Disaster averted and H.I.G.H. 10

Happy Monday,

As always I am so excited to start the new week that I smile when I wake up. I love pursuing my dream and feeling a sense of moving forward. Do you feel that way? Do you want to? What steps are you taking to get there?

I'll tell you a good habit I RESTARTED is making a list the day before of what needs to be accomplished the next day. When I was working for a Recruiter he told me to make the list out before I left the office because you'll do it quickly and you'll write what NEEDS to be done. If you do it when you come in the office in the morning you'll use list writing as a way to dodge work. Wise words and I still use them today.

Yesterday I had a near disaster. My computer wouldn't boot up. I have spent this last week doing some research and preparing to do a few blogs on how to best back up your data in case of computer disaster. I wanted to ask a group of writers from the ACFW what they do but I'd been buried in working on my multiple writing projects that I didn't have time. I'd been leaning towards getting Carbonite for my own needs, even spending a good deal of time Saturday reading through their website. I'd heard great things about them but wanted to check out other options. Then Sunday...my computer wouldn't boot.

AHHHH Panic!! I spent over an hour praying and making various deals with God "If you will let me get in to my data I promise I'll back the whole thing up." Then I jump on my husband's laptop and see that I have a new registration to my Writing Career Coach Course...AHH it's locked on the computer that won't turn on. And all the new products? They're on there too. An annoying chorus of voices singing to the tune of "You'll shoot your eye out." from the movie "A Christmas Story." Now chant at me "You should've backed-up"

After 90 minutes I sat down and said, very sincerely, "God, show me what to do." I hit control+alt+delete and a window popped up asking me to enter my password. I did and VOILA there is EVERYTHING. I immediately ran to Carbonite.com and backed up all of my data. WOW. And I'd planned on sitting down after church and spending to quiet hours reading a novel. Silly me.

So, I always tell you that I tell you what it is I'm doing to succeed. I'm using Carbonite to back up all my data. I'm not very computer savvy, unless it is Word or Excel, and this thing was easy for ME to figure out. If any of you want to use it the website it www.Carbonite.com but I also have this link: http://www.carbonite.com/raf/signup.aspx?RAFUserUID=262943&a=0 When you use that link you get 15 day free trial and an extra month if you use it. They also give me a couple of bonus months for referring someone so you DON'T have to click this if you don't want to. My goal is not to get you to give me free months. I only added that link since it said it would give any of you who used it a free month.

So whether you use www.Carbonite.com or you use something else take a minute to back up your important documents today. Even if it is only to print them out.

H.I.G.H. 10

So I told you last week about how I was now published in a local paper and diligently working on my first novel. I also told you how my family was suddenly experiencing health problems that landed my daughter in the hospital. It was now May and I was 7 months in to my writing journey. I began to submit to every publisher I could find and I was collecting an attractive folder of rejection letters. Some of these letters were little three sentence emails that essentially said "Thanks but no thanks" and some were nice rejections on stationary. I kept writing and submitting and was spending a good bit of money, and time, I didn't have doing it. Would I ever publish again??

I had also begun to go to the gym again. There was a local ladies gym, Lifestyles, that had tanning, gym, and childcare for one price. It was great. I could spend 30 minutes on the treadmill reading a novel or a book on tape, then I could grab a quick 30 minute nap in the tanning bed, and take a shower without a 5 year old busting in on me. All for the the cost of the gas it took to drive there and back. So three times a week I started heading to the gym to have a break from screaming kids. I also started to hear the ideas for other stories begin to percolate in my brain. Now it wasn't just that first book I was hearing but a second. I didn't know what to do! I had two novels vying for my attention and it was only getting "worse". Ideas for articles seemed to spring from nowhere when I was driving, rocking the baby, or cooking dinner. I felt trapped. I loved being a mommy but I also felt overwhelmed with all I COULD do if only I had time. And the complete exhaustion from dealing with a colicky baby who never slept was catching up with me. How was I going to accomplish all of this?

My youngest daughter was now 8 weeks old and my other two were 2 and 4. What person in their right mind would try to do all this. It was the Thursday before Memorial Day and I was at the gym trying to work through all of this in my mind. I went and got the kids from the child care room after my shower. As always, the baby was screaming in her car seat. We drove the 20 minutes back to our house and I was nearly in tears. I was overwhelmed and the only thing I could see to give up was sleep or writing. I pulled in my driveway and unloaded my kids. They ran in the house and I followed behind carrying the baby in her car seat.

The next hour would be forever chiseled in my mind. I sent the older two up to their bedroom to play while I gave the baby her Acid Reflux medicine. As always she didn't want it but I managed to get it in her mouth. I then lifted her out of her carseat to sooth her. Her head flopped back and she moaned.

I remember at that moment felling my blood go to ice. Something was wrong, I could sense it. My husband [a paramedic] was at work so I called the neighbor across the street who was an EMT. I asked him to please check on the baby for me. He came over and asked what was wrong. By the time he got there the baby was crying again and I was trying to explain to him what was going on over her screams. I felt a little silly trying to say I had a bad feeling because the baby moaned when clearly now she was fine.

Then she dropped her head on my shoulder. Silent.

My neighbor and I looked at each other and I called the doctor's office. I kept assuring myself that she'd just worn herself out crying and that all was well. It was 5:30 and so I had to wait for the answering service to pick up.

I remember explaining quickly to her what was going on.

I remember her asking me to wake the baby up to see if she was okay.

I remember how I felt when the baby wouldn't wake up.

I remember watching for her chest to rise and fall.

I'll see you all tomorrow.