My Writing Partner

This year, I want to focus on the riches, or blessings, in our lives. In my opinion, our greatest blessings are our friends and family. A person is truly rich if they're surrounded by people who love them.

I couldn't pursue my writing career without my family and friends. I have a husband who believes in me, family members who encourage me, friends who inspire me, a church who equips me, a community who embraces me, and children who love me unconditionally.

Within each of those groups, there are individual people who touch me and minister to me in unique ways. From those closest to me who know the intimate details of my daily life, to those on the outer rings, who simply know me by name and face, they each play a significant role in my support network.

I thought it would be fun to highlight some of these people from time to time on my blog. They have no idea I'm going to write about them, but I hope through my words they know how much they mean to me.

This week, I've been especially blessed by a writer friend I met a few years ago. She's an amazing woman I have the pleasure of calling a friend. She, along with Melissa Tagg and Lindsay Harrel, have become a lifeline for me. Ironically, in our day to day lives, Alena and I would have probably never met in this big, wide world. She lives in Texas, and I in Minnesota. But through our shared love of writing, we were introduced at ACFW by Melissa.

Alena and I at the 2014 ACFW Conference

Alena Tauriainen is who I want to be like. She has a heart like no other. I love her gentleness, wisdom, and positive perspective. She's truly a servant at heart, and loves to bless people with her time and energy. As a mom, she's the type everyone wants to have. She offers her children discipline and grace, and sprinkles in a lot of laughter and fun. As a wife, I admire the way she loves and respects her husband, and speaks so highly of him.

Alena is the retreat coordinator for My Book Therapy. She takes care of everyone and does it with so much love, you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. If you've ever been to one of the retreats she hosts, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Alena and I became writing craft partners a few months after we met. Besides critiquing each others writing, we've agreed to keep each other accountable to follow through with our writing goals. But more than that, we're here for each other to encourage and offer support. It's amazing what one email, text, or phone call can do to brighten my day. When I receive writing-related news (both good and bad), Alena is one of the first people I tell. Even though she's in Texas, I know I have someone who understands what I'm going through.

I've learned a very valuable lesson on this writing journey. I'm not meant to walk it alone. God has brought amazing people to help me down this path. Alena is one of them.

I can't wait to tell you about the others. :)

Your Turn: Who has blessed you this week?

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Speaking of great writer friends, this Wednesday I'll be welcoming author Lisa Jordan to my blog! Stop back to learn more about Lisa and enter to win a copy of her newest release, Lakeside Redemption.

Basement Remodel - Before and After Pictures

Two years ago my husband and I were blessed to buy a semi-fixer-upper on the Mississippi River in a wonderful neighborhood. The house had been empty for six years, so we got an amazing deal, but it was in need of updating. We started with two upstairs rooms the first year and this year we decided to tackle the basement.

The house had two major additions in the 1970's and the 1990's so it's a large house full of character. The addition in the 1970's was a two story addition, on the back of the house. It was about ten feet wide by thirty feet long. The basement is a walk-out to the river, but the downstairs addition wasn't insulated, so it was unusable in the winter - plus, since the house was empty for six years, it was overrun with rodents. It needed to be gutted!

The original walkout to the backyard and the river.

 Here's what this room looks like now:

We opened up a wall separating two rooms to make one
large room, plus we added the far wall, so we could have a foyer
to enter the basement from outside.

 

This is the other side of the original addition.
It had a "pass-through" granite fireplace and four small windows

Here's the same room. We took out the four small windows
and put in three larger ones.

This was the room on the other side of the "pass-through"
fireplace - my future office!

 

Same room! I still need to decorate and bring in my furniture.
I have three large new windows to look out on the
river while I'm writing.

This was the window that separated the main heated family
room and the addition. We took out the window
and made a large archway. This is the only picture of the
indoor room - it was pretty dark! Think wood paneling
and checker board tiles. The room is about 12x30 feet.

These are the two rooms, now one! We've since added a
television where the cords are - and moved our living
room furniture downstairs. One of my boys was helping
vacuum and the other was running around in circles!

Here's the other end of the same room, with a peek into my office.
The only thing that remains from the original room are the cabinets.
I wish we had more pictures! There were only two dim lights and
so much paneling. It's an unbelievable transformation.

Another view of the one large room now.

I love the ceiling! We wallpapered the ceiling and painted it with
a high gloss paint, so it looks like an old-fashioned tin ceiling -
at about a tenth of the price. Around the fireplace my husband
did some custom trim work - he's so talented!

My husband and brother-in-law, Matt, did almost all the work on the basement. We started demolition just after the New Year and they were able to finish it in a little over two months. My dad also came in and helped a few times, and I did a lot of the painting. With a little imagination, and a lot of hard work, we have now added another 600 square feet of usable space to our home.

In the next two weeks we'll be hosting the third birthday party for our twins and a Final Four Game party! I love to entertain and I can't wait to use this space with family and friends. Not to mention how much fun we'll have here with our children.

As my husband and I were sitting together admiring the transformation in this space, he said to me: "Everything we own is not really ours. It's a gift from God, on loan to us for as long as He sees fit. He's calling us to use the gifts He's given us to minister to others. We need to use this space to bless as many people as possible." And that's exactly what we hope to do.

What about you? Have you ever remodeled a space in your home? If you could remodel a room, which would it be and what would you do?

It Takes a Whole Village



My parents with my kiddos (and niece) at Mt. Rushmore



I love having a good support system. Actually, I need one.

As a wife and a mother, I need mentors and friends to model what a good marriage and good parenting looks like, so I know what I'm aiming for. I also need these people so I can discuss ideas, cry on their shoulders, celebrate little (and big) victories and just enjoy life. Some of my greatest support systems come from my extended family, my church, my MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) group, my ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) class and my close friends.

When it comes to writing, I've also gathered together a support group (I'll talk more about this on Wednesday on Lindsay Harrel's blog!), because I know that there is strength in numbers and I'm an extrovert who gets recharged when I interact with other people.

But, there's an even more important support system for me, and that's my immediate family. It's made up of my husband, my children, my parents, my in-laws, my siblings & spouses and my nieces & nephews. I know I can reach for my dreams because I have this group of people committed to helping me achieve them.

Sometimes it's as simple as giving me encouragement, or as intense as babysitting my children! Whatever need I have, I almost always start with this first circle of support and I know I can find it.

Last week I had a big need. I spent so much time working on my manuscript this summer that our clothing seemed to take over our house. The kids had grown out of a lot of it and the summer clothes needed to be put away and the winter clothes needed to come out. It was a big, daunting job and I just didn't have the time to put into it.

In comes my mom.

She volunteered to organize all my children's clothing! It took her three days! If you have four or more children (heck, if you have one child!) you know how much work this takes. The last two days of intensive work on my manuscript, I was in one room editing away while my mom was in the girls' and boys' bedrooms organizing clothes and entertaining my boys. The third day I helped finish up the job.

I couldn't be more thankful for this gift from my mom. Not only the gift of organizing my children's clothing, but the gift of support so I could pursue my dream. It is a priceless gift, indeed.

 

What about you? If you could have someone do one job in your house, what would it be?

Counting My Blessings

Last week I had a discussion with my fellow ECFE (Early Childhood/Family Education) parents about teaching our children how to appreciate what they have. We talked specifically about when our children don't eat the food we put in front of them and how they whine, complain or refuse to eat it. I mentioned how I've often talked to my children about the "starving children in Africa." I've even pulled up pictures my husband took when he was in Africa to show them the reality, but they still complain.

Tonight I realized I needed a "starving children in Africa" example, too.

So often I worry and stress over the silliest things. The laundry is piling up, the floors need to be mopped, the bedding needs to be changed, the refrigerator needs to be cleaned and on and on and on. I find myself complaining and not appreciating that I have a home to clean and a family to care for.

A few minutes ago I read a CaringBridge Update from an influential member of our community who has been battling cancer for three years, and yesterday he was told there is nothing left for the doctors to do.

He wrote the update himself and his words are so beautiful, they left me in tears. His faith is astounding and his outlook has always been incredible, and remains so. He offered God thanks and praise with each word he wrote. The snow my husband and I were complaining about this morning as we brought our family to church, is the same snow that he appreciated.

I can't imagine what it would be like to write the update he just did - and it was the wake up call I needed.

I have so much, including good health, but I still complain and whine. The word that continued to come to me is trite. My complaints and troubles are so trite. There is so much to be thankful for, but like my little children, I whine and complain even when I have a bountiful feast in front of me.

What must God think? He sees the horror in this world. He hurts with each person who hurts. He stands beside the person who has been sold into sex slavery, He holds the hand of the sick on chemotherapy, He cradles the grieving parent, He directs the hands of the children digging through the dump heap, He sooths the battered bodies, the wounded souls, the addicted minds - and when I bring my incomparable troubles to Him, He still comforts me as much as He comforts the others.

But, like my children, He tells me: You have so much. Appreciate what you have and be thankful for it.

The Bible calls our praise and thanksgiving a sacrifice and I believe one of the reasons it's called a sacrifice is because it's not something that comes easily to us. We have to offer it to Him in every area of our lives, by the way we treat others, by the words we speak, by the things we do with our time, in every action and decision - from a heart that truly believes we are blessed. It's not a matter of lip service, but heart service. When we do this, when we look for the things to be thankful for, we'll begin to see them more and more and we'll truly live a life that reflects the blessings of our Father.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

1 Chronicles 16:34

What about you? I'd love to hear what you're thankful for today.