Mariposa Kisses (aka Dianne's Blog)

***Some names have changed, so if you've been reading along with previous excerpts, please note the following:

Josh changed to Jake
Dianne changed to Grace
Danielle changed to Katelyn/Katie

***These previous names return as characters in my female protagonist's book, except that Dianne becomes Diana.
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That evening, we ordered pizza and my mom packed up to head home. I tried to convince her to stay one more night, but she’d already been at our house for over a week and really missed Jack. I even tried to bribe her with a glass of Kendall Jackson Merlot, which was our favorite to drink in one another’s company. But she still loaded up her bags into her silver Camry and headed back to the desert. I’m not sure why I cried when she drove away. I knew we’d see each other again soon enough, but I really missed her. Getting her for one day before and after our cruise just hadn’t been enough.

After dinner and some quick baths, we all crashed like a ton of bricks. Eric and I still weren’t totally adjusted to being back on San Diego time and just needed to recoup from our trip. The kids were pretty tired as well and the house was dark by ten o’clock. Nugget started her snoring around seven-thirty and lay at the base of Jake’s wooden bunk-bed, nestled into the edge of his Optimus Prime comforter that slinked over onto the tan carpet. Grace’s room echoed stories of battles and adventures until she finally closed her eyes around nine-forty-five. Katie’s room was quiet right at eight-thirty like her brother’s.

Drop offs went fairly smoothly the next morning. At least I didn’t have to encounter any crazy moms out there trying to run me over. So, there was no need to use any of my very limited amount of sign-language or any kid-safe euphemisms today. The route to Starbucks was pretty relaxed as well. I wore my favorite faded blue jeans that made me feel skinny even though I was totally bloated from PMS. My red button down top with black flowers made me feel spritely as well and highlighted my amazing tan. Even though the weather hadn’t been too hot, we did so many outdoor activities that the sun had infused its way into my soft skin.

I must have been missed because Molly and the gang asked how my cruise had been. Word must have gotten out that Jadan had gone on the cruise as well, which caused some minor confusion. I had to clear up some local gossip and inform everyone that Stephenie had also gone and that they were actually married now. You know how coffee-talk gets all out of proportion unless you clear the air as soon as you get wind of it? As I looked around, I saw Jadan hard at work, laptop open, already trading like crazy, but no Kristin anywhere.

She and Jared must be sleeping in today. Since she freelanced like I did, she set her own schedule and Jared’s salesman calendar was pretty open as well. They must be extending their honeymoon, how nice. I was happy for them, but just a wee-bit jealous. My life was back in full speed, no extended vow-renewal-honeymoon for me. Aw well, it felt good to be back in my own head drinking strong Starbucks coffee from my red tumbler. I needed to find a spot and noticed an open one next to Jadan. So I walked over and put my stuff down by his black, athletic looking wheelchair. After he got off of his phone-call, we started to chat.

Labels: excerpt # 19, Stream of Consciousness

The start of CHAPTER ONE:

The pitch black night fed upon my terror as I sat motionless atop the belly of a mechanical red and gray spider that targeted my blood. Its relentless pull on my hair and feet drove me in two opposing directions. Icy cold numbness and boiling heat covered me at once. The howling wind and the uncanny stillness pressed uncomfortably into the back of my skull. Simultaneously, I could hear obnoxious steel drums in one ear and peaceful piano chords in the other. My heart and mind were one and yet, strangely, two contradictory forces fighting a battle that could not be won. The pain would soon cease. But for now my spirit wrestled stubbornly with the sun and the moon as the high and low tides battled for control of the night. My racing heart slowed to an incoherent hum. And then a bright light came out of nowhere blazing itself upon my eyelids forcing me to open them. A slow heart beat stubbornly pulsed through my veins. But then a piercing pain overpowered my neck and shoulders. And no longer conscious, I could neither see nor hear…

“Honey, wake up. It’s already seven in the morning. The kids have to get up. They’re going to be late for school. You must have pressed snooze like ten times. Up up up, Honey, get up,” Eric lovingly shouted into my aching ears.
“Okay, I’ll skip my shower. Don’t worry. We’ll make it. I’m getting up. Please start some strong coffee,” I whined as I flopped onto my back in the shape of a very sloppy X.
“The coffee is already on. I’ve been downstairs eating breakfast and making my lunch. I just figured you were already awake and headed upstairs to kiss you guys goodbye. Do you want me to take the big kids, Renee?” he asked sympathetically.
“Actually, that would be great Hon. I was having a really psychotic dream and I’m totally out of it. Thanks Eric,” I voiced with appreciation while reeling his blue and green tie toward my chest for a quick hug and kiss.

Labels: book excerpt from Stream of Consciousness, first 2 paragraphs

It's officially the middle of July now, so I'd say this is the time to enjoy summer break. Sometimes as parents, we have a hard time settling in to relaxation-mode. The kids are out of school, which means no homework, easier low-prep meals, and less official baths (because the pool accounts for some of them, right?). And yet, we still struggle to embrace the light-hearted moments of summer. Well, that is if you're anything like I am.

It's easy to focus on the plethora of tasks flooding our to-do lists instead of chilling out with some water balloons or a spray-gun instead. I see the messes around the house and feel like I should attend to all of them at once. And then I think of the upcoming year and feel stressed about the need to work on school stuff with the kids so they'll be ahead of the year's challenges. And I think of my own writing goals and begin to fret over the pieces I need to be working on.

But here's the deal: before we know it, summer will be gone! The kids will be back in school. Life will be busier than ever with sports, Scouts, and church activities. So now is the time to "carpe diem." Catch summer with that butterfly net and enjoy it for awhile before we're dashing into fall.

Recently, I allowed myself to soak in some summertime laziness. My middle daughter and I both awoke to an empty kitchen table while the other two kids were still asleep. So she asked me for some mommy/daughter time, which is always valuable.

I suggested we play a board-game. So she of course picked Monopoly which I usually say "No" to since it takes forever to finish. But on this particular morning, I said "Yes." The time was special for both of us and took me back to my own childhood memories and rekindled my own love for the game.

It also reminded me of how math can be fun, as my daughter counted out her money each time she wanted to buy up a property or when she had to pay the rent on one. The game emphasized reading in a casual way as well. She loved landing on "Chance" so she could read the mysterious message, especially when she got to "Advance to GO and COLLECT $200."

And with all this strange weather recently, I got to enjoy another terrific morning with my youngest daughter as well. She and I headed outside to blow some bubbles (like hundreds of bubbles). And we colored in her Barbie coloring books. And we each sucked on fruit lollipops while playing with her dollies. And we laid on our backs hunting for cloud-creatures. Who'd have known there were so many lions, lambs, kitties, giraffes, and cute bunnies up above us all the while? The time was priceless.

In both of these instances, I could have passed up these precious moments to update my boring checkbook, to throw in a few loads of stinky laundry, or to skim down the mountain-size pile of icky dishes flooding my kitchen sink. But I didn't. Instead, I caught up with my kids and had a blast frolicking inside of their relaxed worlds of summer vacation.

The kids stop everything. They're not thinking about school or chores or new backpacks yet. They just want to scoot and bike-ride and float as they devour one more tasty hot dog or another dripping Popsicle. So let's try to model our kids' chilled out, summertime attitudes.

Go for another piece of watermelon or buttery corn, even if you've already had like six servings. Kill your diet and eat a big juicy cheeseburger. They're so good once in awhile! Take your kids for ice cream even though it's right before dinnertime. Let your chores go as well! Don't make your bed. If you do, you won't be able to climb back in for an afternoon nap! And chill out on the laundry while you're at it; they can wear those jean shorts a few more times.

Share your most relaxed summertime moments. We'd love to hear from you. Keeping it real!

Labels: parents, summertime fun

We recently returned from Yosemite and it was an amazing trip for myself, my husband, and our three kids. When I say that we saw beauty beyond description, I'm not exaggerating in the least. We started out at Mariposa Grove to the east of the entrance and saw the most amazing Sequoia trees you could imagine. From the Faithful Couple, the Bachelor and the Three Graces, the Fallen Monarch, to the Grizzly Giant, the camera simply couldn't shoot pictures quickly enough.

Later in the week we enjoyed a couple of days down in the Valley, where we started to get wet almost as soon as we entered the paved pathway a few hundred yards from the actual Bridal Veil Falls. The power of the water was enough to take your mind off of your own worries and to transfix your thoughts instead upon the energy right in front of you. But, these Falls had to take second place in majesty and awesomeness when compared to the Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls farther in. Two thousand, four hundred, and twenty-five feet of uncontrolled, tenacious, and fearless water falls like a passionate war-song.

And if you've been to Yosemite yourself, you know it's the kind of place where you start telling people about your stories only to be outdone by their own personal tales. You had the fantastic luck of spotting a brown bear cub while walking back from Mirror Lake but then so-and-so saw an even bigger bear cub with its mom twirling into town near the Village. But there's one story that I believe can never be outdone. And it's one that comes straight from the mouth of my father-in-law about one of his former dental patients. It seems almost too amazing to be true, but stick with me, we're all gonna glean some amazing wisdom from it.

As we showed my father-in-law our plethora of slide-show pictures, he began to tell us this story about his former patient's son. He told us how the patient's daughter-in-law accidentally slipped over the edge of Upper Yosemite Falls. Of how she couldn't catch her balance and fell to an imminent death. But what comes next defies logic. Then, seeing that the wife was trapped in a helpless situation, the adult son dove in over the mighty Falls attempting to save her. It was a hopeless and unreasonable attempt due to the water's unforgiving strength and might. As the sky darkened and the moon-lit night reluctantly buried the daylight in its grip, family members' useless search came to an end. It was concluded that neither of the two lovers made it out of the Falls alive.

Hearing true stories about passionate love, the kind people die for, makes me pause. How can you hear something like this without marveling at its significance? As I processed what that sacrifice meant, after our own recent family vacation surrounded by such tremendous beauty, it really got me thinking. Do I love like that? From a Biblical background, I know that true love lays itself down for another. But could I actually dive in after someone I loved? If I knew I would die, would I give up my own life anyways? Because "what if" might just be enough, somehow?

The challenge I brought back with me from the wonderment of Yosemite and from this story is to love with a persistent and sacrificial kind of love. So often, I feel that we are all looking out for ourselves, for our own needs, for our own long to-do lists. We frequently feel burdened when we have to serve others because we ourselves are so tired, weighed down, and limited. But think of that man who dove over that edge peering down atop two thousand feet of water-blanketed granite. If there was any way he could save his beloved, well, he was certainly going to try, no matter what the cost.

I don't think it has to take a crazy story like this one to challenge us to love one another better as human beings. But then again, maybe it does take something this intense to rock us from our apathetic states of self absorption. We need to be reminded that it's good to love our loved ones well. So here it is, my challenge to you: LOVE TODAY LIKE IT MIGHT BE YOUR LAST DAY! Let others tell the story of your love, of how you were willing to save your loved ones' lives. Of how you never gave up on them, no matter how futile the cause. Maybe for you it's an alcoholic child or a drug addicted sibling. It could be a spouse that deals with chronic depression. Or a parent with Alzheimer's disease. Or a friend who keeps falling in love with the wrong, abusive men. Don't give up on her or him or them!

Loving these relatives or friends might feel overwhelming at times. But it doesn't have to be as dramatic as jumping over the Falls to show how much you care. A life of sacrificial love is often built from small things, step by step, one act of kindness at a time. Perhaps you could take a half-day at work to spend some time with your loved one over an early dinner and a walk around the lake. You might just choose to use twenty minutes to write a lonely grandparent an email or an actual letter, instead of Facebooking for two hours this Saturday morning. You could send a care package to one of our military's soldiers who needs some encouragement instead of buying four more Starbucks drinks for yourself this month. It might be as easy as a meal and some flowers for a friend who recently got divorced.

Whether you're called to sacrifice in drastic ways or in a smaller, less significant fashion, you will bless your loved ones' lives as you give of yourself and of your resources along the way. Just step out and demonstrate a few loving deeds to a friend or family member today. Give this love-challenge a chance to bloom and let me know how it goes. I'd love to hear from you. Keeping it real. :)

Labels: LOVE--, Yosemite