November 17, 2008

A phone call came yesterday that I’d been waiting for all year.

Was it an editor, saying they were buying my new series? Was it an award committee saying my book had made the short list?

No, it was my middle daughter returning from her second year-long deployment in Iraq. She said the magic words, “Mom, it’s Laurie. I’m on American soil!” They had flown home a good ten days before we expected it, and the thrill was indescribable.

Seasons in a Writing Life

Later in the day I was thinking about the seasons of her life I’d written through. Laurie was there at the very beginning! I was at the doctor’s office, pregnant with her, when I first read an advertisement for a correspondence course from the Institute of Children’s Literature. Laurie was ten days old when I took their Aptitude Test.

I took the course, finishing before Laurie turned one. Three of those lessons eventually sold during her diaper years, thus starting my writing career. I sold my first book when she was two, the potty training era. Later I wrote books while waiting for Laurie at basketball practice or cross country meets. In high school, I couldn’t sleep till she got home, so I wrote books late at night while others in the family slept.

Writing-or more specifically, concentrating-was harder when she was a teen. Anyone with teens-even responsible ones-knows how hard it is when they’re old enough to make their own decisions. You sometimes worry about their choice of friends, activities or life work.

Laurie’s decision to join the military (first a medical unit and then military police) was the scariest, whether being deployed overseas or working in the aftermath of Katrina or doing border patrol at night. Sometimes I have longed for the days when I thought concentrating on writing was difficult because of teething or the Terrible Twos. And yet, my pride in her is immense. (Not to mention my awe. I avoid, if at all possible, doing anything scary!)

Combing Writing with Family Life

If you love your kids, you never stop being a parent. If you’re a parent and a writer, you’ll always search for ways to combine the roles effectively.

Katherine Paterson said in A Sense of Wonder: “Success might have come sooner if I’d had a room of my own and fewer children, but I doubt it. For as I look at my writing, it seems to me that the very persons who took away my time and space are the ones who have given me something to say.” How very true!

Twenty-nine years ago in a tiny hospital, we welcomed Laurie’s delivery into the world with great joy. Now her family welcomes her home with (if possible) even greater joy and gratitude to God for her delivery from harm’s way. We love you, Laurie!

12 Comments »

1. 

   You’ll always be the curly haired little girl on the farm in Conrad. Welcome home, kiddo.

   Uncle Dick

   Comment by Dick Couchman — November 17, 2008 @ 3:06 pm

2. 

   Oh, happy day! What a wonderful way to start a Monday with such fabulous news! Laurie, we love you and are thrilled to know you are home!

   Love, Aunt Karen and family

   Comment by Karen Whitaker — November 17, 2008 @ 3:07 pm

3. 

   Great news, Kristi! You must be so relieved! How soon until you can hug her again?

   Comment by Myra — November 17, 2008 @ 3:56 pm

4. 

   How absolutely wonderful to know you are back in the USA, Laurie. We all love you.

   Grandma Couchman

   Comment by Melva Couchman — November 17, 2008 @ 5:07 pm

5. 

   That’s terrific news for a military mom and coming early made it even sweeter. Please tell Laurie that we appreciate her service and that of her fellow soldiers.

   Bonnie

   Comment by Bonnie Hinman — November 17, 2008 @ 6:27 pm

6. 

   Thank you all, friends and family!! I will make sure Laurie sees your comments. She sounded really good on the phone. I don’t expect to see her until December still. Last time the demobilizing took nearly a month, if I remember right. But that’s okay. She’s home!
   Kristi

   Comment by Kristi Holl — November 17, 2008 @ 7:35 pm

7. 

   Congratulations or receiving your daughter back intact!

   THANK YOU LAURIE for your service!

   I am still at the stage of trying balance little ones and toddlers while writing. It’s hard, but I have a commitment to my family first, and as long as they’re taken care of, my work can plug along at whatever pace it takes.

   Comment by Avily Jerome — November 17, 2008 @ 8:39 pm

8. [...] But that is okay. I was reminded of the blessing that job is by Kristi Holl’s latest post at Writer’s First Aid. [Yes, I spent some of my precious computer time visiting some blogs and sites that I have been [...]

   Pingback by writer’s flow — November 18, 2008 @ 5:33 am

9. 

   First, Avily, thanks for your kind words and affirmation. I will pass it along to Laurie. I’m glad you see that your commitment to your family has to come before the writing. The days that I remember it’s God first, family second, and writing after that, it all goes better!

   And Writer’s Flow Jan, thanks for the quote. Your post on parenting and writing rang a lot of bells for me!
   Kristi

   Comment by wpadmin — November 18, 2008 @ 4:37 pm

10. 

    What great news! You must be relieved!

    Comment by Jen — November 18, 2008 @ 10:11 pm

11. 

    Thank you, Jen. Yes, I am so relieved. Also, I read about your daughter’s recent anniversary, and that was wonderful. There are many kinds of parental relief!
    Kristi

    Comment by wpadmin — November 18, 2008 @ 10:25 pm

12. 

    Thanks everybody! and for all your support and prayers while I was gone. It sure is great to be home, and I can’t wait to start visiting family and friends!!

    Comment by Laurie — November 24, 2008 @ 9:47 pm

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