The end is drawing near

I'm having a bit of a post-conference hangover: not a real hangover, but the adrenaline-is-gone, my-brain-is-full kind of muddiness. So my apologies if what follows is not entirely coherent!

This week has been a rollercoaster. I spent the first part of the week frantically responding to 10-page-student essays so my students would get their feedback in time to revise final papers (classes ended on Thursday), and the last part of the week prepping for a weekend at the fabulous LDStorymakers conference.

And then on Thursday I found out that a friend (my neighbor growing up) had passed away from cancer. She was only a year older than me; her youngest was just 3, and the whole thing is gut-wrenching. I told my class that day, as we wrapped up a semester talking about rhetoric, that one thing I had learned is that it's important to say the words that matter when we have the chance. Her passing made me reflect that while I'm grateful the gospel gives us hope for life after death, we should treasure the people we have right now.

And of course, Thursday morning, both Andrew and Evelyn puked at about 1 in the morning, which meant that I set off for my conference leaving Dan to man the sick fort alone. I felt horrible about leaving him, but he told me I should go . . . so I went. And I'm so glad I did.

For one thing, the kids weren't sick too long--by Friday they were back at school. And for another, I learned so much. I came away inspired, and motivated, and encouraged to keep writing. Among other things, I think this is a talent that I've been given that I need to develop--for whatever reason.

But probably the most encouraging things to come from the weekend were: first, I won first place in the first chapter competition for YA fantasy. I've entered this contest for 3 years now and never placed. This may seem like a small thing, but it confirmed for me that my chapter *was* good, and that I *can* write. (Sometimes I wonder). And then the agent that I met with during the conference said that he would absolutely like to see the manuscript when I've finished polishing it. I realize that's no guarantee he'd like it, but it's a positive step in the right direction!

In the meantime, Dan took the kids to the Kite-Flight for reading celebration (where the kids got new kites for reading the requisite number of minutes), and then to an Arts activity where they made crafts, tried out dances, and other fun things (this also let Dan get a break while Oliver napped and the kids were on campus).

Today, in contrast, has been pretty leisurely. Church, followed by board games (Tsuro and Ticket to Ride). It's been nice.