Through the Eyes of an Author

Unexpected Vacations, Cooking Anew, and Facing Eternity

2009-01-14T09:13:00.000-08:00

Wow. It's been a long time since I've talked to you. Life has taken some unexpected turns since I last wrote.

In May my beloved and I went to Reno, NV in search of treatment for his Lymes Disease. We found out several things concerning his health, including his food allergies which ended up playing a large part in the pain he'd been dealing with.

The treatments at the Sierra Integrative Medical Center lasted for six weeks. I ended up flying back home and then bringing our four boys back with me for the duration of Travis' treatment. Two 12-hour days of driving straight through from Minnesota to Nevada gave us a lot to talk about and gave me a new appreciation for seeing the country through the eyes of young men.

We made it home as July took off. It seemed we'd missed so much of the summer and our own home improvement projects that we tried to make up for lost time. The summer flew by and in the midst of it all I was trying to learn how to cook gluten free. I could write a book about that alone!

Then summer turned into fall and winter, bringing with it harvesting and the holidays. It didn't seem like much time had passed before Christmas was staring us in the face. It was during this time that our littlest son faced eternity. It was a Christmas I'll never forget.

We'd been visiting my folks for several days and had just spent the last two evenings at my sisters' homes, snacking on Christmas goodies, laughing about old times, and watching the nieces and nephews play. Winter weather prevented us from going home the day planned so we snuggled back into my parent's guest bedroom and stayed another night.

During the night our 20 month old son, Ty, slept restlessly. He woke up with the peeking sun, whimpering. I crawled out of bed to rock him. Instead of a sleepy smile, I was greeted with rosy cheeks, a warm forehead, and 'mommy, I don't feel good' eyes. What worried me most was his raspy breathing.

He'd had a touch of croup about this time last year. You know, that barking seal cough that scares parents and usually requires a Nebulizer treatment or two. Travis and I rocked with him next to a steaming pot of water. We bundled him up and took him outside in the cold air. We tried all of the nurse's suggestions but his breathing only sounded worse. When we arrived at the clinic, they listened to his breathing and took us back to ER.

We were sent home with a prescription for pneumonia and Nebulizer treatments. I suggested that we go back to my folks, pack up our bags and the boys and get the prescription filled on the way home. Ty was sleepy and this way he could get his much needed rest. Travis shook his head. "Let's get the prescription right away. We'll give the boys an early lunch and then head home."

One decision can change your life.

By the time we got back to my parents', Ty had fallen asleep. We laid him on the bed and proceeded to start lunch. About fifteen minutes later he woke up. He was hot, glassy-eyed, and his breathing made my heart skip. When we tried to give him the medicine he couldn't even swallow it. He drooled it out in a pathetic wheeze.

Within five minutes we'd called the hospital back and were on our way into town again. This time they took X-rays of his throat and a Dr. came into the room with a sober face. "I'm not going to kid you," he said. "This is life-threatening."

Ty's throat was swelling shut.

Amid the blur of the doctor's voice, Travis' grave nods, and nurses coming to and fro, I simply held my baby close to my chest and rocked him back and forth, back and forth. Suddenly it all came back. My beloved Katie.

Oh, God. Not again.

Four days to the due date. The lack of movement. Fear gripping my heart. The ultrasound and a still gray form on the screen. The stunning realization that she was gone before I'd ever gotten to know her. Empty arms when they took her body away.

This time it would be different. I had known Katie only through her movements. But I knew Ty by the softness of his skin as I held him. I knew him by his hungry cry when I had nursed him. I knew him by the twinkle in his eyes and his pudgy arms circling my neck in a hug.

Oh, merciful Father. I can't do this again.

But as the doctor left the room and Travis wrapped me in his arms, a peace that only my God could give, stilled my frantic heart.

"God, he is yours. He is yours. You love him more than I." I don't know how many times I repeated this. It could have been minutes, it could have been just once. But I knew with all certainty that my little Ty was His first. Not mine. As much as I loved my baby, my Father loved him more.

The next hour was filled with a flurry of activity.

"We're calling an ambulance and taking him to a bigger hospital."

"We need to sedate and intubate him."

"You need to leave the room while we do this procedure. You can say your good-byes first."

My heart dropped. Good-byes. I knew what that meant. There might never be hellos again. I might never see his little face peering over the side of my bed in the early morning light. I might never chase him through the house just to hear his infectious giggles. I might never see his eyes fill with love when our noses rubbed together.

I laid my cheek next to his. It was still so hot. I hummed him our favorite song just as I did when he took his nap.

I don't know if he heard me.

The flurry increased.

"We're airlifting him."

"No, mom can't come with. Here are directions to the hospital."

The doctors and nurses weren't being callous. They were being professional. They were doing the jobs they'd been trained for. But oh, how I hated to leave him.

Then there was the blur of going back to my parent's house. The boys had gone to my sister's. We threw clothes in a suitcase and drove to the hospital. With each passing mile we prayed and reminded each other that God had prepared us for this. When Katie died God became the pillar of strength I'd never known before.

He still was.

He'd been with us the first time. And He was with us still.

~~~

Oh, how tiny Ty looked in that hospital crib. Tubes went down his throat and into his nose. Wires ran from IV's in both hands and feet. Machines surrounded his bed. Monitors blinked red lights and numbers I didn't understand. And he slept.

Oblivious to everything around him, Ty was now fully sedated. He was temporarily paralyzed so he wouldn't dislodge the tube with his movements. Because of the paralysis medication he was given steroids to prevent internal bleeding and a machine breathed for him. He was given several antibiotics until the test results came back. He was given extra fluids so he wouldn't become dehydrated. The list went on . . .

And still he slept.

We hovered around his bed. We whispered and sang to him. We touched his cheeks and kissed his fingers. We prayed. We talked to doctors. We watched the clock turn minutes into hours and hours into days. For six days Travis and I lived in that ICU room while Ty slept.

Finally, the day came that the doctors decided to switch his tube to a smaller size. This was a good sign. The swelling was coming down. If progress continued at this rate he may be breathing on his own by tomorrow.

Travis and I went with the nurses as they wheeled him down the hall and into the elevators. The procedure was done and we were on our way back. Tears were rolling down his little cheeks. Why was he crying? Had he felt pain? Had he needed me, even in his sleep, and I wasn't there? I didn't have to say the words out loud before Travis squeezed my hand in reassurance.

When we arrived back in his ICU room the nurses started getting Ty settled again. Suddenly Travis noticed one of the monitors. Ty's oxygen level was dropping. Fast. A nurse looked at his tube and shouted for a doctor. The tape that held Ty's tube to his face had gotten wet and had slipped. The tube was no longer in his lungs and since he was still on the paralysis medication, he couldn't breathe on his own.

My heart dropped in my chest. The doctor rushed in and started hammering out orders. Nurses rushed in and out of the room at his command. Travis and I stood in a corner, clutching each other's hands and praying silently. All we could do was stand back and watch.

Once again the Lord reminded me that Ty was His. If Ty's time on earth had reached its end, then it was because God ordained it before time began. This was in God's hands. Not ours. Not the doctor's and nurses'. The end result would be what God had planned for our good and His glory.

They reversed the paralysis medications and gave Ty oxygen manually for about 20 min. before they allowed him to breathe on his own.

Twenty minutes is a very long time.

And then the sound I longed to hear. A cry. Weak and feeble as it was, Ty was crying. The whole room sagged in relief.

"Mom, sit here. You can hold him now."

Can a mother's empty arms ever feel so full? How could the weight of my baby release a flood gate of tears? Gratefulness. Joy. Love. That's how. Humbled. God had let me keep my baby a little longer.

He's here right now, sitting on my lap as I type. We're home. He's alive. His smile has never been brighter.

God's mercies are simply overwhelming.

Pride and Prejudice and Raising Boys

2008-05-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

The other day I was working out on my gazelle while indulging my feminine side with the movie Pride and Prejudice. I do this for several reasons; number one being that I need the exercise. Number two; I live in a house full of men.

Living in a house full of men has advantages, blessings and quirks of its own. However, when it comes to voting for a movie on Family Film Night in the Miller household, I’ve found myself sadly outnumbered. If I should ever have the audacity to suggest we watch the perfectly wonderful BBC romance my ears would be met with horrified gasps and my eyes with expressions of abject terror.

The thought of sitting through a 5 hour romance does not enthrall any of the men in my family the way it does me. Still, there are good lessons to be learned in “mom’s girl movie”. I can’t help but think of Jane and Lizzie’s sweet sisterly chatter, learning the shocking truth of Mr. Wickham’s character, and groaning at the misplaced advice given by Mrs. Bennett to “take every opportunity of enjoying yourself”.

So, while burning calories, I hide in my basement and relive the lives of the Bennett sisters in quiet solitude. And, when a little boy’s face does pause in passing, I take every opportunity to teach the folly of Lydia’s foolishness, the wisdom of holding your tongue, and the joy of a close sibling relationship.

But they’re boys, you say. Trust me, this I know well. But opportunities to teach valuable lessons surround us everyday. I take what I get. :)

Part of Me is Moving!

2008-02-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

I was doing a little housecleaning on my blogs the other day and I moved the book review blog I share with my twin sister to a different address without letting everyone know! Opps. My fault.

So, just in case you are wondering what in the world is going on over there at Reviews by Two - we moved a hop, skip and a jump over to Reviews By Two - Books. Our plan is to get a few more blogs up and running together. You know, like Reviews By Two - Education, and Reviews By Two - Games for Children. So, keep an eye out. Lots of changes going on, but the same two twins sharing lots of opinions. :)

That reminds me, maybe I should do a little housekeeping at home. But at the rate I'm going, I'll move one of the boys and won't be able to find him again!

The Countdown

2008-01-28T13:44:00.000-08:00

What does Hawaii look like in January? Don't ask me - ask my husband. Right now he's on Kauai, the Garden Isle, feeling the ocean breeze on his face, catching a nice tan in 80 degree temperatures and watching beautiful Hawaiian sunsets.

Without his wife.

For the 8th time.

Hmm. Something isn't quite right here.

Well, to be quite honest, he is working - really. He hops on a plane every January and for two to three weeks he toils in a cornfield in the Hawaiian sunshine. Being a Research Technician for a chemical/corn breeding company does have it's perks after all. . .

Why aren't I with, you ask? Well, I could go with him and sit alone in a hotel while he baked in the sun or I could roam the island by myself while he worked from dawn til dusk. Neither sound like an option I'd like to try. I'd rather have both - the vacation and my husband - at the same time. Call me silly.

And it also seems that God's timing for a Hawaiian vacation is not right now. The couple times we'd planned my flying out there when his work was completed ended up being crossed off the list in favor of other things. You know, those little things that keep popping up like . . . a pregnancy, a nursing infant, selling the house . . . those things.

So, I stayed home with my boys, cleaned the house top to bottom, rearranged closets and listened to the freezing rain and -30 windchill forecast. Living in Minnesota does have it's perks after all. . .

This year two of my close friends spent a few days with us and we laughed hilariously, stayed up till the wee hours on a Jane-Austen-era kick watching movies such as Persuasion and Jane Eyre and nibbled chocolate.

Then the boys and I went to visit my twin sister and her family. Again I laughed hilariously, stayed up until the wee hours watching Wuthering Heights and Northanger Abby and nibbled chocolate. Then I added a run to the ER and watched as the flu bug made it's rounds just for the fun of it.

Ahh, the joys of trying to pass time more quickly while my beloved is gone. Reading late at night until my eyes are too fuzzy to see. Watching the hands circle the clock for the godzillionth time. Waiting for the phone to ring and hoping it's his daily call. . .

So now we are counting down the days, trying to catch up on sleep, praying for his safe return, smelling his coat and hugging it while it hangs in the closet (I know, I'm pathetic), cuddling my infant, teaching school, tucking the boys in at night, and above all, realizing the precious gift God has given me in my husband. Being alone for a time does have it's perks after all. . .

November/December Book Giveaway

2007-11-26T12:22:00.000-08:00

For the rest of this month and all of December my sister and I are holding a contest for 2 copies of Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far by Amy Grant. The rules to this contest are simple. Visit our review blog at Reviews By Two and answer this question:

At what age did Amy Grant begin her singing career?

Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner. (We respect your privacy.)

How Thankful is Thankful?

2007-11-26T12:19:00.000-08:00

How was your Thanksgiving? We had a wonderful weekend here. My mother-in-law joined us for our Thanksgiving meal complete with a 23 lb. turkey. Yes, I know, a 23 lb. turkey wasn’t really necessary for 7 people - and four of them children! But I love making hot dishes with leftover turkey so have no fear, the 16 cups of chopped turkey I froze will not be wasted. :)

But beyond all the turkey, stuffing, potatoes and pumpkin pie that didn’t set up quite right, I also left the weekend behind being truly thankful. Traditionally we take turns going around the table and mentioning the things we are thankful for. Most of the time the children are thankful for the pie and ice cream and I, like most mothers, usually mention my family. Of course we mean it, but God occasionally uses a moment or two in our lives to make us really mean it.

This weekend He gave us such a moment.

Ty, our 7-mth old, was in his red ExerSaucer in the basement family room with our 7 and 3 year old sons. My husband and I were sitting at the table playing a spirited game of Monopoly with our oldest son.

Pounding feet and a shrill voice interrupted the battle for Kentucky Avenue as Wyatt warned us that Ty was choking. Everyone raced downstairs and after a quick glance, I swept out his mouth. What I found made my heart stop. He had apparently gotten a hold of a foam toy piece about the size of a silver dollar and, like all babies, put it straight into his mouth.

Because it was round and slippery when wet, there would have been no way to get it out had he swallowed it.

After I’d checked him over, cuddled and kissed him and my heartbeat had returned to normal, it dawned on me that this was thankfulness. The moment in life when all time stops and you realize that a minute or two more and it would have been too late. I mention my thankfulness for our family over a Thanksgiving meal, but it wasn’t until I contemplated what it would mean to wake up each morning without a drooly kiss and a squeal of happiness from my baby that I became thankful in a much deeper sense of the word.

As always, God astounds me with the way He reveals these insights into our lives. For this I am truly thankful.

Directions

2007-10-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit it. There was a time of my life when I wasn't very good with directions. Even now I do better with, "turn left by the red barn and go for two miles" rather than "turn east on 35th Ave.".

One of my most embarrassing moments was a time I was lost with my twin sister. We were driving three hours south of our hometown on our way to my boyfriend's home for the weekend.

I usually visited him with a friend of mine who was double-dating a friend of his. While my friend did the driving, I did the talking-and-not-paying-attention part. But this time it was Gail and I, and we were on our own. No map, no written directions. Just my vague notion that we turned left by the big round silver thing (which turned out to be a grain bin :)) and the thought that I would recognize land marks as we got closer.

Of course my dad asked me, one last time, if I thought I would know how to get down there. Knowing he wouldn't allow us to go if I hesitated in my answer, I nodded vigorously in the affirmative. All lights turned green -- and we were down the driveway chattering like the seventeen-year-old magpies we were.

It was going well until we turned by that big round silver thing and the landmarks I expected didn't appear. Hmm. Maybe we should turn around and come at it at a different angle. Ya think? Yeah, we thought. But that direction didn't work either.

Now this was in the days before cell phones. And this was also in the days that my stubborn pride would not allow me to stop and call my boyfriend or to stoop so low as to buy a map at the nearest gas station and admit I was lost.

Down in this part of Minnesota there is a lot of farm land and not a lot of houses. The sky was turning dark, so when we reached a town that had a vaguely familiar name to it, we stopped. My sister and I ran in to a gas station and asked the equally naive seventeen-year-old magpie behind the counter where we were and how to get where we were going. Amid the neon pink bubble gum, we were pointed out the door and told to go on 'that road down there'.

And yes, we took her word for it and started down the road. I can roll my eyes now, but at the time I was speeding along in the dark without the faintest idea whether or not I was going the right way and praying that I'd suddenly end up in front of my boyfriend's house -- and expecting just that to happen.

Well, to make a long story shorter, we ended up near the Iowa border, which, do I even need to tell you, was NOT the direction we were supposed to be going. Big surprise there, huh.

Back into our little gray and red Horizon and off we went down the road again. This time we did end up in my boyfriend's hometown but by now it was completely dark and I had no idea how to get from town to his house which was ten miles into the boonies.

So, I stuffed my pride in the back seat and found a phone to call him. To his credit he was frantic with worry. He gave explicit directions to his farm and made me repeat them. How we drove right past is still a mystery to me . . .

By the time we found another phone, he made me promise not to move. He jumped in his truck and came to me. I don't know if I crawled over to him or not, but by the time he'd enveloped my in his arms I felt like it. I was now about 4 hrs late and he was simply glad he could call my dad and say we were safe and sound - albeit thoroughly embarrassed.

To his credit again, my understanding boyfriend became my beloved and understanding husband, Travis. He's certainly had to fit the job description after the broken tailgate, the shattered window, the busted toilet tank cover, and the hole in the house siding . . . and yes, they were all accidents!

My point in telling this long-winded story is that directions and I have never been on the best of terms. But how often do we travel through life without directions, either physically or spiritually. How many times do we stare into a bleak future and have no idea where to turn or who to ask?

Isn't it funny that the very God who created direction and the best book on directions you can own, is often the last one we turn to. God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Asking our directions from Him should be the first thing we do. Come to think of it -- we'd never be lost again . . .

Book Contest

2007-09-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it's not really a contest per se. You don't have to juggle or sing in front of an audience. Of course that might be fun to see! :) That reminds me . . .

Once a year our church family has a talent show at our Valentine's Banquet. Mostly it's Carl, our comedian, or one of the younger generation that happily skip up to the front of the room and tell a side-stitching joke or perform a neat trick or routine. But one year our quiet and reserved pastor's wife stood up, walked calmly to the front of the room, and with the guitar accompaniment from her husband, began a cute little tune that went something like, "What would you do in a little canoe with the moon shining all around . . ." It floored us that she got up and sang in front of everyone. The song was pretty cute too! :)

This contest is much simpler. Really. All you have to do is pop over to the book review blog I share with my twin sister at Reviews By Two and read about our latest review on Marilyn Rockett's book, Homeschooling at the Speed of Life: Balancing Home, School, and Family in the Real World.

Then, post a comment here or on that blog and your name will be entered to win. The winner will be announced on October 1st. Don't forget to leave your email or I won't be able to contact you. (And I won't spam, sell or do any of that stuff.) Either that or check back and if I don't have an email to contact the winner with, I'll post their first name and can be contacted through my email.

Okay, the contest is officially open!

Talents

2007-08-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

It's amazing the diversity of interests and talents people have. I recently looked through a Taste of Home magazine and saw the most amazing cakes. These cooks had spent countless hours decorating cakes for wedding, celebrations, baby showers etc. and the art they created from their imagination with frosting and fondant was incredible.

One woman created a three layer stack of cakes that resembled suitcases with a camera on top for a newly wedded couple. She had the tiniest details down to the buckle on the suitcases looking so real I would have never guessed the whole thing was something you could eat. The really amazing fact was that she'd never had schooling for cake decorating; she just played around with something she loved and found a talent she didn't know she possessed.

One afternoon some of my girlfriends and I were discussing the intricate details our grandmothers put into quilt making. Hand-stitching, tiny pieces of fabric sewn together to make beautiful patterns and the love and time that went into each piece. They all loved making quilts for new babies, grandchildren's graduations and weddings that they continued to do so even when arthritis crippled their hands and their eyesight dimmed.

Talents are so much more than the ability to make something, the ability to sing or dance or speak to large groups of people with eloquence. Talents are more often those gifts which hover in the background of life but are noted even more than those used publically. Things like making a hotdish for someone who just had surgery. Mowing an older neighbor's lawn just for the sake of doing it. Calling someone just to see how they are and to encourage them through a tough time.

All this thought of talents made me start thinking about my own talents and how I used them. Did I use them for my own purposes or did I use them to bring joy to others? Did I use them so people would marvel at my skills or thoughtfulness or was I genuinly thinking of them and their needs?

I recently had an interview with Favorite PASTimes and some of the questions asked made me really think about why I write and what my purpose in doing so is? I learned a lot about myself - and I wasn't pleased with everything I discovered. It makes me go back to my 'motto' from 1 Corinthians 10. Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

What are your talents? How do you use them?

It Has Arrived - Part II

2007-07-31T11:17:00.000-07:00

Yeehaw! We are done getting our school supplies. Our Sonlight box came - it was HUGE! And silly me, I forgot to order a few things even though I went over my list about 5 times. Still, the box was enormous and we had a ball opening it and digging everything out.

Yes, that new book smell sent goosebumps down my arms - and I think it's catchy. My oldest son Cody loves to read and he seemed just as excited as dear old mom.

My second son Wyatt has stated that, "Cowboys don't need ta read." But I think I caught a glimpse of excitement in his eyes too. Either that or the prospect of learning to read this year made his eyes glaze over. That's one of the main reasons we chose Sonlight--to encourage him to read and show him it can be enjoyable.

Right now he'd rather carve a stick into a spear and go hunting. But, as I've told him, reading will come in handy at least once or twice in his life, so he will have to learn. I'm just trying to make it fun for him and I think we'll accomplish that with Sonlight.

Now that my school supplies are bought, I'm moving on to Christmas. Yes, I realize it's the end of August, but I've formed my mother's habit of shopping early. One of my favorite places to browse for gifts for the boys is Vison Forum.

They have the coolest toys for boys. Slingshots, swords, knife throwing, great biblical and historical books (that's always a plus), ropes, etc. It's great.

100 Things You Didn't Want to Know About Me

2007-06-19T16:38:00.001-07:00

I saw this on another blog, and thought it would be fun to do. But let me warn you-it's boring.

1. I've chased a mouse with a lawn mower
2. Pepsi or Root Beer? Root Beer
3. I never knew the difference between a tractor and a combine
4. I married a seed corn Technician so now I do
5. I like old westerns
6. John Wayne or Clint Eastwood? John Wayne
7. I don't like public speaking
8. last year I spoke publicly 24 times
9. we have a dog who qualifies as a small horse
10. I've never ridden him
11. my three year old has tried
12. I'm still scared of the dark
13. we drive 40 miles to church one way
14. voluntarily!
15. I make five loaves of bread a week - they smell wonderful when they are rising
16. I have an identical twin sister
17. she's not evil; she's my best friend
18. we played tricks on our teachers in elementary school
19. we were once so lost we nearly ended up in Iowa
20. she finishes my sentences and we laugh in the exact same way
21. I've never been in a car accident
22. my husband is my best friend too
23. I met him when I was seventeen
24. I knew I would marry him the second time I met him
25. I married him when I was eighteen
26. when he passes gas he sticks my head under the covers
27. I have retaliated
28. we've been married for almost 11 years
29. we've never had a fight
30. he once mistook my twin for me and did something embarrassing to her
31. I won't tell what it was
32. my twin's husband once mistook me for her and did something embarrassing to me
33. I won't tell what that was either
34. my sister and I will never let them live it down
35. I can't stand wearing turtlenecks
36. I do not have gray hair - yet
37. I love chocolate
38. no, I mean I really, really love chocolate
39. if I were on a deserted island and had to choose one food to sustain me, I would pick brownies.
40. with chocolate frosting
41. I exercise more than one hour six times a week
42. it's because of the chocolate
43. in reality it's because I have a hard time saying no to food
44. I have prayed about that many times
45. I've come to realize I can't say no by myself
46. God is slowly molding me
47. I've been an at home mom for nine years
48. I wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China
49. I have five children
50. my four boys are spittin' images of one another - and they aren't twins
51. they range in age from nine to three months
52. they all have western sounding names - Cody, Wyatt, Riley and Ty
53. between them they've had two broken bones
54. I think the gray hair is coming
55. I'd still like more children
56. my daughter is in heaven
57. she was stillborn
58. that was the hardest time of my life
59. God used it to draw me closer to Him
60. for that reason I am thankful it happened
61. I believe God is sovereign in all things
62. even the things we term 'disasters'
63. I homeschool my children
64. I couldn't imagine sending them to public school
65. I'm horrible at math
66. I learned how to do fractions with my son last year
67. it made more sense than it did twenty years ago
68. I just finished reading Dee Henderson for the first time
69. she has become my favorite author
70. right next to Lori Wick and Stephen Bly
71. the last movie I watched was The Cat From Outerspace
72. our T.V. does not get a single station
73. we did that on purpose
74. we have a family night once a week
75. I've never been on a plane
76. I've been out of the country twice - Mexico and Canada
77. I've never been drunk
78. I've never smoked
79. I've never had a tattoo.
80. I think that makes me an oddity
81. I've laughed so hard I thought I would pee my pants
82. now I don't even remember what was so funny
83. my favorite movie is five hours long
84. I've never seen any of the Star Wars movies
85. I don't think I'm missing much
86. someone who read the above statement has just become my sworn enemy
87. I used to live in a town where Pa Ingalls bought supplies
88. at one time I collect shot glasses
89. now I collect flowers in my yard
90. daylilies are my favorite
91. I've never grown roses - they scare me
92. I was born in Lewiston, Idaho
93. If I could visit any country, I would choose Scotland
94. my favorite color is purple
95. I'm scared of spiders
96. My son has chased me with a spider
97. I screamed
98. A mouse has run up my shorts
99. I screamed even louder then
100. I have acrophobia and I wonder how many people will google it to find out what it is

It Has Arrived! - Part 1

2007-06-18T22:31:00.001-07:00

Okay, you'll forgive me a little squeal when I tell you...it has arrived!

Our first shipment of homeschool curriculum came today. (Squeal!) I ordered from Rainbow Resource - I love them, by the way - and the box arrived today.

I'd ordered the boys' spelling (Bob Jones), science (Switched On Schoolhouse), and Wyatt's math (Saxon). I like to mix and match.

The books were still in their wrappers. Maybe I'm the only one who gets a thrill when opening a BRAND NEW book and fanning the pages. That 'new book' smell and the unmarred pages represent a new year with a fresh start.

I'm a horrible mom though.

I let the boys look at the books for a few minutes and then I snatched them away. "You can't look at them again until school starts," I told them. I know, I know, how cruel is that! But really, if I let them look at the books all summer, then there won't be that excitement for school to begin this fall. Half the fun is just getting the new books, freshly sharpened pencils, and the resolve to have the best school year we've ever had. It might not last long -- but the thought is there.

I'll be ordering from Sonlight for the first time this year. That's where It Has Arrived - Part 2 will come in. I'm even more excited about that shipment because it will be full of books! (Squeal!)

Promoting Yourself

2007-06-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

I hate promoting myself. My mother used to tell me never to use the word 'hate'. So, okay, I VERY STRONGLY DISLIKE promoting myself.

It's one of those things I could live without. Like weeds in the garden, bad hair days, and sushi. (Don't ask me how those three are connected.)

Promoting, to me, has always felt like I'm waving a big flag in front of my face and saying, "oh, here I am. Look at me!" I'd really rather stay hidden in the background, behind the curtains, with the door closed . . .

But when you are an author, promoting yourself is something you need to do. In the past publishers used to handle all of the promoting, but no more. Most publishers won't consider working with you if you have no desire or ambition to help get the word out about your books.

We need to let people know about our books. If no one knows, no one will purchase them. And to be blunt, if no one purchases them, we aren't going to have our publisher knocking our doors down to sign another contract.

So what's a gal (or guy) to do? Bite the bullet and promote. But in promoting, there's also something to be said for leaving that big flag at home -- at least for me. You can promote yourself without hiring a plane to fly a banner across the sky.

No matter where we go or what profession we are in, there's going to be days we need to do things we don't like. Welcome to the world. But having a good attitude and a good plan of action will eliminate most of the headaches. (I did say most.)

For authors it's fairly simple. (Really, it is.)

1. Get your book reviewed - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the hundreds of review sites on the web.

2. Do a book signing - make sure you have plenty of books, pens, maybe even a bowl of candies. Some authors like to wander through the aisle at the bookstore and visit with the customers. Make a colorful and eye-catching sheet of paper with some of those reviews to pass out.

3. Set up a website - nearly everyone has a website. It's almost a crime not to have one.

4. Set up a speaking engagement - children's books are easier to my way of thinking. Schools love having authors visit. Libraries love having authors visit. Homeschool groups love having authors visit. Get the idea?
If you don't write for children you write for someone else. Women, men, teachers, do-it-yourselfers, pastors, mothers, etc. Set up a speaking engagement at your local library or through your community center.

These are just a few tips - I know you all have great ideas of your own. What is your favorite way to promote? What have you done that has made the biggest impact?

24 hours in a day - is it enough?

2007-03-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if 24 hours in a day is enough. Do you ever feel like you run ragged from the time you get up until you flop down in bed? I do.

On one particularly busy day I began a litany in my head: There aren't enough hours in a day. If I could squeeze 2 more hours into a day, just think of all the pages I could type. How can time fly so fast? If my internet were faster, I wouldn't have to sit here for so long . . .

Sound familiar?

Then I started my list of things yet to do: fill the washer, empty the dishwasher, correct homeschool assignments, check my email, call mom, thaw something for supper . . .

But where on my list was: welcome my husband home with a kiss and a hug, ask him about his day, sit for a moment, or two, or three in prayer, read a book to the boys . . .

It sounds like I'm adding onto my first list and making the day even shorter, but isn't 24 hours enough to get those REALLY important things done? Yes, it is.

Is 24 hours enough to praise God for the ten loads of laundry waiting to be done? Yep.

Is 24 hours enough to thank God for leftovers? You bet.

In fact, 24 hours seems pretty adequate. God must have known that when He created the first day. :)

March FREE book giveaway

2007-03-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you all know that in March we're giving away 2 great Christian books at the book review/author interview blog my twin sister and I share. You can read our reviews and interviews for Too Much Stuff: De-cluttering Your Heart and Home by Kathryn Porter and Violent Sands by Sean Young and enter the contest at http://reviewsbytwo.blogspot.com.

Congratulations to our winner!

2007-01-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

This month's book giveaway winner is G. Scott Hughes. He won 90 Minutes in Heaven, by Don Piper with Cecil Murphy. Congratulations Scott, and enjoy your book!

December BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!

2006-12-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

This month I'm giving away 90 Minutes in Heaven, by Don Piper with Cecil Murphy.

On the way home from a conference, Don Piper's car was crushed in an accident. Medical personnel pronounced him dead instantly. Ninety minutes later, he returns. Now he shares his life-changing story with you.

All you need to do to enter the contest is to leave a comment here on my blog in the month of December. I'll draw a name at the end of the month and send you 90 Minutes in Heaven.(Be sure to leave your email address or I won't be able to contact you!)

Have fun!

Heaven in Words

2006-12-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

Often times as a writer I find myself at a loss for words to describe a scene or to explain the feelings of a character. There has been several times I simply have to sit back and say, "Okay, God. Help!"

The thought of what heaven is like makes me realize just how inadequate the English language is. The Bible describes it with gates of pearl and streets of gold. No sorrow, no pain, and an eternity of praising God.

I can't imagine anything better than being in the presence of God and being able to worship Him for all time. The beauty of heaven, the pure happiness that must radiate from every corner, and the fact that nothing else will matter but being there with Him. That seems hard to imagine, doesn't it? What words do we possibly have that could describe it?

I don't think we'll ever know until we're there, do you?

Halloween - Danger or Harmless Fun?

2006-11-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

I can't help but be thankful that October 31st is over with for another year. Not because I run through Wal-Mart frantically looking for halloween costumes or because I'm racing through the aisles loading my cart with bags of candy for the doorbell ringers.

I'm thankful because the gory decorations are now replaced with Christmas wreaths and nativities so I can shop with my children without them seeing a skeleton dripping with plastic blood.

I'm thankful that the commercials on T.V. no longer glorify a holiday that celebrates the dead and the rituals to communicate with them.

But mostly it's because I cringe at well-meaning folks who trick-or-treat for 'fun'. Who allow children to dress up as witches, skeletons, and even princesses without realizing that this is a day to celebrate Satan - the lord of death.

Potty Humor and Monsters?

2006-08-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

I was surfing around this morning and came across this disturbing quote by a nationally recognized newspaper.

"Book clubs for boys try to close the literacy gap by introducing middle school boys to books with 'fewer plucky female protagonists and more potty humor and monsters.'"

Potty humor? Monsters?

Now I agree that there's an abundance of girl-geared books out there and not nearly enough for boys. It's commonly known that girls will read boy books, but it's rare to find boys who read girl books. But does that justify a flood of monsters with potty humor to encourage our young men to read? No wonder Harry Potter is so popular. Hmm. Potty . . . Potter . . . is there a link here?

We shove Game Boy, TV, video games, and who knows what else in front of them and then we are horrified to realize they don't like to read-or can't read and books no longer hold their interest.

Our solution? Let's give the future leaders of our country, our future fathers and congressmen, books about monsters with potty humor.

Yes America, we have arrived.

If we are going to encourage our boys to read, let's give them something of value: Proverbs 15:14, 'The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.'

Am I alone in thinking this? What are your thoughts?

Welcome

2006-08-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to "Through the Eyes of an Author." I'm glad you stopped in and I hope you'll feel free to browse the links to your right and post comments on anything you feel like adding your two cents to.

This blog is not intended to 'wow' anyone with anything I might say. It's simply a place to chat and for me to ramble about a bunch of nosensical topics and a few important ones too, and to invite you to let me know what you are thinking.

I'm a fairly open person so go ahead and make yourself comfy, ask whatever questions you want (Q. What did you have for breakfast?) and I may or may not answer. :) (A.Oatmeal and a banana).

Other than that, have a great, God-honoring day!