley's in her last year of middle school; Brian's busy with teaching and picking up the pieces that I drop as I try to juggle my life. The transition of having my mom at home with us has really been an easy one, but it's a change nonetheless. My last TMI Mom book, Girlfriend Rules, was just published and my next book, Life With Extra Cheese, was moving along slowly.

Normally, once the girls are in bed, I sit down and write a few chapters.

Lately, though, once the girls (including my mom) are in bed, I crawl into my own bed and essentially start drooling before my head hits the pillow. (Don't worry about it, though; the cats lick up my face for me.)

The most common question I'm asked when I am speaking or presenting is "How do you do it all?" Up until recently, I would just shrug my shoulders and say I didn't know. And I really didn't know. It just worked, and it just happened.

The past few months, though, I've felt literally drained. I needed to be revived. I needed some time--just time.

So with a ton of momma (and daughter) guilt, my mom went to stay with my sister, Rachel, Brian wrangled the kids (including one that developed strep throat) and I went to the lake with my friend, Rachel.

 

It was exactly what I needed. We didn't have wi-fi, which was a good thing. We had Taco Doritos and peanut M & Ms, which was also a good thing. I changed into yoga pants on Friday evening and didn't change out of them until this morning. This was a very good thing.

My mind cleared. My shoulders eased. My words flowed.

Ahhh ... it was  good weekend. Thanks, Rachel, Rachel and Brian for letting it happen.

Saturday in the Ozarks with OWL

How was your weekend? Mine? I've had a great, great day! I love any day that I can talk about writing, meet great people and chillax with my family. And all of that happened this weekend.

Ozarks Writers League (OWL) invited me to speak with them today. Last night, we started at Ye Olde English Inn in Hollister. Because my family loves a good adventure, they came along.

Ye Old English Inn really was an amazing place to stay. When I was growing up, my family used to come to the Branson area, and Hollister was just down the road from our little cabin on the Taneycomo. So, getting to stay here made me a little bit nostalgic. But, that was okay because one of my topics today was Telling Your Story: Writing Memoir While Still Living Your Life.

Ye Old English Inn uses these. 

The Daughters had no idea why we would be given a key.

"What's this for?" they asked.

Technology allowed Brian and I to recall the days of yore when you didn't slide a card or punch in numbers in order to unlock doors. Ahhh ... The good ol' days. If only there had been a Bon Jovi concert locally for me to throw the key upon the stage ...

While there was no Bon Jovi, our room did overlooked the outdoor bar where a band was playing. So, we raised those windows, stuck the girls in bed and listened to our own live music show from the comfort of our bed, wearing our pajamas. This was the next best thing to Bon Jovi.

My second presentation was about blogging. Surprise! Y'all know I have a thing for blogging. If blogging were a person, I might be open to having an open marriage. (Not really. Do NOT email with offers and propositions ... unless they include head shots.)

This day? It was fabulous. I loved visiting with the writers of OWL and the other speaker, Christina Butler-Taylor. The people I met today are nothing short of generous with their kindness and welcoming of a fellow spinner of words. If you're a writer in the Ozark area and are looking for encouragement and like-minded writers, you'll find a home with OWL, to be sure.

And me? I'll go to bed satisfied with a great day, and I'll probably send The Daughter to bed with my regaling stories about how we used to think these devices were totes cool.