Juggling



It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. The longest break I've taken from my blog since I started it in February of 2012. I needed a break...still do. I've been juggling numerous balls these past few weeks and I had to drop one of them--and blogging it was.

The two heaviest balls I'm juggling right now are planning for the ACFW Conference in Indianapolis this week and starting our family homeschool.

Planning for the conference involves more than just preparing one-sheets, practicing my pitch and packing my bags. Over the past week I've been doing laundry, creating meal plans, shopping, coordinating schedules for four children, one dad and a grandma, cleaning the house...and cleaning some more. I don't want to forget anything! I've also been polishing my manuscript, ordering business cards (and reordering business cards...long story), putting together outfits, editing my one-sheets, and making flower pins (see my blog post about being memorable here).

I'm looking forward to so many things at the conference this year. I will be meeting my agent, Mary Keeley, in person for the first time. I am a finalist in the My Book Therapy Frasier Contest. My friend, Melissa Tagg, will be celebrating her first book release while we're there (her book Made to Last releases September 15th). Seeing old friends and meeting new. Attending amazing workshops. Meeting (and pitching to) editors. And fellowshipping with other like-minded writers and Christians. What could be better?

Homeschooling is the other ball I'm juggling right now. I was homeschooled as a child and it has always been my hope and prayer that we could homeschool our children. We've decided to start with just our oldest this year. She entered the third grade and she was excited to start. Our second daughter (first grade) has stayed in the private school we've had the girls in for the past few years. We plan to eventually start homeschooling her, as well--but we're going to take it a year at a time.

The other balls I usually juggle are also lying next to my blogging ball. I've had to decline some of my volunteer activities, postpone much needed visits with friends, and miss a few events I would have loved to attend--but I know when September passes, I'll be able to go back to my regular activities and pick up those balls again.

I can't wait to meet you back here to share all my conference experiences when I return! I plan to post pictures and an overview of my conference experience when I come back. I'm sure I'll be posting pictures on Facebook while I'm there, as well.

I also have a really, really exciting list of guest authors coming up in October! Six weeks. Six authors. One really great prize! I'll share more when I come home.

Your Turn: Are you going to be at the ACFW Conference this year? What do you have planned for the coming week?