Tag-along Mom and ROW 80

Hello Everyone!

First, a big thanks to all of those who have stopped by to read and leave comments.  I sometimes wonder why I blog, since it can oftentimes appear to be a futile effort, so I truly do appreciate your time and feedback. It really does make it worthwhile.

In life and other matters, my twelve year old daughter had a sleep-over this week.  Typical twelve-year old stuff:  Nail polish, hanging out at the park, bad movie, ghost-stories, home-made Ouija board, etc.  My daughter and her friend asked to walk down the trail by our house to ransack a Mulberry tree and I agreed.  It really wasn’t that far, and they are twelve and together.  And, my daughter assured me, her friend had her phone.

 

As I watched their pony-tails swinging down the block and disappear around the corner, I sighed the parental sigh of Mommies everywhere:  My pre-teen is growing up so fast; well on the path to leaving me, as all children are since Day One.  I was having all these type of thoughts when the phone rang.  I picked it up and heard, “I’ve got’cha where I want’cha.  Now I’m gonna eat’cha.”

It was my daughter and her friend, discussing the lame ghost story I had told them at dinner that night.  I quickly realized the phone had speed-dialed our house on accident, and now I was somehow a voyeur, secret passenger on their walk down the path.  I listened as they giggled, screamed, gushed and talkedsofast I could hardly understand a word, but the poignancy of the moment caught me:  Here I was, suspended in my daughter’s world.  One apart from me, but one I helped create.

I wouldn’t tell her, but I will tell you.  I put the phone on speaker and listened for a few moments as I did the dishes.  They were so fresh and full of life.  I didn’t feel like I was invading her privacy, just admiring their world from my place.  The writer in me thought, “If this was a book, something terrible would happen to one of the girls, and then the phone would go dead!” Yuck.  Not a book I’d want to read, so I pushed the thought away and reveled in the beauty of my daughter’s world for the moment.

That is—until my four year old came in the door and said, “Geez Mom!  Are you still wistening to dat?” 

I sighed again, the sigh of parents everywhere, and hung up the phone.  On to the next moment.

 

As for ROW 80,

Private Just Jill reporting for duty!  Article done for submission to “Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul” (I know…) and I am entering a contest to help get the lead out as far as re-editing my MS “Dreamwalker”. 

Over and Out!

 

Lastly, I wanted to tell you all about a must-read blog.  Most of you are probably familiar with lovely  Rosi over at "The Write Stuff", but if you are not, this blog should really be a regular on your blog-list.  Packed full of fabulous links for writers and great reviews and give-aways, Rosi never disappoints.  It's like your usual dish you always order from your favorite restaurant!  (And her blog template is simply FABULOUS!)

TTFN,

~Just Jill