These are the people I love...

(And yes. I finally downloaded the last several weeks of pictures to the computer.)

And back to writing

Some of you who've been with me for a while will remember my big announcement a couple of years ago about being a writer when I grew up.

And then I became a runner.

And now I'm a jogger, at best, and I'm going back to writing.

I enrolled in my first online writing course and fulfilled my first assignment tonight: to post an introduction to the online discussion group, including my goals for the class.

Subject: Mom of 5

Seeking guidance from an appreciated writing instructor and support from capable and creative fellow students as she plunges into the world of magazine writing and makes it a part-time career.

I have always loved words: reading, and writing, and editing, and even speaking them. I have experience as an in-house writer/editor for an internet company, as well as experience as a freelance college textbook editor. I am an elementary school teacher by education, and a full time plus overtime mother of five children by profession. My husband works long hours as an attorney so I can stay home with our crew of four girls and one boy, ages 2-10. Plus our dog.

Though my work as a mother is very fulfilling, I need to keep a piece of life held sacred for personal goals and accomplishments. I am a better wife and mother for remembering to do this and making it a priority. Last year I ran a marathon and have found great joy in running (surprising for one who always dreaded running the mile).

Now I'm ready to focus on writing with an ultimate goal of a book series for the upper elementary school age group. I figure magazine writing is a great place to get my feet wet.

Though I fear the challenge of keeping my words concise...


(Mine was the longest introduction.)

Happy New Year already!!

Sometimes I think about blogging only to find that unposted ideas, like weights, drag me down and I cannot seem to move forward.

How do I put down my New Year's thoughts when I never finished Christmas? or pre-Christmas? or our lovely break? Yet here I am at last.

2010 was a year of crash and burn. A marathon and all that entails, the death of my dear Grandma, cleaning out the basement toys, a cross-country journey including 5500 miles of driving with five kids, much of which I did as the only adult, parties, a dog, and myriad other seemingly super-human activities when tackled on top of the responsibility of six people dependent on ME to keep their worlds in motion, not to mention their stuff. I gained 25 pounds and fell into depression. Surprise! You'd think after all of these years I'd learn to pace myself.

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One afternoon this month found me whisking an angry child away from home to run some errands and talk. Among the words I felt prompted to share were these:

The most important thing we can learn to do in this life, is to listen carefully to the spirit so we can understand what God wants us to do, and then we need to do it.

The world would teach us to find our personal value in our accomplishments. I know, because I fell into that trap. But then one day you get older, and suddenly you are a little fish in a large ocean and what you did in high school doesn't matter, except for what you learned and who you are.

It may be that you grow up to live a life far from the public eye and influencing only the people in your family or neighborhood community. It may be that you are someone who ends up in such a position as to be famous and known by many, running for president, or something big like that.

But how you feel about yourself should be based on whether or not you are living your life in such a way as to follow God's plan for you. And whether or not your life is hard or easy, if you have the peace that comes from knowing you have done what you were supposed to do, you will feel good about yourself. And you will feel peace.

Or at least I said something along those lines. (I wonder now which of us was more desperate for that message.)

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This year our family motto is Charity and Joy. And my focus is less about what I do, and more about who I am and where my heart is.

I'm trying to position myself to listen to God's direction and follow it.

I did rejoin Weight Watchers, and I also unfroze my gym membership, but that is more about feeling good rather than looking good.

I would like to run a few races (as soon as I am again capable of such athletic endeavors :).

I would like to give away many of our possesions and better organize my home.

I would like to take a writing class.

I would like to attend the temple more often and not miss even one day of personal time in the scriptures.

I would like to teach my children more of what I have to offer, from piano and Kindermusik to baking and healthy habits to arts, and literature, and logic games.

But most of all I will live my days feeling as though I have been inspired to know how to spend my time. And I will feel pleased with the result whether or not I've earned any accolades along the way.

Charity and joy, people, charity and joy. That's what 2011 is about at our house. What is it about at yours?