Walking Butterfly: 10/1/10

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Fooling Myself....

Know what?

Pretending to clean

just so I can hurry up and

get to my Mac,

Takes just as much

energy

as really cleaning!!

Silly woman!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

There are a lot of you out there who are writers or want to be professional writers. This makes sense that there would be a lot of us using this venue of blogging to get all the words out of our heads and onto "paper". It is a need, not a luxury. The words and ideas must be released or bad things could happen.

I am not sure what the bad things are, because I have written and journaled since I was in grade school. But I have gone through seasons when it was not easy to find the moment to make the transfer from head to fingers to paper. When my two sons were little I cherished nap time. As they grew too old for a structured nap time, I invented "book time" which kept them quietly reading on their beds for 30 minutes in the afternoons. Yes, Moms can be extremely creative when the need to write is so strong!

As I told you back here, I have recently discovered that there actually is a book in me! My next dilemma was getting myself to sit down and do it. Sit down and begin the process of getting all the amazing words of wisdom that could be floating around inside me into a fun and inspiring book!

I knew that the first step would be to create a new blog in addition to this one. The new one needed to be more narrowly directed to the target audience of the book in my head & heart. I am pleased to say that I have followed through on that and you may feel free to wander over to my other collection of words by clicking on the link in my side bar.

Then back here, I mentioned that I had not written anything substantial since beginning my new job in September. My work days are very people oriented and emotional, so I had nothing left when I got home each evening. I debated whether this was an excuse or not. Why writers would put off and procrastinate doing what we love to do is a weird sort of mystery but it is true. Once I sit down and begin to let the words flow, I am in heaven! I love the act of choosing the correct word and arranging the paragraphs just right. But I too, find myself wasting time on Facebook and reading blogs when I should be using the time to create my own collection of words, not just reading others.

So, I am happy and proud to report that I have managed to take Wednesdays off from work and make it my serious writing day! The last three Wednesdays I have let Hubs go to our shared job on his own and I have basked in the intoxicating luxury of seven or eight hours of alone time to be creative!! Yay me! ( I am aware that for you young Mommies out there this is fantasy land. But the day will come, it will!)

One of the huge pieces of doing this, is that it is making a public declaration of my desire to be a writer. When students or staff ask why I am not at work on Wednesdays, I am telling them that I am pursuing a dream of mine. It is proclaiming that I am worth it. That's scary stuff to put out there!! But it is a beginning step. A tiny step. But it is something!

I have three articles "out there" waiting for acceptance or rejection. I have only a very skimpy outline of my book in my head. It is hard to know where to begin on that. I am following up on many leads to more website writing jobs to add to the one I have already. Actually the website I write for now, pays more per hour than my new day job. And that is not much! (I really should not have calculated that out yesterday! It is very disheartening!)

I love to write. I am receiving some pretty positive response to my new blog. It is helping me to form the content of the book I want to write. The new blog, called Recovering Church Lady, is aimed at women in Christian leadership. My heart hurts for all the mis-information and pain they endure as they work day in and day out to be what so many people think they should be! Don't get me started!

This is my update regarding my dream to be a writer. I honestly need, Hubs and I need some other income beyond what we have now. I want to make money with my writing talent. I'm not too proud to say that. I do not expect the book to be an income generator, so I am looking at any other avenues to bring in some bucks through writing.

Thanks for listening and thank you my dear blog friends for your continual encouraging comments! You inspire me!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (Almost!)

Java is hosting Wordless Wednesday!

Writer Son turns 28 today and has been married

for 17 days!

Where did the time go?

Sunday, October 24, 2010

New Season = New Look!I

I asked Hubs opinion on a new Header Pic. I am not sure how
to make the header smaller though. It kind of hits you in the face doesn't it?

This one & the chosen one were his favs.

He hated this one! I still like it.

This is a fav for both of us but I turned the butterfly too much.

What do you think?

Friday, October 22, 2010

How I Became A Mother-In-Law

I realize that the title should be about my son getting married, or my son becoming a husband, but this is from my POV (point of view in fancy writer-speak.) so it’s all about me and my experience. Isn’t my blog all about me anyway? Pretty much everything is about me in my world so there you go.

As the wedding of Writer Son and Sassy Bride came closer and closer I could not be happier with the choices they were both making in the planning and preparations. But the very first ultimate choice they had made is what still gives me the greatest thrill; choosing one another! I adore Sassy Bride and if given the chance to pick out my Daughter-in-law, she would be the one. My heart is full even today as I remind myself that my son is married to Sassy Bride and she will be part of our family forever!

But I won’t say I was not nervous as the big event drew near. I had no qualms about the stars of the day, the Bride and Groom were doing great. I was anxious about the secondary roles. The parents. Meeting hers and being the parents of the Groom. This was and is totally new territory!

The first point of fear, as most women will agree, was what to wear. As my blog-friends know. You were very patient and sweetly encouraging with my ramblings on this subject week after week. Want to relive the fun? Go here. And here, and here! (There are more places but you get the idea.)

I ended up buying and altering a lovely deep purple sheath style dress that came to my knees. (Because the Mother of the bride had chosen that length.) A friend of mine made it fit me nicely and I was so excited to wear it to the wedding. I am not a dressy person in normal life. I even tend to wear pants of some kind to all the weddings I have been to for the last few years. But the Mother of the Groom could not get away with wearing pants, I knew that for sure. So, the dress, shoes, clutch bag, necklace and dressy little jacket were all purchased and it all pulled together into a pretty nice look.

Once we arrived in our hotel room after two flights from our state to Texas, I carefully looked over each piece of my outfit to be sure it was ready for the next day. All was well. I did wear pants to the rehearsal night, which was very casual and included a big bonfire outdoors and tiki torches.

On the wedding day after a restless night I carefully dressed and predictably did not have a great hair morning! I had to leave my favorite hairspray at home due to airline rules and the tiny one I bought was all wrong. But I pulled it together and the look was great, I smiled at my reflection in the mirror and agreed with my husband that I was a somewhat beautiful MOG.

I clip-clopped through the hotel lobby (Not used to heels either!) and out to our rental car. The next thing my hubs heard was a gasp of horror from me as I sat in the front seat. I had no idea how FAR UP, a knee length sheath dress will go when you are seated! I pulled and stretched it to cover my knees and it immediately popped back up to areas of my thigh that were never meant to be shown.

When I say that the area was not meant to be shown, I am deadly serious! My knees had dark, lengthy, little hairs popping up as the dress moved upwards! Why did I neglect to shave beyond my knees? I have no idea. What was I thinking? No idea again.

Hubs offered to wait while I trotted back up to our 10^th floor room to remove the ugly hairs but I refused to make that trip again and said I would figure something out when I got there. I knew the bridesmaids were getting dressed at the venue so there would be a shaver I could use.

Thankfully I walked into a gaggle of giggly girls and women in the ladies room at the site and they laughed at my minor emergency and loaned me a shaver. Nice way to introduce yourself to the Mother of the Bride by the way!

The next hurdle was the walk to the ceremony platform. I had plenty of time to worry about this as all the women sat in some small stuffy rooms waiting for all the guests to be seated. I was thrilled to be in the right spot to be one of the ones to help Sassy Bride with her wedding dress. I got to hold her tightly so she wouldn’t fall over as others aggressively cinched up the long laces in the back.

An elderly aunt of hers came in and asked if she could pin a small butterfly pin on her veil or dress to symbolize her recently deceased grandmother. Tears flowed all around at this sweet and quiet gesture.

I also got to watch as my future Daughter-in-law wrote several tiny love notes to be delivered to my son by a Bridesmaid as they waited for the ceremony to begin. Of course I am assuming they were notes of love. They may have been jokes or reminders to stand up straight for all I know!

The long walk from the Bride’s quarters to the platform was extremely long! The wedding took place at a beautiful woodsy retreat center/camp facility. I would estimate the walk to be about a football field in length. The wedding guests did not see us until the very last little turn up the pathway. The hard part was the uneven and leaf and root covered pathway we needed to walk…in heels!

But I did it! I have no idea how it must have looked though. Have you ever tried walking elegantly while your heels are sinking in soft dirt with every step? Kinda dreading the video. And once we were seated, I again struggled with my dress hiking up much further than I am comfortable with. The MOB wore a knee length dress also, but hers was an a-line circle skirt style that ended up covering her knees nicely when seated. Oh well.

This telling is becoming much longer than expected! I will continue but feel free to come back to read the rest another day! Ha!

Once we were seated on the front row with Sassy Bride’s parents, whom I love by the way (So relieved about that!), I could not keep my eyes off my handsome and tickled pink son! His smile just lit him up! Writer Son was not at all nervous, just full of joyful anticipation! He could not believe his luck!

I remained dry-eyed until the pronouncement of husband and wife. That just undid me and my tears came freely and happily. The entire ceremony had been light-hearted and fun but also full of deep meaning and intentionality. These two people in their late twenties had thought this through carefully and made promises to one another that moved many to tears.

I believe I will stop there for now. Other fun and weird stories will be told when the professional pics arrive! And you will be almost the first to see them!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Two Proud Faces...

The Groom-Writer Son and me at his wedding reception.
I know my blog-friend Shawna will not like me trash talking myself, but it was a bad hair day
sadly. Very flat and boring. My hair has looked better every single day since the wedding, wouldn't you know it! ha!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Practice Getting Married

The Bride's little sister was great at keeping Sassy Bride calm and happy.

The Dad's got to know one another by working hard together the day before the grand event!

Beautiful bridge where professional pics were taken! Cannot wait to see them!

My Sons were able to spend some quality time together on Rehearsal day.

Mother of the Bride working with Father of the Groom. It was such a relief
to find that we really like the in-laws! yay!

Local flowers from friends yards and along the roads!

Miss Sassy Bride directing the rehearsal!

Enjoying the small gifts we gave the Bride & Groom. She is also saying,
"Don't take a pic, I look awful." I think she is gorgeous here!

The wonderful wooded pathway that all guests & wedding party will follow!

Rocker Son hanging out. Probably texting his girlfriend about how lame this is.

Sassy Bride & Writer Son practicing.

I think will that be enough for today. These are all just my candids! You will be sick of these by the time I show you the Pro Pics!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The Ceremony of 10-10-10 !

My son became a husband on the easy to remember date of ten-ten-ten! This last Sunday night. We flew to Texas from California to witness this amazing and perfect event. I went back to work on Tuesday after arriving home late Monday night and it was a huge mistake! So today, Wednesday, I stayed home and gathered my thoughts, let my emotions flow and rested my tired body. I accomplished all of this while doing laundry and cleaning the entire house! yep, I am something aren't I?

I am rested enough to show you some of the candid pics that were taken. We are anxiously awaiting the professional pics which will be glorious because the forest setting was a "cannot ruin this" background!

We have pics of the day before as we helped pull the scene together but for today I will show you the candids that were caught of the wedding day itself............

Sassy Bride (My pet name for her for now.) wrote lots of short, sweet notes to Ga-ga Groom all day as they waited their turn to emerge for the ceremony!