A fresh start

I’ve been going over one of my completed manuscripts, preparing it for the Golden Heart contest. I actually do enjoy revisions when the manuscript has had time to simmer and stew. Right now I’m hacking away at chapter 4, shaping it to fit the new synopsis. Hopefully I can get the revisions finished by next week (cue the hysterical laughter) before I send it off to the contest.

We’re still working on the shed, putting up the roof trusses today. I am enjoying the nail gun (and I also learned that there are brands of nail guns that DO shoot nails without having to be pressed in, unlike the nail gun we’re using). Always good to know.

I took the Demon Baby to church today. It was an experience. Do you remember those days when you would see parents with young children, and the children were crawling around on the pews, coloring, eating snacks, and in general bringing chaos in their wake? I used to think, “That will never be me. MY children will never behave like that.” :loser:

Riiight. You have a choice–either leave the children at home or bring them and face the possibility that they may turn into Mr. Hyde without warning and require an exorcism (lucky me, I’m Catholic). Last Sunday, my daughter slept during the entire Mass. Today she made a bed for herself on the pew and was thrilled to discover that she could slide around on the polished wood. She would propel herself across the pew, grinning and saying, “Wheee!”

Each time I would haul her into my arms in a death grip, she would squirm and whimper and fuss, making far more noise than the aforementioned “Whee! ” Choose your battles, right? I tried coloring but then she discovered that she could color orange crayon upon her white tights. Not a good idea.

I tried giving her the hymnal, but she ripped a page right out. So, at last, I gave up and let her slide around (hoping she’d fall asleep). Again, no luck. Because the elderly couple behind her thought she was charming. She started to flirt with them and play peekaboo.

My son is old enough to attend the preschool religious education classes, which are great because they occur during Mass. In the meantime, it’s one more Sunday of wrestling a toddler. It reminds me of this commercial