I spent the weekend cleaning out my basement. Yeah, it’s about as fun as it sounds. Unfortunately, I am a paper hoarder (mostly any paper my kids have done at school, art, church, etc.) and my papers have multiplied somehow so I have a lot of boxes of paper. It was sort of fun to go through some boxes though and see papers my daughter had colored in kindergarten (she’s a college sophomore now) and see how much she’s grown.
It sounds so cliché, but it did make me wonder where the time had gone. People always used to tell me back then to enjoy my kids because all too soon they’re grown and gone (my first five children are all two years apart) and I used to smile and think to myself, sure it goes fast. For you! And I didn’t believe them. But now I do.
So, today, I’m going to tell you, enjoy your kids when they’re little because all too soon they’re grown and gone. I know you don’t believe me when you’re in the throes of diapers and bottles and everything else that goes along with young children, but it really does. And pretty soon they’re gone to college and on their own.
Did you plow through that post hoping you’d see the winners of my contest? Did you think I forgot?
Well, here is the moment you’ve been waiting for. (And just to certify, all names were chosen at random.)
*drum roll*
The winner of one of my titles: Through Love’s Trials, On the Edge, Dangerous Connections or Ribbon of Darkness is----
Melanie!!
Congratulations! If you will email me (juliecoulterbellon@gmail.com) your choice and your addy I will get that right out to you.
And the grand prize winner of either a first chapter edit by Ms. Shreditor or a secondary character in my next book named after you is----
Janice!!
Janice if you will email me (juliecoulterbellon@gmail.com) what your choice is, I will let you know what the next step is.
Congratulations to the winners and a big THANK YOU to everyone who entered. I really appreciate everyone who helped me spread the word.
I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
5 comments:
When all the children are fighting and crying and the second gallon of milk is spreading across the floor, I ttell my husband, "People say we're going to miss this."
I miss the hugs, and the sweet baby smells, and watching them sleeping (after that magic 5 year mark) and buying school supplies, and the sound of silence in the house on the first day of school. I'll always remember the first time I let each son get behind the wheel out in the convention center's parking lot and try their hand at driving, or tell me when they met the woman they'd fallen in love with. Looking back over the few years . . . it did go quickly, but I have a mother-in-law who was very wise, she's 97 now. She was my grandmother's age and lived through the depression. Leona told me to "Rock the babies, the housework can keep." If you could see my house, you'd know I still have that mentality.
Congratulations, Melanie and Janice!!
Kate, I totally know what you mean. I still have toddlers, but it's just so hard to believe that my young adults and teenagers have grown so much. Sometimes I miss the fun we had as a young family, but really, it's fun having a big family with lots of ages, too. I guess I'm just surprised to be a mom of adults, you know? Sorry if I'm rambling today. It's Monday and I'm feeling all nostalgic. :)
Debra, I love that baby smell and the way he snuggles his little body into mine. I love how the little kids still think I hung the moon, and I love how my older kids can stay up late and laugh with us. Parenthood is a wonderful blessing, isn't it? :)
Yay! I love being the winner! Thanks so much for doing this contest! Congratulations to Melanie too.
Every stage I'm in with my kids is my favorite. They're all in school full time - or at least they will be in a few weeks. I I'll miss them, but I'll also get more done!
I'd like Through Love's Trials. I'll get you my info. Hooray!
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