Homecoming

I could hardly contain myself for the excitement I was feeling last Saturday morning. It was the day my daughter-in-law’s mom and I headed to DIA to pick up my son and her daughter. They were returning home after almost a year away in New York City.

Airports are a fascinating place to me. I enjoy the roar of jet engines, the throng of excited people waiting for loved ones, the bored businessmen embarking on yet another trip, keys furiously clacking on laptops, the smells of food, the variety of tourist-snagging shops that catch the eye and lighten the wallet.

My friend and I chatted, made a couple of phone calls, and squirmed nervously, wondering if we were sitting in the right place as we waited for the kids to arrive. When a custodian came by with his mop and bucket, we inquired, only to get a strange look from him. “The passengers arrive over by the fountain,” he replied in response to our question.

Well, of course. That’s probably why there were so many people sitting over there and the chairs in the hallway where we were sitting were sparsely populated. We took seats in the front row and waited with eager anticipation as throngs of people ascended the stairs and poured out of two doors.

Would we see them first? Or would they see us? Would Jason still be sporting his goatee? Would Jaque’s hair be long or short? I pictured the shirt my son would be wearing. I was right, the black shirt with the red design.

Hugs were exchanged, a few unshed tears, and then we moved to the baggage claim. Jaque is a photography buff, so of course she had brought her camera and tripod along. All their luggage arrived except the tripod. I mentioned that it might be located in the oversized baggage area, but my son didn’t think so. Guess where we found it. Mom was right!

We hooked up with a friend of the kids’ in Denver and enjoyed a great meal at Papadeaux. Seafood. Oh yeah, my type of fare! It was delicious, but of course, way too much, so I brought home leftovers.

We didn’t get home until almost 3 AM, but I was proud that we all got up and went to church in the morning. J & J attended our pastor’s youth group when they lived here in town, so they wanted to see him and some of the young people they know form the congregation. It worked out well as there was a fellowship coffee after services.

The time is flying by much too fast. Our kids are no longer “kids”. They are adults who have faced a great deal of hardship and frustration over the past few months. They live in a poor section of the Bronx, where Jaque teaches school to a low income segment of the population. Kids who don’t care about learning, don’t have any respect for anyone, and are probably headed to jail. A good percentage of them anyway.

They had the opportunity to speak to a group of seniors at the school here in town where they graduated. The main focus of their talk was moving on, grasping opportunities, and seeking what’s out there beyond the confines of a small town. They were perfect for the assignment. Who would have thought that two young people who graduated from a school in a town of less than three thousand would move to New York City?

We went out to a place called red rocks the other day, a perfect place for Jaque to get photos of Southeastern Colorado. I hadn’t been out there in 25 years. There is a huge expanse of rock that probably trails all the way to New Mexico if a person were to follow it. We had a great time, running around on the rocks, exploring, finding interesting things, some left by nature and some by man.

Jason and Jaque left on Wednesday evening to spend a few days in Colorado Springs. They have kept in contact with former coworkers from up there and wanted to get together with them.

Prior to that, though, we drove out into the country, far enough away from light pollution to where she could take some time lapse photos of the stars. Our six-year old granddaughter went with us. She was fascinated by all the stars. “I didn’t know there were so many stars up there, mom!” she exclaimed, her eyes full of wonder.

It’s kind of neat to relate to your kids as adults. They have their opinions about politics, the environment, life in general and the world. Their experiences no longer mirror ours. Our son is certified in computer networking and avidly studying to advance even further. Jaque, after she acquires her masters in teaching, is hoping to someday own a small photography business on the side. She could probably do it, too. She is a bright young lady and her photos are awesome.

They will be back today for a few hours before we all head up to the airport early tomorrow morning. Their plane leaves at 9:10 AM, which means check-in somewhere around 7:30. We’ll be hitting the road around 3 AM.

Homecomings are fun. They stir up memories of the past and help us make new ones.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Genesis Awakening

Two years ago, I was a Genesis finalist. For those of you who may not know what Genesis is, it is the annual contest run by American Christian Fiction Writers. I still remember the night I received the call. Seems to me my husband answered the phone and gave me the message. I had entered a couple of other contests around that same time, so I called Diane back to be sure it was the Genesis contest that she was talking about. I couldn’t believe it!

Our conference was held in Dallas that year and the dinner they planned was fabulous. I’m sure everyone remembers that delectable slice of chocolate cake. It was the tiniest piece of chocolate cake I’d ever seen, but so rich that I could barely finish it all on top of all the other delicious food we were served. It was called "flourless cake". I still have a copy of the menu.

Anyway, there was so much excitement in the air and we finalists were seated at tables in the front of the room. As each finalist name was called, our picture was flashed on the screen. It wasn’t until the winners were announced in my category that I realized I’d been so nervous I never did see my picture displayed up there. I also remember they got the title of my entry wrong. Anyway, I didn’t win, but that was okay, because my room-mate did. Audra Harders. I had told her when we were dressing for the event that I knew she would win. She did.

I will always treasure my memories of Genesis 2006, from the day I started polishing my entry to the final moment when I gave Audra a big hug of congratulations.

Last year, I entered the same manuscript, made major improvements, and didn’t even final. I was disappointed, but I took to heart the comments that were made and like to think I learned from them.

This year, I didn’t enter. Today, I read the list of finalists for Genesis 2008. It struck me that of all the names, I only recognized one, and she is a cyberspace buddy. I don’t believe we have ever met face to face. What happened to all those people I knew that were finaling when I was competing? Oh yeah, they can’t enter the Genesis anymore for a very good reason. They’re already published!

I think of all the people I met those first couple of years after I joined ACFW who were not publsihed, at least in fiction, yet and are now. Kathy Kovach. Cheryl Wyatt. Carrie Turansky. Tiff Miller. Megan DiMaria. There are probably dozens more.

Guess that’s a wake up call to me. Sometimes I feel like I’m in the same place I was two years ago. Working on the same manuscript. Making the same mistakes. Dreaming the same dreams. I know that’s not true. I keep track of my word count, so I know I’ve written a whole lot of words in two years. I’ve read several writing craft books and rewritten scenes that were pretty bad, made them come to life. I just have to remind myself that the dream may be closer than I think. I have to keep reaching for it. One word at a time.

Take a look at my thought for this month. I’m not giving up. I have no idea how close I am, but I believe it is a lot less painful to be miles away and keep going than to be inches away and quit.

Congratulations to all the 2008 Genesis winners!

Thanks for reading my blog!