Answers from an Absentee Blogger
Just in case you ever wondered, here is my answer to a very pertinent question:
"What do bloggers do during long absences?"
1. We admire fresh herbs sitting on our window sills. And occasionally we use them in recipes. But only occasionally.
2. We wash dishes, put food on the table and deal with an endless parade of dirty socks.
3. We sit leftover flowers on our tables from the Valentine Dinner we helped to plan and orchestrate at the end of February. And we know without a shadow of a doubt that it was orchestrating and shopping for that event that made this particular February the most tolerable one we can remember!
4. We make to-do lists meant to keep us on our toes both with what we need to do and what we want to do. After all, we know the power of the written word. But let it be known that we use markers for a reason, and know how to use the eraser.
5. We teach school and have a very messy school table to show for it every single day. Occasionally we sit in one place long enough to drain the coffee cup before it goes cold, but mostly not.
6. We make paper chains (as an art project in school, of course!) and hang them over our messy school tables so that we know exactly how many more school days stand between us and the finish line. As of today it is 38.
7. We love it when our offspring become certified bookworms. Even if it means having 65 items checked out of the library at one time. (True story. I just checked!)
8. We tolerate radio-controlled vehicles and a bit of mountain climbing in our houses, because not only are we mothers, but we are mothers of boys.
9. We tolerate drums, too, but only barely. This particular instrument only makes occasional forays down from the attic, and for good reason.
10. We adore our babies to a fault...and let them sleep in their cradles and in our rooms longer than is strictly advisable!
12. We love it when our offspring become certified bookworms. (Did I say that already?) And we're grateful to the person who invented board books. Talk about deserving a medal!
13. We welcome new members of the family. (Bonus points if you can spy Garnet, our Half-Moon Betta fish!!!)
Occasionally- and this may really come as a shock- we even write things that do not get published on our blogs! And I am not talking about personal journals or unfinished drafts, although there's that, too. In my case, I am talking about the writing that I am doing for a correspondence course through the Institute of Children's Literature!
I actually started this course a very long time ago, when I was the mother of one and lived in a house that we rented instead of owned, so to say that I have been completing it by fits and starts is the understatement of the year! This time around, I am determined to finish, by the grace of God, so I have been setting some heady goals and deadlines to push myself along. As much as I like writing, and would like to do more, not less, it takes a tremendous amount of time and discipline for me to get it done, and I am finding the two pieces that I am working to edit and rewrite right now as one of my final assignments to be almost unbearable, so prayers would be appreciated!!!
And there, in a nutshell, is what one blogger has been doing during her long absence.
Just in case you ever wondered.
I'm not wondering what you do, because I also am a Mother of Four. The days of wondering what to do are a foggy memory, and I don't even homeschool. Honestly, I wonder how you find time to write as often as you do! I've learned to cut corners that at one point would have seemed impossible to cut, and some days still feel like I'm going under! But it's a great life, this calling to be a mother, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I feel a connection with your experiences because we're at about the same stage you are. Our oldest is 9, and the baby is seven months.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Sylvia! It's always such a treat to hear from one of my readers! I may be busy with homeschooling, but on the other hand, I don't do/worry about some of the things mothers who have children going to school do/worry about, so it probably comes out about even! :)
DeleteI loved the certified bookworms:) I generally have about 10 books checked out at a time and it's all I can do to keep track of those few! Hats off to any mother who can round up 65 before they are all overdue!!:)
ReplyDeleteAhh, this sweet post brought back fun memories of my school days at home with my mother and two brothers!!! :) And the pictures of the children reading are awesome. As a fellow "certified bookworm", seeing kids learn to love reading makes me so happy. And here's a story of a library record: we once found out that our library had a limit of 99 items to be checked out on one card.....as we were checking out our current stack and they had not checked in all the ones we'd brought back, we hit the limit and the kind lady had to go check some of our returns in quickly so that we could leave with our newest books! Hee hee!!! Homeschool memories are the best. :) And them was the "good ol' days" back in my childhood home and town. Fun times! Love, Sarah A.
ReplyDeleteI have a question about the institute of children's literature. I like to write but have never attempted to get anything published so I would love to take that test to see how I qualify as writer but I was wondering if it's possible to take the test and no more? Or will I then be expected to take a class... or whatever they do? And is it just writing for children that they are interested in? Thanks... M.A.G.
ReplyDeleteHello! It's always exciting to hear from someone who is also interested in writing! :) If you would like to just take the test, go to the Institute for Writer's website and request that one be sent to your email. It is my understanding that you can take the test, get some results on your aptitude, and let it at that! Obviously, if you wish to go further, it would involve enrollment and payment, that kind of thing, to take it to the next level. When I took the test, it was a matter of mailing it off and waiting for the reply, but now it is all online. I am specifically taking the correspondence course for writing for children, but they also have one for writing for adults. And you can take an aptitude test for either one, too. Feel free to let me know if you have any more questions!
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