a miracle

We start homeschooling again today, something I've always loved till now. Writing seems to take precedent over nearly everything and I go to the homeschool closet lately and haul out all those books reluctantly. Last year Paul didn't start reading till he was nearly nine years old - something that makes public school teachers squirm! I was a bit panicked myself as Wyatt was right "on time" if there is such a thing, which there is not. I know several homeschooled kids who learned to read between the ages of 11 and 14 and they are very bright kids.

Now Paul has his head in those little Archie comic books all the time and is learning all sorts of new words like "jughead" and "bozo" and "detention". Wyatt received a treasure trove of Hardy Boys books for Christmas so he'll be immersed in that world for awhile. Yesterday, the kids at church put on their belated Christmas pageant due to all the snow and it was wonderful. Paul played "Silent Night" on the violin, then we had communion and a potluck.

Now for Monday. I get to return to the Red River today and think I will read through the entire manuscript first (after hiding my red pen) to get a feel for the story and see what problems with pacing (and all the rest) leap out at me. I checked the word count which is just over 145,000 words - a whopper. The Frontiersman's Daughter, at the galleys stage, was about 124,000 which equals 420 pages or so in book format. My contract specifies 352 pages. But the quality of the story trumps word count. And I hope you think it is a quality story! This third book will be closer to the contracted amount.

Last night during one of my wake up spells (I seem to have these often) I was thinking what a miracle it is that The Frontiersman's Daughter is at this stage. I began it 11 years ago, writing during Wyatt's naps, stuck it in a drawer for 5 years after Paul was born, got it out and dusted it off and finished it in the next couple of years, threw the first half out and rewrote it, tried to find an agent unsuccessfully, considered quitting many times, etc. In the meantime, we lived in a very small travel trailer, then our garage, built our house, tended cows and pigs and a huge garden, became very involved in our little church, etc. This book is a miracle! And He gets all the credit - for giving me the idea, for allowing me the time, for instilling persistence, for helping me overcome defeat, and finally, for opening locked doors. I'm sure your own story is just as interesting!

Anyway, thank heavens I'm here and not back there. I get tired just thinking about it. That's probably why He, in His wisdom, withholds the future from us. Hope your Monday holds miraculous things:)