Weird Science

    I will never understand the weird science that aligns the stars precisely and fuses a new connection.  I have questioned my growing cyber relationship with this blog, a facebook page, tweeting, and pinning.  But this past week my virtual efforts paid off in ways that remind me of the good ole days (more specifically 1985) when electricity was still mysterious and exciting, when you could almost feel it with your fingertips, when it could send a car back in time or drive a missile through a house.  The only trouble is there is a missile in my house now.  "A missile!  A MISSILE!  A MISSILE IN MY HOUSE GARY!"

 

Weird Science missile in Wyatt's house

 

Back to the Future fire tracks

 

The Goonies attic plasma globes

   I had dinner with a dear friend of mine the other night. I cannot describe how wonderful it feels to have a friend who cares about your family, your children, your dreams and vice-versa. She is more than just a best friend though, she is also a wonderful mother, wife, and first grade teacher. I shared with her my ideas for my first series of picture books and she was especially inciteful and genuinely interested. "But," she told me, "...yeah, you can write children's books if you want, but I think from the way you write on your blog that maybe you should focus on books for adults too?" "Hmmm...," I stuttered, "well, um, ok...I...guess...well, yeah I want to write those too." When I got home that night, I relayed her advice to my husband. He agreed, "I've been wanting to tell you the same thing. You may love picture books, but I think people really like the other stuff." I love this man. And I love my dear friend.

Weird Science computer input

   Ever since last February when I started this blog, my mind hasn't stopped racing. Honestly, I am up until 2 am just about every night researching, planning, taking notes and am completely exhuasted the next day.  (This has not been good for my waistline, by the way.)  I haven't written a book yet *sheepish grin* but I can already relate to the concept that publishing a book is like giving birth to a baby. Step one: lose your ability to sleep. Check. Lucky for me, my children have never been good sleepers so my transition wasn't that difficult. Unfortunately for me, all this inspiration and feverish brain chatter is distracting me from the children I actually did give birth to...I hate that. Although, we are going to do something special tomorrow and every chance I get.

   Following our dinner I started to feel a shift. I will never be anything but passionate about picture books and absolutely am not deterred from writing, and eventually publishing, every story that keeps me up each night. However, I was beginning to realize that writing about my past relationship troubles and embarrassing stories which have made our cheeks hurt from uncontrollable laughter on girls' nights may be worth sharing after all. Still, I needed a sign.  I got one.  Actually, I received over 8,000 of them.

   As my loyal readers know, my husband and I completed a 16-week marriage class at church. It completely transformed our hearts. And since I already had a platform, I felt compelled to share. I knew my fascination with picture books and my lack of authority in the field wouldn't reach many viewers. Therefore, anything I wrote about my marriage would be seen by even less. But I knew most of my readers were married and might take something from what we learned. I decided I would at least decipher the change in us to them.

   My third time to write an installation in the Re|Engage series would mark the second time I pinned a Re|Engage post on Pinterest. One friend repinned "Re|Engage. The Inner Circle." One. That is two fewer than the three who pinned "Re|Engage. Trite and True."  Within one week, that one friend's pin made the dominoes fall and caused my post to be viewed 4,152 times. Yup. Four thousand one hundred fifty two! Crazy. I know!! The sweet friend of mine is actually an acquaintance, a friend of a friend, whom I met for the first time at my husband's fortieth birthday party. I ran into her only once since then. Little does she know how indebted to her I am. Next time I run into her, she'll know!

    Each day this blog received more and more pageviews- 400, then 800, 1400, and 1800. It felt like some glitch or illegal portal had been unleashed and a few inexplicable phenomenons later, a missile was in my house! Only, I am not a 16 year old boy with a bra on my head waiting for Kelly LeBrock to come walking through the doorway. 

Weird Science computer portal

   Instead the reward is in knowing there are, in fact, other women out there with the same interests, concerns, and aspirations as me! All the times others misunderstood my path were obliterated with a few thousand cyber smiles and a few dozen heartfelt comments and messages. I am truly moved, transcended even. And I need to thank each and every one of you for all joining together and being part of something greater than us, something incomprehensible at times- the aim of understanding our men, our marriages, ourselves, and our relationship with God.

   Now I am left with a missile in my house.  A big, fat eight-thousand-pageviews-in-one-week-missile is jutting out of the foundation, straight through the flooring, lodged in our roofline and I don't believe it can ever be removed.  As I maneuver around it and steer to avoid it, that missile is posing as an every day reminder I need to shift my focus...to the stars, if you will. If you tune in for my posts about children's books, don't worry.  I will continue to post as often as we fall in love with one, even though I am aware it will seem so out of place and even an annoyance to those who read "the other stuff" as my husband calls it.

   Thank you from the bottom, top, sides, and insides of my heart to all of my new followers!!! My next Re|Engage post will be about forgiving your spouse and it will be a doozy. Check back here or type in your email address (the white box under Follow By Email) to receive an email the minute I post it! If you're on facebook, follow me here [IslaBooks]! I will be posting a few questions on my facebook page for you to think about before I finish spelling out what forgiveness looked like for us. 

This makes me laugh!  [source]