Pssst! What are you reading this weekend?

I know by the time I get the kids to bed, I’m ready for something to relax me, whisk me away a la calgon — and nothing beats the combined beauty treatment of a bubble bath and inspirational chick-lit novel — good for the skin and soul.

If you’re already a Spa Girls fan, then you KNOW how funny Kristin Billerbeck’s novels are. If you’ve never read one, then allow me to introduce her to you.

Kristin is an award-winning novelist and mother of four children (ages 11, 10, 8, 6) who makes her home near Sacramento. She says on her website, “I’m a California girl (fourth-generation) and I remember the Bay Area before it was Silicon Valley. Before everyone drove Beamers and drank decaf soy lattes and bubble teas.”

She’s one of the first Christian chick-lit authors and has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and World Magazine for her work. What a Girl Wants won the 2004 American Christian Romance Writers’ Contemporary Book of the Year. This year, Kristin’s novel, With this Ring, I’m Confused won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Lit Book of the Year.

Welcome to Mom 2 Mom Connection! We’re all big fans of inspirational books here, and we’d love to learn more about your Spa Girls trilogy. Can you tell us a little about it?

The Spa Girls Collection is my tribute to women friendships. My best friend has been my best friend since we were four. As you get older, you learn to appreciate all your friends in the seasons of life and what they contribute to make you a better person. These stories are about how we can remain in our little world, but when we get too off-track, our friends are there to rescue us.

I recently read Calm, Cool, and Adjusted, which was released this month. It was so much fun to read! Who is Poppy Clayton, and what is going on in her life?

Poppy Clayton is a natural health buff and chiropractor. She’s a bit obsessive-compulsive and feels she knows what’s best for everyone. In a loving, and fun way of course, but we all know someone who wants us to drink green shakes and has the tastebuds of a squirrel. That’s Poppy and she’s not in search of a husband, but she is in search of freedom from having to find one. When she’s not looking, God has a different plan for her.

How did you come up with her character? Is she at all similar to you?

Truthfully, she’s based a tad on my husband if that makes any sense — and a bit of Colleen Coble, my writing partner. They’re both convinced they know what’s best for me and are not afraid to say it.

Throughout the book, Poppy ranks herself on a desperation scale. I’m sure many of us can relate. Can you tell us more about that?

I had this vision of how the book starts with a female monkey in a tree, chasing after an abundance of male monkeys, only to find her chase has left her alone, and feeling desperate. I really wanted to capture that feeling of how when we go after what we want, we’re often left alone to question our very being. I want women to find themselves acceptable in Him and that’s what the book is about.

How does Poppy become more calm, cool, and adjusted as the plot moves along?

She learns that she does not control the universe, though she tries desperately. The more she lets go of her rules and makes them “guidelines,” the happier she becomes.

What do you want readers to take away from reading this book, or others in your Spa Girls trilogy?

I want them to have a fun sense of escapism, but also appreciate the friends who populate their lives. I hope they’ll see their own friendships in the Spa Girls.

I love reading the Girls Write Out blog, which you participate in along with novelists Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter. For those who haven’t visited yet, what types of things do you blog about?

We blog about everything — from chocolate, to writing, to our friendship and how wonderfully strange it is. We all started out writing together and we have worked hard to become better writers and hopefully, better people. I think it’s good to share our successes and our foibles because that’s part of life.

Some of us here are also aspiring to become better writers. Do you recommend the American Christian Fiction Writers organization? What are the advantages of joining?

I do recommend it. I remember when it was a seed in Lynn Coleman’s mind as an alternative to secular writing groups for those of us who shared a call. We are now around 1200 members. The forums (available if you join) are a treasure trove of information on point of view, sales & marketing and other writing-related tips.

Can you give us a quick scoop on the national ACFW conference that was just held in Dallas?

The conference was fabulous, as always. Since it only incorporates fiction in its teaching, the editors and agents are just there to find writers of novels. What a blessing! This year, Liz Curtis Higgs was the keynote speaker, and that was worth every cent without all the classes!

Oh, I’d love to hear Liz Curtis Higgs speak someday. Congratulations on your Lit Book of the Year Award, by the way!

Thanks!

What are you working on next?

Right now, I’m working on Split Ends, which is a stand-alone novel about a young woman from a small town who has big dreams of becoming a Hollywood hairstylist. She’s convinced if she can find success, she can overcome her past — but it turns out, her success only creates new problems she hadn’t anticipated.

We can’t wait until you’re through so we can read it. Thanks for stopping by, Kristin!

Enjoyed it!

Kristin Billerbeck can be reached at her website, where you can sign up for her “Kristin’s Handbag” newsletters. You can also keep up with her real-life sagas at the always-entertaining blog, Girls Write Out.

Just in case you thought that press release earlier today was kinda dry, I have to tell you some big news. Kristin Billerbeck, the QUEEN of Christian chick-lit, is coming to visit tomorrow. Here!

Don’t miss it …

I’m busy collecting my all-time favorite laugh-out-loud quotes from some of her books off my bookshelf. I don’t know where she thinks of this stuff, but you can’t read a Billerbeck novel and stay in a bad mood. I mean, just in case you ever get in a bad mood. Not that I’m speaking from experience. heh. heh.

If you’ve never read any Billerbeck chick-lit, you can visit her in the Silicon Valley here.

When I was in middle school, I was absolutely, positively BONKERS about horses. I dreamed about horses. I drew pictures of horses on all my school papers. I read horse books, watched horse movies, collected model horses. And I begged my parents to let me take horseback riding lessons.

There was a stable within walking distance of my house. My sister and I hung out at the barn, petting the horses, feeding them strips of grass, feeling their warm whiskery muzzle in our hands. My mom told us stories about her horse growing up and decided it would be OK to let us take lessons.

After several months of learning to ride, we found another stable about a ten-minute drive from our house, and my parents bought us a horse, Bandit. Every day after school, throughout our up-and-down roller coaster t’weens, Mom drove me and my sister to the barn. We mucked out stalls together, groomed and rode our horse, fed him — and for a year, I joined the show circut. I showed English equitation, and of course dreamed of going to the Olympics … until I started high school and moved on to other interests (humans, with XY chromosomes).

I think I’m still a bit horse crazy, and that’s why I was thrilled to discover TWO series of books for girls who love horses, written by Christian authors. Woohoo! You can help build your daughter’s faith while she’s following her heart reading stories about horses.

The Keystone Stables series by Marsha Hubler is published by Zonderkidz, and I read The Trouble with Skye. It was fantastic. Skye Nicholson is a troubled 13-year-old foster kid, who is full of teenage angst and is an expert at getting into trouble. She’s rescued by the tough love of Tom and Eileen Chambers, who offer her a new chance in their home.

There, she meets Champ, the most beautiful horse she’s ever seen. Though first deathly afraid to ride him, she discovers she’s a natural. The Nicholsons also gently introduce her to God, who loves her and gives her life meaning and hope as she explores her past. Marsha Hubler sent me a signed copy of her book with this inscription: “No trouble is greater than God! 1 Corinthians 15:10.” So, of course, I’ve blabbed about it to my local children’s librarian — and can’t wait until my girls are a little older. This series is recommended for ages 10 & up. (Skye has smoked pot in her past, which may introduce some heavy material for younger elementary-age girls.)

While I was telling my librarian about the Keystone Stables series, she pointed out another series she likes, Winnie the Horse Gentler books by Dandi Daley Mackall. These are published by Tyndale Kids, so I jumped right in and read Wild Thing, book 1 of the series.

Twelve-year-old Winnie is searching for peace in her life, after the death of her mother in a car accident. Her dad keeps moving her and her younger sister around, unsettled and grieving. Winnie has a part-time afternoon job at nearby Stable-Mart, where she falls head over heels in love with a spirited Arabian, called Wild Thing.

Her dream is to buy him and keep him in the old barn behind their rental home — if only she can convince her dad not to move again — and if she can earn the money. I love the gentle way the author shares Winnie’s prayers to God. We can see her faith, and we can also see how God works in her life. It’s a beautiful book. There’s also a wonderful glossary of horse terms in the back.

Both books include diagrams that label the parts of a horse. What fun to hear these terms I haven’t thought of in years: crest, withers, dock, cannon, fetlock, etc. Your horse-crazy daughters will fall in love with these books!

Well! Here’s some exciting news for ya.

I’ve been clicking around the NaNoWriMo site, hemming and hawing about whether I’ll actually get up the nerve to join in the fun. You can sign up now, though the gates won’t open for you to start writing your 50,000-word novel until November 1.

But I discovered the coolest thing — this year, there’s a program for kids! How’s that for a dream assignment for English teachers? If I were in the classroom, I think I’d probably pick my best and brightest students and tell them about this. And of course if I were homeschooling, my kids would have no choice. heh.

Can you imagine how much that would rock your confidence if you wrote your first novel at 13? Yeah, baby. Look out New York City. That would definitely be a better way to spend your time than watching TV or playing video games — almost as good as getting outside and exercising. Balance is good. And for you adults reading this, wouldn’t you love to have a copy of a novel YOU wrote at 13? Or 16?

If you’re interested, click over to the NaNoWriMo Young Writer’s Program and see how you can get your teacher’s kit, full of “goodies and incentives to get your students writing.”

When my kids are older, maybe we can all do this as a family. Wouldn’t that be fun? All of us, pulling our hair out over plots, characters, dialogue — at the same time! Then we could have a family reading. Hmmm…I’m getting all kinds of ideas here.

Now, back to my hemming and hawing about whether I will actually sign up myself …

I had a great time interviewing Allison Bottke for this month’s Christian Women Online ezine, which just came out. It was a thrill for both of us when Darlene decided to run this story on the cover. Click here to read the whole interview.

I read Allison’s lady-lit novel, A Stitch in Time, over the summer when I was recovering from my painful knee mishap. It was such a fun story, one of those books you start telling people they’ve just “got to read.”

So, it was no problem thinking up questions to ask someone as fascinating as Allison, who is also a prolific nonfiction writer and the creative force behind 21 books in the God Allows U-Turns series.

Allison doesn’t know this, but I sat behind her in a seminar about a year ago at the Glorieta Christian Writers’ conference. It was a workshop on book tables — how to display your creativity by offering more than just a stack of your paperback books for sale. The only reason I attended this class is because I had lunch with this funny lady who was teaching it, and she told me I just had to go. So I did, and I learned a lot, in case I ever need to have a book table.

Most of these workshops are attended by wannabes (like me), so I was surprised and a bit awed to see Allison Bottke in the audience. She’s even more striking in real person than in her pictures, and she asked the speaker questions during the class — which I thought was quite humble. Just goes to show how some people never stop wanting to learn and grow.

Allison sent me Before/After pictures of her Weight Loss Surgery. Truly amazing — she lost 120 pounds — much like her character Dee Decker in A Stitch in Time. In fact, her novel shows you more in detail what it’s like to live post-WLS. It gave me some good insight — and I wish I could eat this way all the time now! (Think: very small portions…)

As you can read from the interview, Allison’s outside transformation is nothing compared to what took place on the inside when she accepted Christ in her 30s. Wow. Her testimony continues to make an impact everywhere it’s told.

The rest of the ezine is full of great articles on everything: humorous stories about parenting, housekeeping with a large family, recipes, scrapbooking ideas, an online novel, etc. Fun! One sad piece of news is that the CWO blog is going to be discontinued. Darlene has decided this is not what God is calling her to do now — so she’s helped Iris jump in with a new daily devotional blog, Laced with Grace. It should start October 9th and will feature the inspirational writing of several bloggers.

Allison Bottke is also a blogger at her God Allows U-Turns blog, where she often invites guest bloggers to tell their U-Turns stories.

Note: These links to CWO will stay fresh for only the month of October. If you happen to find this post later, the links will be for the current issue.

Quick! If you’d like a FREE signed copy of Kristin Billerbeck’s latest release in the Spa Girls trilogy, she’s offered free autographed books to the first ten people who respond to her at the Girls Write Out blog. Follow THIS link.

As of 1:30 pm Eastern, there are still three copies up for grabs. So go leave her a comment if you’d like to win a copy of this book!

I read it, and it really had me laughing. You can see my review here at Christian Book Previews. I’m crossing my fingers and so hoping that Kristin Billerbeck will be able to come here and chat with us someday!

Today’s my one-year blogging birthday. My Blogiversary. Yep, it’s been a whole year since the first time I logged onto my new WordPress blog and sent my thoughts out into cyberspace.

Surprisingly, no reporters are banging on my door or calling me to ask me how I feel about this monumental milestone. So, excuse me for being a total geek, but I’m going to interview myself. Something I’ve never done before, but why not?

So, Heather, how do you feel about reaching your first blogiversary?

Surprised. I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since I started blogging. In some ways, I still feel like a newbie compared to everyone else out there. But blogging has become such a part of my daily routine that I can’t imagine not doing it.

What was your first post about?

It was called Come On In, and I wrote this:

First of all, you don’t have to be a mom to come on in and visit. What I’m interested in is hearing your views and opinions on topics that relate to families. We may not all have the same backgrounds or lifestyles, but when it comes to children, we have an incredible amount in common.

I’d love for this to be a forum where it’s not just my voice you’re reading. So, I’ll be looking out for interesting ideas and opinions to share with you. My passion is to encourage and inspire others through helping them connect to what they need.

I feel pretty much the same way now. Except I know some of my readers, which makes writing a lot more fun!

Why did you decide to start blogging?

It all goes back to attending my first writers’ conference, the 2004 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers’ Conference. I had a one-on-one appointment with a professional writer, and she said I should definitely have a website, but I had no idea what to put on it. I’d been a stay-home mom for 8 years, totally out of the career loop.

At the conference, I picked up a flyer about a writing contest sponsored by Zondervan, and I decided to enter. We were supposed to submit a 50,000-word nonfiction book manuscript, which I did. It was a great experience for me. I didn’t make the list of finalists, but I wrote my very first blog comment in February 2005 to congratulate the winner.

I later went back to visit the Zondervan blog and noticed Stacy Harp of Mind & Media (now Active Christian Media) had also left a comment that she was looking for bloggers to help spread the word about Christian books. So I contacted Stacy, and she called me personally and invited me to join her reviewing team if I’d start a blog. It was exciting to get a phone call from a Christian writer I didn’t know in California!

So, the initial reason you started blogging was to review books?

That was one idea. But I wanted to have a greater purpose for blogging than just writing book reviews. That would get pretty boring for people to read, I thought. So I decided to make my blog an offshoot of the local column I write for West Georgia Ladies Magazine. My column is called “Mom 2 Mom Connection,” and I enjoy seeking ways to encourage women and help them feel connected. I’ve been writing this column since November 2004, also a result of attending a writers’ conference.

What have you learned about the blogosphere that you didn’t know a year ago?

Well, when I first started writing, I didn’t open up for comments. I was afraid of spam and all the unknowns. Then I got an email from a nice lady in Boston, who said she found my blog through the Technorati parenting tag. Wow — I was so encouraged and felt like I had one real reader! Gradually, I opened up my comments, and I’m glad I did. I’ve made so many friends this way. There are some amazing people out there. Through blogging, I have friends all over the world — and I hope when my kids are older we can visit some of these friends!

What are some highlights from your first year of blogging?

I’ve really enjoyed writing essays for the Carnival of Beauty, sponsored by A Gracious Home blog (formerly Two Talent Living). This is where I’ve “met” many kindred spirits who have become friends.

A few months ago, I started writing the “Book Buzz” column for Christian Women Online ezine, which has introduced me to even more wonderful ladies who love to grow in their faith and write. And I have a new outlet for sharing my love of Christian books.

I was also blessed when I hosted the Mother’s Love Writing Contest back in April. What a joy it was to read women’s stories about their moms, and occasionally I discovered comments where the mothers who were written about thanked their daughters publicly. Much healing comes from writing about the good memories and letting go of the bad. There comes a point where we need to forgive and move on, and I think the essay contest allowed some women to do that.

Other highlights include interviewing so many amazing writers, whose books offer the types of resources women need. My list of people I want to interview is so long now!

Do you have any concerns about blogging?

Yes, I do have concerns about my privacy, and especially of my family’s privacy. I just don’t know who is reading this blog, though I try to visit the sites of people who leave comments. Still, I can’t assume that every reader is someone I’d want to hang out with in real life, so for now, I’ve decided not to post pictures of my home or children. I may change my mind someday, but since I don’t blog anonymously, this is what I’ve decided for now. I can’t stand the nasty spam I receive, and I’ve even been verbally attacked for my views on a certain book, so I just try to be wise about things.

What are your future plans for Mom 2 Mom Connection?

I’d like to make this site more user friendly. I’ve gotten some of the most heart-wrenching emails from women, distraught over various issues. I try to write each of them back personally, and suggest a book or a website that may have the resources they need. But I’d like to expand my blog into a website that would make it easy for people to click on the subject they’re interested in. I could offer direct links to books and websites that could help them. It will be a while before I’m ready to do that.

I also will probably take some time off in the spring to work on a book proposal. I’d like to attend another Blue Ridge writers’ conference or ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) next summer, and take a proposal or book manuscript with me. For a nonfiction book proposal, you have to write an outline and three chapters, as well as your marketing plan. For a fiction proposal, you need to submit the whole manuscript. I’m still trying to figure out if I want to write for women only or maybe go back to my long-ago dream of writing for children. When I figure it out, I’ll need some time off from blogging to write.

Any closing words?

Right now, blogging is the easiest way for me to reach out to women beyond my small circle of friends and family. There are so many desperate people in the world. They sit down at their computer and google “depressed mom blog” or “I feel like a failure blog” or “I’m tired of being a mom blog” and they end up at my site (yes, these are actual phrases people have used recently). I don’t have all the answers, but I know they’re looking for hope, which can be found in the Bible.

Christian books can be a gateway for people to enter into God’s Word, whether it’s a fictional story in which a character learns and grows spiritually, or it’s a nonfiction book written from a compassionate point of view. I want to help people find positive ways to cope with life’s daily stresses and frustrations.

Wellness is a whole-package deal — physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. I blog about things we can do to stay well physically at b5 media’s Lively Women, and I blog about everything else here. Of course, I think writing is one of the best things we can do to cope and feel closer to God’s heart — as King David did, when he reached for his pen instead of his sword.

Heather Ivester is a mom of five kids ten and under and the author of From a Daughter’s Heart to Her Mom: 50 Reflections on Living Well. She’s also contributed devotionals, essays, and articles to several magazines and books, including Guideposts magazine and the newly released A Cup of Comfort for Mothers to Be.

What can I say? I took a break from blogging over the summer, and so I also didn’t even read most of my favorite blogs. Which means I somehow missed these AWESOME interviews on Novel Journey with Chip MacGregor. He’s held several key positions in Christian publishing, including being an agent with Alive Communications, an assistant publisher with Time Warner/ Hachette, and now has launched his own agency, MacGregor Literary.

Several bloggers have been buzzing about Chip’s new agency, including Jennifer, Gina, and Mirtika.

Gina Holmes interviewed Chip back in July, and these three posts are some of the best I’ve ever read. So of course I want to link to them and tell you to go over to Gina’s blog and get the whole scoop.

I know I should be embarrassed as a blogger to be so behind that I’m linking to something that came out almost three months ago — but I’m not. No pride at all here — just some great reading I came across. Now of course, I’ve subscribed to Novel Journey’s RSS feed so I won’t miss a single interview.

Monday, July 17, 2006 — Chip MacGregor, Part I
Tuesday, July 18, 2006 — Chip MacGregor, Part II
Wednesday, July 19, 2006 — Chip MacGregor, Part III

If you’re interested in publishing a book, here’s what Chip has to say:

Every book proposal needs three things: a great idea, great writing, and a great author platform. Rarely a publisher will agree to do a book based on just one of those factors (for example, a celebrity book based solely on the fact that the author is well known), but they will often make the decision based on two factors.

So if you’ve got a great idea, by all means begin working to build a great platform, and spend time working on the craft in order to become a better writer. I have often seen pretty good book ideas presented to me that are attached to terrible writing by unknown authors. And the fact is, I can’t buy your book based on the fact that you woke up with a good idea. In my experience, good ideas occur all the time. The rare event is when a writer with a good idea determines to put in the time required and express that idea in a coherent and entertaining manner.

That’s it. There it is — the three things you need to be published: a great idea, great writing, and a great platform. The more I’ve ventured into this world of writing, the more I realize I don’t know ANYTHING. Really, nothing.

The more books I read, the more I realize there is something esoteric about great writing. The only way to learn how to be a great writer is to read everything you can get your hands on — and then try to figure out why some books make you laugh and cry, or change your view about life in some way — and others cause you to yawn, gather dust on your nightstand, or make their way into your box of donations for the Salvation Army.

Another quote:

Again, I feel as though the reason most wannabe authors remain unpublished is because they just aren’t willing to put in the time, to do the hard work and become better at the craft of writing. In other words, laziness will keep you from being a great writer. Given the chance, inertia will dominate. And then you can make yourself feel better by saying, “I COULD have been a great writer, if only I’d put my mind to it.” It reminds me of the high school student who waits to write his paper until the night before it is due. Then he stays up all night, bangs it out, gets a C+, but tells himself, “That’s because I waited. If I would have started earlier, I’d have gotten an A.” It’s a gentle way of lying to ourselves.

If you want to get published, the BEST thing you can do it to become a better writer. As I’ve said a million times, greatness will out. I don’t know of any great writer who goes unpublished.

If you only have time to read one of these interviews, the second post is worth reading ten times and even printing out, if you’re really interested in improving yourself as a writer. Gina asked, “How can an author take their work from good to great?” Chip’s answer included 22 items. This list is a keeper.

If you’re interested in Christian fiction and you’re not already a regular over at Novel Journey, you’re missing out — like me!

Here’s a quick update from my whining session yesterday. First of all, my son’s flag football team WON the championship game!! I couldn’t go, but three grandparents and my husband saw them win — so YEA for me sending emails to everybody. I’m not such a bad mom after all.

As far as our “Wednesday virus” woes, my three-year-old popped up out of bed at 9:40, eager as a beaver, telling me he wasn’t sick anymore and he wanted to eat breakfast. So, it was truly a one-day bug. The baby napped off and on all day, giving me an excuse to hold her, rock her, and do nothing productive except read — and she’s fine this morning as well. Whew!

Now, here’s my reminder to you — if you’re even the tiniest bit interested in writing a novel someday, now’s your chance. Starting October 1, you can sign up for NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month will take place throughout the month of November. Get out that dusty manuscript you wrote in college and you occasionally pine over, and tap it into your computer during November. When you reach 50,000 words, you’re done, and you get to put a really cool 2006 NaNoWriMo button on your blog or website (or refrigerator) to let the world know you’re an aspiring novelist.

I don’t have time to write a novel — but who does? Even professional novelists barely have time to write — they’ve got fan mail to answer, book tours to give, movie producers to meet with, all that stuff that takes time away from the hard work of pounding the keys.

My idea is to get up super early and spend an hour a day — typing 2,000 words of something — and try to do it. I think it would be fun to write something for my kids that I could give them as a Christmas gift. I’ve been reviewing kids’ books lately, and every book I read, I think, “I could write like that, maybe even funnier than that.” So why not? Nobody has to read it but me and my kids. I may even use their actual names and pets throughout the story — but make it one of those funny, hair-raising mysteries or adventures where they figure something out.

If I can do it, you can too. OK? Congratulations to one of you who wrote to tell me she sent off two Chicken Soup stories this week — for the Beach Lover’s Soul and Chocolate Lover’s Soul. Whoo-hooo! One day, I’ll be at the beach eating chocolate reading Chicken Soup books and I’ll see her story — that will be too fun!

I can’t wait to tell you about these horse books I’ve been reading — they would make great Christmas gifts if you have daughters who love horses. But I gotta run get ready for the weekend. I’ll tell you about them next week!

I don’t have anything important to attempt to say today. I just wanna talk to somebody … when it’s convenient for you to check out my blog.

Here’s what’s up … and why I’m feeling down.

This morning, right now at this very minute, a few miles from my house, I could be sitting in a clean, air-conditioned room with about 15 other women, watching Beth Moore teach on a giant video screen. As I’m typing now, at 9:40 am, our group is probably finishing up the discussion of our third week’s topic, Love. We’re studying Living Beyond Yourself, and WAAAHHH! I want to be there!!

Here’s why I’m not there. I’m holding my 18-month-old who has thrown up on me twice already this morning. She’s hot as fire, burning up with fever. I didn’t know she was sick until last night, while I was chatting with some moms at the church playground, enjoying myself for a few minutes until … BLAHK … she threw up all over me. This is why I do not even pretend that I have my act together.

My three-year-old is still upstairs in his bed asleep. I’ve checked on him nine times already. He was also feverish last night. I’m letting him sleep as long as he wants. Maybe he’ll wake up and have this thing kicked. It’s our first fall virus, one of the joys we get from being sociable and active in church this year. We’ve even dubbed these nasty things the “Wednesday viruses” because the symptoms always show up on Wednesdays after we go to church on Sundays.

So I’m not at Bible Study, interacting with my wonderful adult women friends. I’m also not at the gym with my friend Mary who asked me again to work out with her. She keeps reminding me she wants to teach me the circuit machines, and the last time she saw me she said, “I’ve got to show you how to use the Butt-Blaster. You won’t believe the results once you use it for about three weeks.” I’m sorry, that’s not a word I use or even type, but I couldn’t help it. There’s no better name for a machine that does THAT, is there?

I’m also not going to be able to watch my son’s flag football team in the championship game today. They’re playing an hour away, and the best I’ve done is send the grandparents an email with directions to the game, hoping one of them might be able to go. Another reason I feel like a terrible failure of a mom today.

And let’s also toss in my worries about tomorrow. We’ve invited two of my son’s friends to spend the night — our plans are to build a bonfire and roast hot dogs or s’mores. But what if my little ones don’t get better today? Ethically, I’ll have to cancel these plans.

Tomorrow, I’m also supposed to cook a chicken casserole to deliver to a friend in my women’s club who has a newborn baby and is recovering from a horrendous delivery in which she had to have emergency surgery and a blood transfusion. Furthermore, she had to have another painful procedure done yesterday, which may affect her ability to nurse. I’m really looking forward to visiting her tomorrow and taking her a little gift, along with my part of the meal (another friend is helping me.) But I can’t do this if I’m a traveling virus.

So! I told my husband this morning at breakfast — this is why so many stay-home moms find connection through blogging. I know this is a season of life that doesn’t last forever — and someday my kids will be older and won’t get sick as often. My elementary-aged kids hardly ever get sick — and unless they have a fever, I send them on to school.

My husband reminded me — well, at least I don’t have to be stressed about finding a sitter because I have to get to work. Yes, that’s true. But we were also talking last night about how useful it might be if I could teach English in a private Christian school someday — so we could get reduced tuition and use my salary to pay the rest of the tuition and expenses. That would be nice indeed and would give me something creative to do with this love I have of writing and encouraging other people to write.

Someday … but not today. My greatest ambition today is to blog about my desperate life in the hopes that one of you out there who may also be having a discouraging day may feel a little better. Or just in case you think I might have my act together because my blog appears clean on your screen and there are no crushed cheerios or globs of peanut butter on it, you’ll see that appearances can be deceiving.

I’m hoping I’ll be able to take a shower today, and maybe finish up organizing the last upstairs closet from our autumn fling. I’ll be making chicken broth soup and jello, and reminding my husband to pick up Pedialyte on his way home (can’t live without that stuff in the winter when you’ve got preschoolers or babies.)

Thanks for listening … I feel better already. Can’t beat the price of blogging!