Thoughtful About . . . Growing Up

by | Oct 29, 2009 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized

It’s a phrase we’ve heard, and which I’ve tossed around a few times: “Oh, grow up.” And lately, I’ve had a few moments of “Wow. I feel like an adult all of a sudden.” Like when we finally bit the bullet and bought insurance. Do you have any idea how grown-up it feels to have a BlueCross card in your wallet for the first time?

But yesterday I wondered a little about the process. See, my kids are a lot like I was when I was small. Competitive, loud, and they throw temper tantrums whenever they don’t get their way. Every time my mom sees it, she laughs and says, “Gee, I wonder where they get that from.” To which I reply, “I have absolutely no idea. I certainly never acted that way.”

Now, it’s a bit of a joke because I’m so even-tempered now that one of my college professors actually said, “I’m concerned that such temperance is unhealthy in one so young.” Last night my husband asked, “So . . . what happened to that temper?”

My answer? When I was about ten, I started getting on my own nerves. It took a lot of energy to get upset over nothing, and it didn’t seem to accomplish much. So I made a concerted effort to grow up–in that respect, anyway.

Not so oddly, it’s been through having kids that are so stinkin’ much like I used to be that has sparked my temper again. I growl daily, and often think that this 2-4 age may just kick my butt–but then they cuddle up against me . . . I’m still amazed at deeply the mother-instinct runs. I mean, I remember being like my daughter, and screaming every single time I stubbed my toe. (Every. Single. Time.) But now when I thwack my elbow off the corner of a cabinet (like I did last night. Ow.), my first thought is, “Don’t scream. Don’t wake the kids. Suck it up.”

I still have those moments when I feel like a kid myself, I’m still amazed when I feel like an adult in a certain respect for the first time. And I’m finally realizing that this “growing up” thing probably never ends. There are always going to be new steps in the process . . . and as long as I realize that, I keep myself malleable for the Lord to keep on a-workin’ on me.

Remember When . . . Women Were Possessions?

by | Oct 28, 2009 | Remember When Wednesdays

The title doesn’t exactly narrow down what time period I’m talking about today, does it? Not this century, but otherwise . . . =)

Since I’ve spent the last few weeks whipping A Stray Drop of Blood into shape and getting it off to my endorsers, then working on my Companion Guide (aka Encyclopedia Roseann-ica), I’ve got ancient history on the brain. And one of the topics in said guide, because of its relevance, to the story, is the Mosaic law on what happens when a man forces himself on a woman.

According to Deuteronomy 22, here’s how it works. If a woman is betrothed, and a man rapes her, he is to be killed. If she’s not betrothed, then he has to marry her, with no possibility for divorce. Great, huh?

Now, for the most part I’m totally on board with the Law of Moses. I think they make sense, that they create a stable and healthy society. But there are definitely times when I’m glad the social conscience has evolved, and this is one of those times.

As I read it, what these particular instructions come down to is that women are possessions. Rape is not an offense against them, but against the man who possesses them. If a man rapes a woman whose body belongs to another man, it is a crime against that man. Hence the punishment of death. And if the woman doesn’t cry out, she’ll be killed too.

This really grabbed my imagination, as I considered the different situations and ramifications that could result from this. I always ask, “What if?” What if a girl knows that if she cries out against a man, someone will come and try to save her? But what if that someone is a slave, and if he raises his hand against his master, he’ll be killed? What then? Would she keep silent to save her friend?

Naturally, I complicate things a lot beyond this simple Law in Stray Drop. It’s all mixed up because of my heroine’s status, the complicated line between bondservant and slave, her feelings, the outlooks of the various men, and the clash between Roman law and Hebrew law. For more info on all these things, check out that Companion Guide!

Story Time . . . FOOLS RUSH IN by Janice Thompson

Story Time . . . FOOLS RUSH IN by Janice Thompson

by | Oct 27, 2009 | Uncategorized

I’d been wanting to read one of Janice Thompson’s novels (I read one she co-authored a few years ago), so when Revell sent me a review copy of Fools Rush In it promptly went to my to-be-read stack instead of my give-it-to-another-reviewer stack. The blurb made it sound hilarious, and I couldn’t wait to dig into this story about a Tex-Italian wedding planner who’s in over her head with a boot-scootin’ wedding, given that she knows nothing about country-western stuff.

What I’ve found is a book that gets me where I least expect it. There are a few lines that had me chuckling, but also a few gags that I rolled my eyes over. Until something super-funny came of them later in the story, which then had me breathing a laugh. My husband asked me what was so funny, so I started to explain the whole gag to him, which took it from eye-rolling to hilarious. Ever have that happen? When you’re suspending disbelief while in the pages of a book, something’s silly or a little funny, but then when you try to put it into verbal words, you see how truly hilarious (and ridiculous) it is? We spent quite a few minutes rolling over one of these.

The premise is that Bella Rossi, whose family is a transplant from first Italy, then New Jersey, just took over the reins of a wedding planning business in Galveston, Texas, and she has the brilliant idea to offer themed weddings. But the first theme is Boot-Scootin’, and she’s got no clue. And music? Her brother, the usual deejay, is off to Houston, in love, and knows nothing about country music anyway. Thankfully, the Lord drops a cowboy-deejay in her lap . . . only, he drops a knock-her-down-in-a-dead-faint (literally) surprise along with him.

This is a great story, full of fun and love and faith. I have a couple chapters left (had to go to bed rather than finishing it off last night, thanks to a little tummy bug), but will gleefully finish it today. There are a few places where it feels like the author lapses into telling, rather than showing me what’s going on, but it’s usually when a character is rambling, so that may be kindness on Janice’s part, LOL. Overall, I’m really enjoying this read. My favorite part is the family dynamics (and feuds). There’s nothing like a great Italian clan, and this bunch will keep you grinning.

Now if only I can figure out how I ended up with THREE copies of this book . . . =)

Modern . . . Super Yachts

by | Oct 26, 2009 | Uncategorized

Thanks to a hubby who’s remote-happy, we watch a lot of random stuff on TV. This guy cannot leave a channel alone unless he’s watching hockey. But since scripted shows don’t make a ton of sense in small snippets, during commercials of our “real” shows, we tend to watch a lot of Travel Channel, History Channel, Discovery, etc.

During one cruise through the Travel Channel, we came across a show on super yachts. Never heard of them? They’re what they sound like: yachts, but super-sized and super-fancy. This things are awe-inspiring. The woods . . . the art . . . the design . . . the amenities! Amazing, I’m telling you. So luxurious you sigh in pleasure just watching about them. I’d love to just take a tour through one someday so that I can gawk for an hour.

The first time we saw this special, I started thinking, “How can I someday use one of these in a plot?” Having a main character own one seemed a little over the top. I mean, I don’t usually do the whole gazillionaire thing. But maybe I could have a character who worked on one? Maybe? But that just seemed way too . . . simple. Still, it had possibilities. The owners of these beasts are notoriously picky, so if someone worked on one as the chief stew, they’d be in charge of all these details–from pillow placement to the flowers in particular vases to making sure the guests had their every whim met.

We caught another part of the same show a couple months later, when I was thinking up a series that would be a spin off of my Outer Banks Trilogy. Suddenly it clicked. I could have my heroine working there, yes, but she isn’t what she seems. Throughout it, we’d see her doing furtive things, and given the series she’s in, we’d know who she should be, but it’s a few chapters before we’re absolutely sure. And of course she totally falls for the yacht owner’s little brother, who can’t quite believe he’s falling for her, the Plain Jane chief stew who should just be another employee . . .

I’m now really excited every time I think about this story, even though it’ll be years before I get to write it. It’s one of those things that popped into my head so perfectly that I know the story will work well. And it’s cool enough an idea that it’ll make a great finale to this second trilogy I have in mind.

And maybe by then I’ll be able to afford a little tour on one of these fantabulous ships. Be still, my heart!

Reflecting on Mommyhood

Reflecting on Mommyhood

by | Oct 23, 2009 | Uncategorized

I didn’t have a My Friend Friday post already planned, and today’s my baby’s 4th birthday, so I’m gonna take a break from the regularly-scheduled programming and chat about my awesome little girl and all she’s taught me.

First, it must be said: I can’t believe she’s 4 already! It seems like a week ago that I sat in the hospital, jumping every time she made a noise and thinking, “Is she okay, is she okay?” Now she stubs a toe or bumps a knee about 20 times a day, screams, and I’m like, “Eh, yeah. You’re fine, kid. Shake it off.” 😉

Those first two months with her, she got fondly dubbed The Little Monster by my husband. She was one of those babies that screamed from dinner time until, oh, about 2 in the morning. No reason. Just screamed. Then voila! She found her thumb and two months and became an angel. (Now we gotta work on UN-finding that thumb.)

Xoe amazes me in so many ways. She was pretty average developmentally as a baby; didn’t talk early or walk early or anything . . . but now? The kid shocks my socks off daily with the things she comes up with. You ought to have heard the backhanded insult she gave her grandmother yesterday, LOL. She was wearing a t-shirt her Nonna had gotten her, and when Nonna said, “Oh, I love your shirt,” Xoe replied with, “Oh, I’m only wearing this because I was playing in the mud.” I rolled. My girl is not a t-shirt wearer–she’s a fancy-dress, tights, hair up, jewelry, and maybe a crown for good measure wearer.

She made my friend Stephanie’s day by pointing to the model on the cover of her book and saying, “Oh, Skylar’s pretty. I wish she lived in our world so I could be her friend.” (“Our world”=our town.)

She won’t go ANYWHERE without her brother, unless it’s with me–and even then, she usually wants him to go too. Not that they don’t fight constantly when they’re together, but for some reason he equals security for her. Ever since he was born and we snuck her into the NICU to see him (because “My little brudder’s crying. He needs me. He needs me! Let me in!”) she has been protective and totally gone over the little guy.

Though she can pull an attitude that drives me halfway to insanity, she also has the sweetest disposition and the gentlest heart. When we go to see my grandmother, who’s recovering from back surgery, she refuses to leave the house until she’s made her a card. When we go to a birthday party for her cousin, she insists on picking out a toy from her shelf and putting it in a gift bag to take to her (in spite of the present we spent money on, LOL). When the day’s too boring, she’ll gather up some leaves outside, through them over your head, and yell, “Surprise! It’s your birthday today, Papa! You didn’t know that, did you?”

As any mother with a toddler or preschooler, I could go on and on about the adorable things she says, but I’ll save those for Facebook updates;-) For now, I’ll just say that I constantly learn so much from this precious little creature the Lord gave me. Yes, I lose my patience on a daily basis with one or the other of my kids, and often I wish for just one hour of quiet. But they enrich every aspect of my life. They’ve taught me how to see the world differently, how to appreciate things I never noticed before. And to better use my time, oddly, since I don’t have nearly so much of it free.

So Happy Birthday, Xoë-girl! I love you way up to the moon and back again.

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