How I Celebrated Independence Day

Okay, I know the 4th of July is all about celebrating America but this year I decided to celebrate something else: peace and quiet.

I sent my family on vacation Thursday night with out me. Yes, I do that sometimes. Then, by Friday morning I had turned off every electronic device I could get my hands on. I was declaring my independence from technology for the weekend. No computers, no phones, no stereos or tvs, no alarm clocks, I didn't even cook or go any where. The only things I didn't shut off were the fridge and the hot water heater (I'm not a barbarian you know).

All in all it was bliss. Yes, I think I spent too much time working on housework rather than enjoying my peace as much as I should, but I really did have a good time. If you ever get the chance. I highly recommend it.

The only problem was when my family came home Sunday night the little bit of chaos was a little over-whelming. It really wasn't bad but I was just not used to it any more. It took me a few hours to be really happy they were home again. ;) Of course, almost immediately after walking in the door my teenage daughter "just had to" check her email... then the fact that the computer was on and just sitting there was once again created a magnetism I couldn't ignore. I was eventually sucked in with needing to check my mail as well and it was all downhill from there.

There was also that small nagging of guilt at knowing that there were messages on the answering machine that were probably people needing stuff and refusing to find out what it was. I'd turned off all the phone ringers, but forgotten to shut off the answering machine. It was painful but also very gratifying to be able to tell myself that neither number could have been someone calling me for a true emergency and odds were whatever they needed someone else could help them just as well as I could. Still, my pathetic martyrdom's brain felt like I was letting the world down by refusing to interact for a weekend. Thankfully, I was able to talk myself back out of such nonsense in due time. I needed that time and I'm glad I took it, whether the rest of the world understands or not.

I have to admit that I did cheat a few times over the weekend. Here's a summary:
Spilled bath salts on my bedroom carpet, used the vacuum to get them up.
Got frustrated that my hands can't write as fast as my brain can create new material and broke out my mini-computer for an evening of frantic story plot typing.
Used the blender to make a smoothie as I needed to use up an ingredient before the end of the weekend.
Talked on the phone to my children twice and my husband once.
Used one lamp instead of a candle at bedtime the first night after discovering that my husband had rudely taken all of the lighters in the house with them on the camping trip.

I know it seems weird and maybe even impossible in your mind, but that was part of the reason I did it. I just wanted to see if I could. Turns out that for the most part I was happier than I've been in a while. Go ahead, challenge yourself sometime. See if you can put aside all those modern "conveniences" that so conveniently take over our lives, just for a day or two and see how you feel.

Renewed and Refocused

I've just finished my favorite time of year. As I've mentioned before, I love attending the annual LDStorymakers’ conference. Though I live many miles from where it is held, I wouldn't miss it for all the world. It wasn't easy this year. I had promised my daughters the Book of Mormon cruise we had just been on the week before. It was much more expensive than I would have liked. Then, I turned right around and came out west for the conference. I tried to spend as little as possible, but as you know any trip will most likely end up costing you more than you would like. I blew my budget for new books by over $20 and had several other unexpected expenses along the way. By the end of the week I was silently calculating exactly how many writing assignments it would take me to pay off my nearly 3 weeks of vacation. It wasn't pretty.

Still, I wouldn't trade the experiences I gained.

When I come to the Storymakers’ conference, it's like coming to a great big family reunion. The only difference is we have closely followed each other's careers and lives since the last conference and do not spend our time comparing notes and trying to "one-up" each other. We are truly happy for each others successes, even if it means our own dreams haven't been realized. Sometimes that one takes a moment, but it's still there.

There are times when in the midst of things I'll have a feeling of being the distant cousin who will always be on the outskirts. I miss so much by not being closer to the central areas and people for the type of writing I love most. My friends are truly amazing people and little worries that I will never be able to live up to the example they show me will sneak in. But, those times are brief. Mostly, I feel loved. Both by those around me, and my Heavenly Father.

This year I came already very tired. The conference is also very exhausting. So, I'm sure many of my friends who sat near me in different events wondered about the extreme amount of eye problems I was experiencing. Being tired meant my emotions were not as guarded as I like to keep them. A simple brush with the spirit present at the conference, my love for those around me, a tiny witness from the spirit that the message I was hearing was meant for me, if I would have the courage to heed it; these were all it took to start the waterworks again. How embarrassing. Even so, those are the best parts of the experience.

I love witnessing that God is aware of our group and the good we hope to do. Every year the experience gets better and better because those who lead the event are led by His hand. I love even more that He is aware of me and once a year allows me to come to a place where I can easily feel His loving support for my personal dreams and goals. The experience, as always, has renewed my spirit and allowed me to refocus on what really matters to me as I develop myself as a writer.

Oh, and I get to leave the kids behind for this one.

Yes, the Storymakers’ conference is my favorite time of year. See you next spring!

Did You Miss Me?

I tried to get a post up last week to let you know I'd be MIA for most of the month. Sadly, the site was giving me fits and it didn't get done.

For the past week or so I've been on a cruise with my oldest children and my parents wandering around in the Carribean. Great fun, greatly tiring. I'm home for the day, then off to Utah for the Storymakers conference. Candace and Marsha, and everybody else, I'm giddy at the thought of seeing you soon. Either that or I'm just seriously sleep deprived. Honestly, I'm totally looking forward to it!

I'll give you a full report when I make it back at the end of the month.

In the mean time- here's a picture of my oldest getting kisses from "Anthony" in Roatan, Honduras.