Writing From Home

When I began blogging as Musing Mama K, I was in the classroom, collecting funny one-liners on a daily basis. I still gather those little gems, but I find lately that I'm gathering them from my own family. I'm going to change direction with my blog and offer a glimpse into what it's like to hold down a freelance writing career while chasing a VERY active sixteen-month-old boy.

If you do not follow my adoption blog, here's a summary of the last two years of my crazy life: In October of 2011, our adoption of a little boy fell through when the birth mother changed her mind a week before delivery. When we got up off the floor, God gave us our Samuel, and I began motherhood at age 43. After one year of teaching AND being a mom, I found that my heart was no longer in the classroom. I had waited too long to be a parent, and I was missing it. Mediocrity as a teacher? No. Mediocrity as a mother? No. A lot of parents pull it off, but for me, I had to make a choice, and I chose to work from home as a freelance writer.

Here's how it works: My son is a serious sleeper. When his eyes close, I head for the computer. What do I write? Right now, I am working on a large unit on argumentation and persuasion, which I will sell on my TeachersPayTeachers website. During Samuel's morning nap, I might dabble with that unit. During his afternoon nap, I might switch gears and revise a piece of the book I've been writing, a biography of jeweler David Webb. On rare occasions, I do a bit of dissertation proofreading or prep a workshop I've been hired to teach. That's an ideal day, but most days involve furtive, obsessive checking of sales stats, a Pinterest pin here and there, and then hunkering down once he goes to bed.

Life is still funny. Here's snapshot of lines actually spoken in my home yesterday:

"Samuel, stop putting chicken in your hair."
"How did the phone end up in the dogs' water bowl?"
"Get out of the drawer."
"Get out of the dishwasher."
"Don't slam your hand in the dryer."
"Incoming!"
"Dogs don't like asparagus, honey."
"Is that the dog's toy in your mouth?"
"Is that the baby's toy in your mouth?"
"Acting cute will not undo the fact that you whacked the dog with a cane."
"We have a showing TODAY?!"

Oh yeah, we're trying to sell our house and expand my husband's business.

So come join me. Laugh with me while I try to figure out what it looks like to be 45 with a toddler, living life as fully as possible while playing Twister.