All my boys love to fly! Notice how I'm not there?
Memorial
Got a call that some old family friends had suffered a tragedy. It's almost surreal. We knew them years ago, when both our families were young and we both had very young daughters close in age. They were the kind of people that barrelled into your life and affected it in big ways, both for good and not so good, but always affected it. We have a lot of dear mutal friends, even though we ourselves had to back off from the friendship, mostly because our husbands had business disagreements and there was a huge falling away.
But to their credit, and ours as well I guess, even though we attended church together for many years, there never was any gossip or back biting and we were able to live in peace. Shortly after the disagreement, J's (the mom) and I happened to go to our mutual friend's house at the same time. It was uncomfortable for a few moments because I really didn't bear her any ill will, but I didn't want to be non-supportive of my husband because his feelings were really raw at the time. I also knew she was worried because we were very popular in that congregation and I thought she might feel like the church members might view them as the bad guys in all this. So I told her the one thing that I knew was true in everything that had happened. I told her that I knew without any doubt that if I or my children needed help, I could call her husband and he would come to my aid without question. And regardless to anything else that had gone on, that was what was important and that was the kind of character I knew he had. I remember how her face lit up with relief, and after that, she and I were good. We never really hung out again together, but we both knew we were okay.
It took a few years longer for my husband to make peace, but he eventually did, even went out for lunch a few times with him, but we moved, and they moved and contact was scare. The last time I saw them was a year or so ago at a distance during a large church conference. J was singing in the choir, seated next to one of the most beautiful girls I'd ever seen, which I learned was her daughter R. Seriously, this is one of those kind of girls that radiate so much beauty, you can't stop looking at them.
Anyway two nights ago, Pat told me J and her oldest son were killed instantly in a head-on collision, two of the younger children were in critical (One has already passed as well) and R, that beautiful girl the same age as my daughter, was also hurt
but will survive. The dad was not with them. I just don't know how he can survive this. How could anybody? In a mere moment, half your family is gone. It's devastating to even think about, let alone live through. It's such a helpless feeling to know there isn't anything that any of us can do.
Faith was one our mutual friends. It was her husband that called us. She has written a touching memorial here.
But to their credit, and ours as well I guess, even though we attended church together for many years, there never was any gossip or back biting and we were able to live in peace. Shortly after the disagreement, J's (the mom) and I happened to go to our mutual friend's house at the same time. It was uncomfortable for a few moments because I really didn't bear her any ill will, but I didn't want to be non-supportive of my husband because his feelings were really raw at the time. I also knew she was worried because we were very popular in that congregation and I thought she might feel like the church members might view them as the bad guys in all this. So I told her the one thing that I knew was true in everything that had happened. I told her that I knew without any doubt that if I or my children needed help, I could call her husband and he would come to my aid without question. And regardless to anything else that had gone on, that was what was important and that was the kind of character I knew he had. I remember how her face lit up with relief, and after that, she and I were good. We never really hung out again together, but we both knew we were okay.
It took a few years longer for my husband to make peace, but he eventually did, even went out for lunch a few times with him, but we moved, and they moved and contact was scare. The last time I saw them was a year or so ago at a distance during a large church conference. J was singing in the choir, seated next to one of the most beautiful girls I'd ever seen, which I learned was her daughter R. Seriously, this is one of those kind of girls that radiate so much beauty, you can't stop looking at them.
Anyway two nights ago, Pat told me J and her oldest son were killed instantly in a head-on collision, two of the younger children were in critical (One has already passed as well) and R, that beautiful girl the same age as my daughter, was also hurt
but will survive. The dad was not with them. I just don't know how he can survive this. How could anybody? In a mere moment, half your family is gone. It's devastating to even think about, let alone live through. It's such a helpless feeling to know there isn't anything that any of us can do.
Faith was one our mutual friends. It was her husband that called us. She has written a touching memorial here.
Disney World
I know it's a few months late, but thanks to my sis Alysha, I finally figured out how to make slideshows. This is from our trip to Disney World last November. Ah, the fun of it all. I want to go again. I also made a trailer for my book. You can view it here.
Tagged! I'm it.
I've been tagged by Lauri Robinson to tell everyone 8 things they didn't know about me before!
Hmm. I'm fairly blabby, so this may take a while to think of some things no one else knows. I may just have to go with things only a few people know.
1. When I was young, I would sit on Santa's knee and ask for only a jar of creamy peanut butter. Every year I got it.
2. I once ripped out half my eyelashes with an eyelash curler. Man, they take a long time to grow back.
3. When something breaks, I just make do for as long as I can before taking the time to get it fixed properly. I've had tupperware hold up my broken dishwasher door, weights keep my tv cabinet closed, I've traded the busted silverware drawer twice with lesser used drawers that I only taped together.
4. I once talked my dentist into fixing a cavity without pain meds cuz I thought I was tough and didn't want to be numb for a day. Once.
5. In high school, I went to "kidnap" this guy I liked, but barely knew, for a fun girl's choice date. It turned out I kidnapped a total stranger who just happened to have the same name.
6. I was raised in a house of girls, but am now raising a houseful of boys.
7. I love buttermilk.
8. While turning over this stupid fancy popcorn maker, I spilled boiling butter on myself. I still have a great scar on my inner thigh.
In case I tag you, here are the rules:
1) Each player starts with 8 random facts or habits about themselves.
2) People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their 8 things with a copy of these rules.
3) At the end of your blog you need to choose 8 people to get tagged and list their names.
4) Don't forget to leave them a note saying they've been tagged.
Okay, so I only tagged 7. It was hard to find any who weren't already taken. I apologize if there are any duplicates.
Tag you're it!
Anne Whitfield, Sandra Cormier, Jalena Burke, Michelle Chambers, Lauren Delaney, Sara Thacker, Allie Boniface
Hmm. I'm fairly blabby, so this may take a while to think of some things no one else knows. I may just have to go with things only a few people know.
1. When I was young, I would sit on Santa's knee and ask for only a jar of creamy peanut butter. Every year I got it.
2. I once ripped out half my eyelashes with an eyelash curler. Man, they take a long time to grow back.
3. When something breaks, I just make do for as long as I can before taking the time to get it fixed properly. I've had tupperware hold up my broken dishwasher door, weights keep my tv cabinet closed, I've traded the busted silverware drawer twice with lesser used drawers that I only taped together.
4. I once talked my dentist into fixing a cavity without pain meds cuz I thought I was tough and didn't want to be numb for a day. Once.
5. In high school, I went to "kidnap" this guy I liked, but barely knew, for a fun girl's choice date. It turned out I kidnapped a total stranger who just happened to have the same name.
6. I was raised in a house of girls, but am now raising a houseful of boys.
7. I love buttermilk.
8. While turning over this stupid fancy popcorn maker, I spilled boiling butter on myself. I still have a great scar on my inner thigh.
In case I tag you, here are the rules:
1) Each player starts with 8 random facts or habits about themselves.
2) People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their 8 things with a copy of these rules.
3) At the end of your blog you need to choose 8 people to get tagged and list their names.
4) Don't forget to leave them a note saying they've been tagged.
Okay, so I only tagged 7. It was hard to find any who weren't already taken. I apologize if there are any duplicates.
Tag you're it!
Anne Whitfield, Sandra Cormier, Jalena Burke, Michelle Chambers, Lauren Delaney, Sara Thacker, Allie Boniface
I'm getting published!
April 18, 2007. I went through my emails and was stunned to see the words, "I have reviewed your submission, Upon Eagle's Light, and was delighted with it. I would love to offer you a contract!"
Yes, yes, yes, and yes again! I jumped out of my chair, throwing my arms up, and exclaimed,"whoo hoo, yes, yes, yes!" Then jumped up and down, screaming a bit more. Problem was there wasn't anyone else in the house to scream with me except 11 year old C who merely blinked, then immediately started calculating how many DS games I could buy him. As if.
Then I called my husband, he didn't pick up, so I called my sister, Heather, but I was so excited and talking so fast, she could barely understand me. Not to mention, we had a bad connection. So I hung up, called back, the connection was better, but I was still talking a mile a minute, breathing rapidly like I'd just run 10 laps. Okay, maybe one lap since I'm that out of shape. She got chills and it was so fun telling her because she is one of the people who knows how long and hard I've been working for this.
Called hubbie next. This time he picked up. I thought I had my breathing under control and my pace back to normal, but as soon as I started talking, I was rumbling like a boulder running down hill again. I could hardly stand the excitement. This has been my dream since I don't know how long. I clearly remember swinging on my grandparents' huge swings, back and forth, back and forth, day dreaming about what it would be like to be an actual writer and have my stories read and loved by millions. (I dreamed big back then) I couldn't have been more than eight or nine.
Anyway it's been an exciting busy week. I signed the contract with The Wild Rose Press and have found them to be wonderful, gracious, and fun people. Not the scary big bad faceless judgemental editor types at all. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them all better. (No, I am not brown nosing, they really are.) So far, I've joined in on one of their author chats, picked out a good short excerpt from my book, figured out a blurb, which was too long so my editor condensed it. Thank goodness for good editors. Let's see. Wrote a short bio about me for the author page, which they put up today, joined their author blog, and a ton of their other forums, picked out a picture of me (that was the hardest, photogenic I am not, and the picture I picked looked ok on my screen, but on theirs, I look a little sarcastic- makes me laugh), um, what else. A few other things. It's been great! What a fabulous week. I am getting published. Me. Clover Autrey. Published Author. Doesn't that sound great?
my authors page
Yes, yes, yes, and yes again! I jumped out of my chair, throwing my arms up, and exclaimed,"whoo hoo, yes, yes, yes!" Then jumped up and down, screaming a bit more. Problem was there wasn't anyone else in the house to scream with me except 11 year old C who merely blinked, then immediately started calculating how many DS games I could buy him. As if.
Then I called my husband, he didn't pick up, so I called my sister, Heather, but I was so excited and talking so fast, she could barely understand me. Not to mention, we had a bad connection. So I hung up, called back, the connection was better, but I was still talking a mile a minute, breathing rapidly like I'd just run 10 laps. Okay, maybe one lap since I'm that out of shape. She got chills and it was so fun telling her because she is one of the people who knows how long and hard I've been working for this.
Called hubbie next. This time he picked up. I thought I had my breathing under control and my pace back to normal, but as soon as I started talking, I was rumbling like a boulder running down hill again. I could hardly stand the excitement. This has been my dream since I don't know how long. I clearly remember swinging on my grandparents' huge swings, back and forth, back and forth, day dreaming about what it would be like to be an actual writer and have my stories read and loved by millions. (I dreamed big back then) I couldn't have been more than eight or nine.
Anyway it's been an exciting busy week. I signed the contract with The Wild Rose Press and have found them to be wonderful, gracious, and fun people. Not the scary big bad faceless judgemental editor types at all. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them all better. (No, I am not brown nosing, they really are.) So far, I've joined in on one of their author chats, picked out a good short excerpt from my book, figured out a blurb, which was too long so my editor condensed it. Thank goodness for good editors. Let's see. Wrote a short bio about me for the author page, which they put up today, joined their author blog, and a ton of their other forums, picked out a picture of me (that was the hardest, photogenic I am not, and the picture I picked looked ok on my screen, but on theirs, I look a little sarcastic- makes me laugh), um, what else. A few other things. It's been great! What a fabulous week. I am getting published. Me. Clover Autrey. Published Author. Doesn't that sound great?
my authors page
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