Congratulations, Susie!

My little 16-year-old trooper just placed in the top 12 in our state for her website! If she makes the top 10, her school will send her and her co-designer to Dallas for the national competition! I'm so proud of her and so thankful at another reminder that God watches out for our little ones.

This child who a year ago thought she was "dumb" has found her nitche, and in spite of the brain injury that took so much away, God has gifted her and guided her into the path He designed just for her.

Go, Susie! I couldn't be more proud of you!

Writer Humor

A bit of writer humor, courtesty of my agent Rachelle Gardner.

A writer died and was given the option of going to heaven or hell. She decided to check out each place first.

As the writer descended into the fiery pits, she saw row upon row of writers chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they were repeatedly whipped with thorny lashes."Oh my," said the writer. "Let me see heaven now."

A few moments later, as she ascended into heaven, she saw rows of writers, chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they, too, were whipped with thorny lashes."Wait a minute," said the writer. "This is just as bad as hell!"

"Oh no, it's not," replied an unseen voice. "Here, your work gets published."

***

A writer comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside.

“What happened, honey?” the man asks.

“Oh, John, it was terrible,” she weeps. “I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn’t notice the stove was on fire. It went up in second. Everything is gone. I nearly didn’t make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is--”

“Wait, wait. Back up a minute,” The man says. “My agent called?”

Random Things About Me?

If you're bored enough to want to read this, I guess I can try to stay interested long enough to think of some. Here goes:

1. My ideal life would be to live by myself in a snug log cabin in the Rockies with a couple of great dogs, five years worth of firewood, my laptop, an unlimited bank account, and a hardy Jeep. (I'm also dimly aware that I would probably tire of this within a week, but it's nice to imagine. Maybe it should be a vacation.)

2. I wish I knew what to do with my hair.

3. I am more blessed than the huge majority of the world's population.

4. I used to be a ventriloquist.

5. The bags under my eyes were not always there.

6. My fourth-grade son was right when he commented: America needs another Great Awakening.

7. My husband is a very long-suffering man!

8. Caramel Macadamia Nut cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory is truly a creation sent by God and will most certainly be in Heaven.

9. My kids are turning into magnificent human beings--in spite of me!

10. Growing older doesn't bother me--looking older does.

11. I'd rather build things than cook things.

12. I've never been skiing. Just looking at it makes me tired.

13. I'm looking forward to the Empty Next Syndrome.

14. I'm wondering how much longer God can stand us.

15. I'd considered becoming a police officer, but don't trust myself with a gun around jerks.