Thursday, August 24, 2006

Stay-at-home Mom with No Kids At Home

Today is the first day of school for my kids. Bug headed off to 7th grade. Loula Belle walked with Neighbor Girl to their first day of 5th grade, and Beans and I rode bikes to the elementary school where she’ll be in Mrs. ReadHead's second grade class.

It’s always strange when school starts. Here I am a stay-at-home mom, and there are no kids around. What am I going to do with my time?

First of all, I’ve learned that with the kids in school, I don’t magically get more hours in a day. I still have the same amount of time as when they’re home, only they’re not here demanding my attention. So what is demanding my attention?

The kitchen floor. It’s dusty, sticky, ugly. Ditto the bathrooms – only they’re stinky instead of sticky. In fact, it is high time I did some serious deep cleaning. After a summer of my kids and their friends bringing the great outdoors indoors, my house needs a clean sweep.

I’m also planning on starting down the road to getting published. My manuscript, "I’m Not Your Slave – I’m Your Mother" is back from the editor. Now it’s up to me to incorporate the suggested changes and get it off to a prospective agent or publisher. Writing the perfect query letter that leaves ‘em begging to see the manuscript is my new quest. (I’m keeping my fingers crossed for minimal rejection. I hate rejection!)

Speaking of publishing, I just heard from the Chicken Soup for the Soul people. They’re coming out with a . . . Mothers and Daughter’s Soul II book and want to include "I Love You More." Yippee! Hopefully it will bring me a little more exposure and the extra money always comes in handy.

That’s it for today. I’m off to do a little research for the children’s book about chickens that I’m writing. Don’t look now, but Bernice, Velda, Pearl and Marjorie may be coming to a picture book near you soon!

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