Post-Weekend Chatter

Weekends have been kind of quiet lately…and I almost didn’t write today.

There’s nothing crazy or too-interesting happening in life (well, other than the random ice storm that showed up yesterday and has since made a slushy, sloppy, swimming pool in our yard) but maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Whatever it is, my heart has been pretty silent the last few days. That in particular seems slightly out of character, but it is what it is.

I’ve been trying to put more focused energy into writing my book, and the draft is getting there, one story at a time. I have to admit that some of the stories are making this book more and more painful to write.

I started with the easy stuff. I don’t cry over things like remembering the time I ate a baby octopus in one bite or the first time I tried durian. Those things bring happy smiles…though, along with them, perhaps a slight gag reflex. 😉

It’s the stories of painful-chiseling, pride-crushing, and relationship-breaking that make me cry. Says the girl who sobbed all over her keyboard at Starbucks last Wednesday night. Twice.

I’ve got a lot of stories that will make you laugh, but there are a few that will make you cry, too. And as I’m pounding them out one by one, it’s coming together. I am so, so close to the halfway point, which symbolizes a lot for me. It means I’m actually writing a book.

Wowza.

I’ve been going through Holley Gerth’s The Do-What-You-Can Plan: 21 Days to Making Any Area of Your Life Better, and I’m following one of her awesome suggestions. (Actually, I’m following quite a few of them, but I especially liked this one.) 😉

A reward for reaching a goal.

See? See Mel’s reward? Do you SEE????

Of course you do. 😉

This is my Mel-gets-to-use-this-when-she-gets-to-the-halfway-point purse! (Special thanks to my dad for the Christmas money. ;)) The deal to myself is that this purse hangs where I can see it, but I have to reach the halfway point in my draft before I’m allowed to put anything in it and use it.

I kind of want to point out the incredible self-control I am currently demonstrating… 😉

The halfway point for me is 26 chapters/short stories AND 25,000 words. I’m close in the chapters department but behind with the word count, so I have some tweaking to do.

But on to other things because I’m really supposed to save my book-talking for Tuesdays.

The other exciting thing in our lives (though you will not finding me jumping for joy over it) is that we are potty training. Again.

But as of late Monday morning, it is going far better than any other attempt.

I am motivated.

She hates having her diaper changed, and truth-be-told…I am growing to hate changing them.

She is preregistered for PK-3 for August…I know! We won’t dwell on this one or I may sob (again) all over the keyboard. (Prerequisite: Must. Be. Potty. Trained.) And? It would be lovely if she could attend VBS in June…which she will love and for which she must, again, be potty trained.

My biggest motivation is, perhaps, that she is almost too big for her size 5 diapers. While I’m already tired of buying them, I’m even less excited about the fact that for a box of size 6…you get 30ish less diapers for the same price.

Hence…we are hard-core potty training for a few mornings this week. (And stuck at home until Thursday morning, should any of you like to bless me with your presence to provide some much-needed socialization. :))

The bright side to my Monday (besides the extra large bag of M&M’s used as Maelie’s reward…of which I’ve eaten far more than she has…) is that I get to hang with this girl.

I adore her. Insanely.

Even on potty training days.

Happy Monday, all! Hugs.