October check-in

​Oh, goodness, it’s been so long since I’ve written. My apologies!
October is a crazy busy month to be teaching. Picture day. End of first quarter assessments. Parent/Teacher conferences. Ongoing trainings and observations. A lot of other things that escape my mind right now… Anyway, take my word for it. It’s a hectic time in the school year. And this year it’s all layered with social distancing, seating charts, virtual classrooms, extra sanitizing, close contact tracing, quarantine, etc. etc. Fortunately, my class has stayed healthy and our building is working hard to keep school open.
But even with all the craziness, I love October. There’s something about these fall months that give me all the cozy vibes. Even now, while writing this, I’m ensconced in a comfy hoodie, chowing down on caramel apples, with a cup of steaming vanilla caramel coffee on hand. Even my doggie is all curled up in his little bed. All I’m missing is the crackling fireplace and a fuzzy blanket. (Do fuzzy socks count?) I’m also reading one of my favorite childhood stories, Anne of Green Gables, which gives me ALL the cozy feels.
Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month? Thanks to a yearly writing challenge (NanoWrimo) I’m gearing up to start a brand new project. The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. I’ve never done this challenge before, but a lot of other authors have (including my sister, Emily, who’s an old pro at this by now!) so I’m taking it on this year. Between editing and plotting a couple other projects, I’ve not written anything new in a while, so I’m excited! I plan to update my progress on my Instagram and Facebook pages, so be sure to check back often to see how it’s going! (And maybe give me a cheer every now and then to keep me going!)
I’ve discovered a wonderful community of authors and readers on Instagram and many of us are doing Nano this year. Everyone is so encouraging and inspiring. It’s like a whole new family of people who understand you and believe in you, even if they’ve never met you. It’s been wonderful to step into this warm, inviting group of people.
I also have to give a shout out to my other sister, Holly. She’s always so supportive and respectful of my writing time. Whereas other may not take this “hobby” or “passion” or “fantasy” of mine seriously, she knows how important it is to me and she gets it. If I want to skip watching Waltons for the night and eat dinner in my room to work on some edits, she’s fine with that. When I’m trying to do too much or getting overwhelmed, she’s my voice of reason to get me back on track and making the most of my times. Nano would not happen this year if I didn’t have her support and help.
Having a support system for any kind of dream or pursuit is so important. No one can succeed alone. We all need someone in our corner. Who’s on your team, pushing you and encouraging you to keep going? Or maybe there’s someone who needs you on their team. Let’s all strive to be the one to build others up. Be that voice of encouragement to someone who is feeling let down by their dreams.
We all have dreams. What’s yours? Maybe you’re the one who needs to hear this, so let me say it:
YOU CAN DO IT!
I believe in you, and I’m praying for you. May something in this raw, awkward mess of words touch you, embolden you, and inspire you to reach for your dreams. God bless all of you, and thank you for staying with me on this journey.
In His Grip!