I have more to share on the two boys in Indiana who we met in January and started hauling butt (and toys, snacks, and books) to go visit every other weekend, but I'm interrupting the momentum to share something else. Hope you don't mind, and in case anyone is tired of reading about that adventure - well, this post is for you. Back to more of that potentially life-altering story next time.
Last week the high school kids had a half day. I begged Mini to have her friends over here, so I could run out and leave the babies napping. She agreed. When she left that morning, she took a quick glance around the kitchen and spoke these words:
UM, HOPE YOU CAN CLEAN THIS PLACE UP A LITTLE BEFORE MY FRIENDS GET HERE.
Oh.My.Goodness. She didn't. The girl, whose room is literally shocking to those unfamiliar with her 'ways', TOLD ME to clean up.
It just so happened to be a few days before we drove out to see Tank, so Mini and her friends got lucky. I baked myself silly that morning - while babysitting. Pumpkin bread AND cookies. I put some out on the table for her people . . . after I organized the kitchen: ditching shoes, hoodies, and discarded plates and stowing away high chairs and sweeping and organizing paperwork clutter.
Later, Mini was sitting with her friends in the family room. I checked my email before I darted out the door. I got something unexpected. (insert drumroll). An email from a magazine. Back in April I submitted a stand alone chapter from my memoir project to a small online magazine. They initially rejected it. I guess they held on to it and reviewed it again, because they're publishing it in February in their memoir addition.
I cannot BEGIN to tell you how excited I am. Elated. Thrilled. Overjoyed. OK, so I guess I CAN tell you how excited I am. To say I needed this is an understatement. Now, to be clear, I'm not getting paid, but this might help in my quest to be published.
"Hey there Ms. Agent-Lady, not sure if you've heard of me, but I was published in February." Or maybe I'll come up with something a tad more smooth.
I care little that the link to the article will reveal my real-live name . . . I will share it here anyway - in February. In fact, I will share the link with everyone I know and some I don't. Not that you aren't all special, I mean I'll share it with you all first.
That day in my kitchen, I didn't want to scream and yell and embarrass Mini. I let out a little *GASP* - then I forwarded the email to Mini and called to her: HEY MINI, CHECK YOUR EMAIL.
My messy kid, who is also my biggest writing fan and reads all of my stuff and is CRAZY about this particular piece, let out a small squeal and looked at me WIDE-EYED from the family room. Like WE DID IT!
A week later after a bit of thought, I decided to share with my folks that this is HAPPENING. First, I performed a dramatic reading in front of my desktop with Mini at my side.
Me: MINI, PRETEND YOU ARE NANA, AUNT ANN, AND AUNT MARIE. WE NEED TO DECIDE IF THIS STORY IS GOING TO, YA KNOW, UPSET THEM.
Mini: WOW, THAT'S A LOT OF PERSPECTIVES TO TAKE ON. (waving hand motions as she donned 3 different personas)
My memoir is about my middle-child-ness and how regular family moments turned sort of nutty from my middle-child perspective, so we were gauging whether or not sharing the story might hurt feelings. Unlike the day the three of them ditched me to go to the mall when I was 12, this is more lighthearted. Mini gave me the go-ahead.
I didn't tell my folks that I'm writing an entire book about my upbringing. Baby steps, friends. Baby steps. I told them it's a funny story that I'll share in February. They were happy for me.
I can't wait to share it with you. I'm curtseying here in my study in anticipation of your polite applause.
Best news you've gotten lately?
24 comments:
Wow, Ernie, that's great! Congratulations to you! Looking forward to February (I don't think I have ever said those words before in my life, looking forward to February! Ha!) Anyway, big congrats to you - such great news.
Congratulations!!! That’s so exciting. I can’t wait to read it. I hope your family continues to accept your sharing. (I hope this comment works - I tried to comment 3 times on your most recent blog...about how amazing your family is..but each time I hit Publish Comment, it just sort of disappeared).
Nicole - Thanks - and your normal not looking forward to February made me chuckle. Looking forward to sharing as I think you will enjoy it.
Pat - Oh nuts - sorry your comment wasn't working. Thanks for persisting. I haven't told my siblings but guessing my mom might. At any rate, I will share it with then in February. Ann might have her nose out of joint a little as I describe briefly her lack of warmth towards me. . . sometimes the truth hurts.
Awesome! Congrats! Memoirs are my favorite genre, so I'm looking forward to reading your article (and eventual book!)
This is the BEST NEWS I'VE GOTTEN in a long time! I'm SO damn happy for you my friend. Congratulations!!!
So, did you read it to your family or just tell them about it? Maybe I didn't get enough sleep last night...it wasn't clear to me.
Mini is the best. But also a slob. LOL! She asked you to clean up the kitchen? It looked like a Cat 5 hurricane went through her room.
I’m so happy for you! And so so proud! You have worked so hard for this. Congratulations!
Also, who could get tired of your ongoing series of posts about adoption? Not me. Edge of seat over here! Fingers crossed for happy ending.
Wow, congratulations to the author. I look forward to reading it. I also look forward to reading the next chapter in your adoption saga. Last good news I got was that the US is opening up to the Brits so we can travel to Vegas in November for my husband’s 60th birthday! We’ve had it booked since January and felt for sure it would be cancelled, so that was the great news last week.
Jenny - Thanks. I also love memoirs. I hope to someday be able to share a final published book with you. Fingers crossed.
Congratulations!!! What wonderful, exciting news! cannot wait to read it!
Suz - Not being from Florida, 'Cat 5' stumped me for 30 seconds and then I just belly laughed. So true. There was an argument in my kitchen this morning about a shirt Curly was wearing. I was like WELL MINI, IF YOU EVER PUT AWAY YOUR CLOTHES THEN YOU COULD FIND A DIFFERENT SHIRT AND WOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT ABOUT THIS ONE. Lawdy.
I didn't really make it clear, but no- I didn't share the story with them that will be printed in February. Just told them it was HAPPENIN. Mini was opposed to me telling them that it was coming out in a few months. She wanted me to wait till it was published fearing they'd say WHAT? WHY WOULD YOU WRITE A BOOK?, but I decided not to reference a book or anything. One never knows how long elderly parents will live.
A few years ago for Christmas I gave my dad some of my written stories/memories about growing up with our family friend who later had a traumatic brain injury as a child. My dad never read them, or if he did - he never said anything to me about it. Ouch. Anyway, I plan to wait till it's a clickable link and everyone gets it at the same time. Then if other people like it and my dad doesn't mention it, it'll be less noticeable. Honestly could be that he just forgot to say anything. He's old. But I asked one day if he ever read it and he seemed confused and said I THINK SO. Ugh.
Thanks for your enthusiasm, Suz. It comes across loud and clear here. I'm tickled about this development. Since I submitted in April and it was already rejected, it wasn't on my radar. Pleasant surprise, just when I was wondering WHEN WILL I EVER HAVE TIME TO WRITE, SUBMIT, OR BE PUBLSIHED? ;)
Maddie - Thanks for your kind words. I think I am the one who might be tired of the adoption saga - a little foreshadowing . . . it is HARD. We knew it would be. Anyway, lots to cover still and sometimes it wears me out. But I'm very grateful you are enjoying it.
Oh, how exciting, congratulations! I look forward to reading it.
Charlie - Thanks so very much. I'm excited to share the link. Feb isn't my favorite month either (borrowing that sentiment from Nicole). Something to look forward to.
Speaking of looking forward - HOW AWESOME THAT YOUR TRIP IS GOING TO HAPPEN. Hooray. Glad to hear it. That is good news.
Suzanne- Thanks so much. Perfect, because I can't wait to share it.
ccr - Thanks, I'm excited too. Still seems very surreal. Hope I haven't built it up too much, but it is a dang funny tale, if I don't say so myself.
This is such exciting news! I'm so happy for you, friend. Thank you for giving me something to look forward to in February! :)
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This is wonderful news!! Congratulations!!! I'm so excited for you!!!!!
Congratulations!!
Congratulations! Very exciting. Best news I've gotten lately is probably that I can still go to Montreal with my friend tomorrow because she got someone to feed her horse and take its temperature because there's a dangerous equine virus at her barn and things are weird there. And the air conditioning in Eve's residence got fixed so her room is no longer a sauna.
Kari - Thanks very much. February might become my pseudo 'it's my birthday month, bitches' but more of a 'it's my getting published month, bitches', if I think you can all handle me going overboard about one little digital published article. Hey, it's the little things.
Beth - Thank you. Count on reminders that 'it's happening in February' to follow, in excess.
Gigi - :)
Ali - Thanks. I am super excited, in case that didn't come across. Hooray for the Montreal trip. I hate it when a friend has to miss something because their horse needs to be fed and monitored . . . honestly, my very good friend owns like 13 horses. There is always something going on with one of them, but that virus thing sounds icky. Glad the AC went back of for Eve or perhaps that spider that lives outside her room would've found a way in through an open window. ;)
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