New way for me to reply to your comments!

I've been wishing this blog had a feature so I could hit "reply" and write you back when you comment on one of my posts. And finally, I figured out how to set it up! Your comments are really important to me, and I intend to make every effort to reply when you leave one. You should also be able to reply to one another's comments so we can have good discussions, and even subscribe to follow-up comments from one particular post.

Looking forward to talking with you!

Happily Ever After Takes Work!

This past weekend, Dave and I celebrated our twenty-third wedding anniversary. We went to Hilton Head Island, which was also where we spent our honeymoon. Even though it rained all weekend—until the morning we had to leave, of course; isn’t that always the way?—we had a wonderful trip. We walked in the rain, climbed to the top of the lighthouse, ate fresh seafood, and in the evening built a fire and ordered pizza.

Getting married was another one of those dreams of mine that seemed to take forever. I was a few weeks shy of thirty-one when we finally walked down the aisle. At the time, I thought I was ancient. I thought ice ages could have come and gone in the time I spent fretting over whether I would be single forever!

You know, in fairy-tales and movies, getting to the “I Do” is the happy ending, but in the real world, that’s just the beginning. Dave and I had both been single and independent for a long time, not to mention we’re both very stubborn people. So the adjustment was extremely difficult, and I don’t mean for a few weeks or even a few months. Sometimes I think back on the years he had to put up with my attitude and am amazed he’s still around.

Truth be told, if we hadn’t both believed that marriage is forever we probably would have separated in those early years. But we hung in there, and miracle of miracles, today we’re best friends. Happily married—ever after, I hope. But I know it’s easy to slip, and we have to guard our relationship constantly.

I try to remember all of this when I start to despair of my other dreams. I try to remember that each day is a gift the Lord has made, and that if and when I manage to cross over that magic line into fulfillment, well then…that day will have its joys and challenges just like the others.

Then again, I also know that dreams are worth working for. Even on the days when you’d rather throw the whole mess out the window. Looking at my best friend and husband of twenty-three years makes me remember that.

Why I'm Coming Back

I am absolutely thrilled to hear from so many of my wonderful cyber-friends again! So touched you responded. I have missed interacting with all of you.

Which is one of the reasons I decided to start blogging again. I’m lonely!

Seriously, I haven’t been networking much of late, other than a quick check-in to Facebook occasionally. And my sister fusses at me for not posting enough there.

But for awhile there, I was putting more time into writing blogs—and reading blogs—than I was into my actual writing. With a full-time job on top of all that, something had to go. So I decided to just concentrate on writing for a little while.

That little while turned out to be longer than I expected, for a number of reasons. But I did do a lot of writing. I’ve worked with a professional editor on a complete overhaul of one of my older novels, and I’m a couple of scenes away from finishing a new one. And guess what? I’m STILL not published!

But there are some developments, including a proposal or two out there in which they ask about my online activities to build a platform. So there’s reason number two for blogging: I guess I should actually have some online activity to report, not just a dormant site or two.

And now for reason number three. I called myself “The Queen of Perseverance” sort of facetiously, of course—but also because the major thing that God has wanted me to learn in life is how to wait. How to have patience and trust during the waiting. Generally, that’s been how to wait for good things, and on occasion (as in the case of having children), how to let go.

I have a totally new waiting and perseverance situation going on now, as I spend another 40 hours or so every week (in addition to the 40-hour a week job) taking care of my elderly parents. My dad has dementia from microvascular ischemia in his brain (sort of like constant mini strokes), and this has been going on for years. This experience has taken the patience and trust and hanging-in-there to a whole new level. It’s made me want to start sharing again…sometimes because I’ve learned a thing or two, or I’ve had an interesting revelation. Sometimes just because I want to give a huge primal scream and can’t figure anything out and want some input from my wise friends out there.

So anyway, hope you’ll hang in there with me! And let me hear how things are going with you. If any of you are still blogging and want to mention it in the comments, I’d love to start following you again, too.

The Queen's Coming Back! Anybody Still There?

After a long, LONG break from blogging, I'm about to take another stab at it. A lot has happened--and trust me, God is still teaching me about perseverance and hanging in there!

Are any of you folks still out there that used to be kind enough to subscribe and read my posts? If so, give me a shout-out!

Thanks!