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Ya’ll, I have been blogging for a whole year! Okay, my first post was last September 5th, so technically I’m three days short. But it was Labor Day! So that totally counts!

So y’all…I’ve been blogging for a whole year!

This is so impressive to me for so many reasons, mainly because I can count on ONE HAND the things I’ve managed to maintain for more than a year in my entire life. I’ll prove it.

Marriage. Going on twenty years. Motherhood. Going on seventeen. Bad eighties perms? Those lasted the better part of a decade. A blue zip-up hoodie I bought at NY & Co in 1999? Wearing it now.

But my first car? Made it not quite a year before I burned up the motor. Did you know you had to change the oil more than, oh, never in order to keep the engine running? Yeah, I didn’t at eighteen, either.

And my first boyfriend? I never even kissed him before we broke up one week later. I’m still not over it. *wipes eyes and sniffs loudly.*

I have had pets that haven’t lasted this long. And I said, “pets.” As in, plural. As in multiple, multiple. And not because I’ve killed them or anything morbid like that (I’ve found nice homes for every four-legged variety), but for various kinda valid reasons. Like, my young children did nothing but scream when the Golden Retriever jumped on their backs. The Springer Spaniel bit my son. We forgot to feed the fish. We (I) changed the water the wrong way for the new fish. The Maltese ran away (imagine that—pretty sure he wanted to leave on his own terms. Found out later he found his OWN nice family, thankyouverymuch).

Y’all, I’m serious when I say that there is very little I’ve done for an entire year.

And since I posted that very first blog, in some ways, not much has changed. Last Labor Day, I spent a good part of the morning digging a splinter out of my daughter’s foot. Today, it was her finger. What is it with kids and planks of wood, anyway? I mean, I haven’t gotten a splinter since 1987. These kids have GOT to shape up and follow my stellar example.

Also last LD, I listened to my kids fight. And whatdayaknow?? They’ve already fought today. I made cinnamon rolls that day last year…today we had cereal. My husband went for a run that day…today he grabbed the newspaper. The similarities are frightening.

But there have been definite changes.

Since last year, my oldest son became a legal driver. My youngest daughter started kindergarten. My oldest daughter entered the teenage years, and my youngest son
began his last year of elementary school.

Since last year, I have written a fourth book and watched that book final in a national contest. I go to Dallas in two weeks for the results. If I lose, that’s okay. If I win, I have to make a speech. After much thought, I’ve decided “You love me! You really, really love me!” will work. It was good enough for what’s-her-name, so it’s good enough for me. Either way, I’m not nervous. Totally not. Nope.

And finally, after years of (sort of) trying, I finally landed an awesome literary agent. She rocks. Over the last three months, we’ve edited and edited and edited some more, and this week, my book goes out to publishers. Several publishers. Lots of publishers. And I will spend the next who-knows-how-long waiting for an answer. And if you know me, you know that waiting is not my spiritual gift. But hopefully, if all goes well, I will eventually have an offer. An offer that will put me on the definite road of becoming a published author. It’s been a dream of mine as long as I can remember, and now that dream is teetering on the edge of reality. But I’m not nervous. Totally not. Nope.

A lot can happen in a year. A lot can stay the same. And who knows? Maybe a year from now I’ll be facing a whole new challenge.

Like, maybe that day my daughter will come in screaming…with a splinter on her forehead.

Something to look forward to, right?

Happy Labor Day!

Amy