I See What You Meme

I will admit that I have been distracted. It has been WAY too long since I've blogged and the writing aspect of my life has been swept under the rug, placed on the back burner, pushed to the side, and every other procrastinatory metaphor you might imagine.    Procrastinatory. I thought I had just made that up but apparently some online dictionaries actually recognize it. Who knew? It's not that I haven't thought about writing. I get ideas almost every day.  Some go in my notebook. Some just get locked away into my brain for later use.   In my constant pursuit of balance , I have realized that I can't, unfortunately, do everything I might like in a 24 hour period and that I do need some opportunities to relax or my head will probably explode.   So to recap, here are a few things that have been taking up space in my brain in my life recently. Becoming a parent. Again. Our process towards becoming a Resource Parent with UMFS continues.  We hav...

I have been in vacation mode for the last week and it has been WONDERFUL.  I started my break with a four day retreat camping at Bear Creek Lake State Park .  Roger and I hadn't been camping in almost a decade and we had definitely missed it.  It takes only a few days in the wilderness to remind you of a few important life lessons. Home Sweet Home for just a few days Plan ahead.   Everything takes longer when you're camping.  To get from our campsite to the bathroom, it was a 200 foot walk, uphill . It was definitely not wise to wait until the last minute.  Also, cooking over an open fire takes a while. Don't wait till the last minute to decide that you're ready for some dinner.  There are no microwaves in the great outdoors.   Learn to make do.  When you try to pack light, reduce, reuse, and recycle is the name of the game. Our fast-drying camping towels worked to dry our pots and pans after eating and our bodies after showers. ...

Roger and I spent the weekend in Boone, NC.  It was a refreshing, albeit short, weekend away from home.  We got to see a few old friends, do a little PR for the book with a signing, and get a little R&R in as well.  It was good to go home. Even the view from the car puts me at ease.  I know.  I’m not from Boone.  As most of you know, I’m from Florida.  The thing is, Boone feels like home.  It was our home from June 1999-May 2001 when I was enrolled in graduate school at Appalachian State.  Between the friendships fostered during those years, the vibe of the college town that encompasses ASU, and the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone feels more like home to me than just about any other place I’ve ever lived.  Other than my mother’s house, it’s the only place from which I’ve ever felt homesick.  Since I graduated, we’ve been back about half a dozen times. Each visit has been short but sweet, usually in passi...